The ‘Other’ as learner

 

The culmination of a year’s study on my specialist subject area was a two-day conference this week. I was treated to a series of lectures and presentations from some of the most energetic, passionate and inspirational teachers I have had the pleasure to meet. Throughout the two days there was a golden thread of thought, not created by design, I would posit more by necessity.

Lou Mycroft was the first speaker and her appeal to us not to speak of or treat our learners as ‘other’, apart and separate from ourselves, spoke very deeply to me. Her lecture can be found here. This was the beginning of that golden thread of though for me, looking at my colleague’s presentations using the idea of teaching as social responsibility.

Charlie Deane then followed Lou and continued that thread for me, suggesting that we have an impact on our student’s self-worth, their concept of themselves is down to us. Hence the need to not ‘other’ them in our minds, to treat them with respect and as an equal. I need my students to know I care about their futures, that relationship with my students is vital to engage them. Charlie linked this to the growth mindset ideas of Carol Dweak, suggesting that I need to operate in my sphere of influence rather than my sphere of concern (see S Covey’s 7 Habits) to enable me to maintain my focus on making a difference to my students, thus fulfilling the intrinsic motivation for teaching.

The first day was concluded by Steve Baker’s vibrant lecture looking at behaviour for learning. Again, the thread was there, learners need to be welcomed into the classroom, they should know I am happy to be there and happy to be teaching them. To help them to see this I need to be clear that I want the best for them and so the best from them using warmth alongside firmness. This positive and welcoming approach, focusing on positive behaviour to circumvent the negative is again treating the learner with respect, as an individual rather than the ‘other’.

The final lecture of the conference was by Trevor Gordon, who spoke to us about embedding equal opportunities. Yet again there was the overriding respect of the learner and the wish to engage with them as equals in a democratic environment. Trevor pointed out that they have rights, but we must make sure they are aware with those rights come responsibilities. We are unable to see our learner’s whole selves, the history and future they hold, our responsibility is to treat them as individuals, not to judge them or label them as we can not know their potential from outward signs.

Running alongside these speakers were presentations from my subject specialist colleagues who demonstrated a level of care for their learners and passion for their subject that rivalled the lectures. There was a deep concern amongst them all for the challenges their students face in light of the pressures society places on them, the changes to the GCSE English specification and the barriers to learning they experience. However, they showed courage, inventiveness and dedication to their students and their subject. There is a commitment to developing and building a community of practice to share skills, resources and ideas, to reaching and engaging the individuals they work in the best way for those learners. As Lou Mycroft said, and I truly do hope, “a perfect storm is on the horizon for education” (Mycroft, 2016) and with such dedicated professionals with such strong senses of social responsiblity emerging in to Further Education I feel positive for all our learners’ futures.

References

Mycroft, L. (2016, April 4). A New Professionalism: what should a teacher look like in 2020? [Web log post]. Retrieved from  https://teachnorthern.wordpress.com/2016/04/04/a-new-professionalism-what-should-a-teacher-look-like-in-2020/