Feelings are clearly part of a school day since they are a part of our daily lives. We think that we all have experienced every feeling there is to feel during our school day: disappointment, joy, sadness, angriness, anxiety.. to name a few. This all depends on what kind of experiences we have at the time, and they leave a mark on us. In our good memories are included for example playground games with friends during a recession, group work in class or talking in free time.
Then there are memories which are not so good, such as being bullied or being left out from some games. Each of us experienced something like this in class, such as being laughed at for asking a question from the teacher or having to go to the headmaster’s office for not understanding a task in maths.
This, for example, can leave a mark on oneself. Months and years later you might still be afraid to ask questions because you don’t want to be laughed at. As Mendler (2001) says, a teacher should be able to create an environment without threats, answering questions without the fear of embarrassment. This will help students be more engaged and motivated (Mendler, 2001). This is what we, as becoming teachers, want to aim at.
One of our group members was reminded of an incident, where some students put another student (a small one) to a bin. First, this student also laughed at the situation, but he couldn’t come out from the bin on his own. When the teacher came to class, he helped him out from there. This incident wasn’t really discussed in class. We think it’s necessary to talk with the students about these kinds of issues: children need to know that school is not just about learning bits of information but also learning about important values and good behavior.
When thinking of the changes in students' lives, the transition from primary to secondary school includes the increase of bullying behaviour:
“In a nationwide survey of 6th through 10th graders, 24.2% reported being bullied once or twice, 8.5% reported being bullied sometimes, and 8.4% reported being bullied at least on a weekly basis (Nansel et al. 2001).” In comparison with our experiences, most of us can agree with it.
If we seek of something good in our bad experiences, we certainly always learn from them. We learn no to make the same mistake again if that's what caused our bad experience, and we think that bad experiences may also lead to better teaching by creatin a deeper sense of empathy, of going through same feelings as a student might be going through. As Dewey (1938) noted: "What [a person] has learned in the way of knowledge and skill in one situation becomes an instrument of understanding and dealing effectively with the situations that follow. The process goes on as long as life and learning continue". (Quoted by Craig, 2013, in Emotion and School: Understanding How the Hidden Curriculum Influences Relationships, Leadership, Teaching, and Learning by Riley, P., Gallant, A., & Newberry, M. (Ed.))
Resources:
- Birkett, Michelle, Dorothy L. Espelage, and Brian Koenig. "LGB and questioning students in schools: The moderating effects of homophobic bullying and school climate on negative outcomes." Journal of youth and adolescence 38.7 (2009): 989-1000.
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10964-008-9389-1
- Mendler, A. N. (2001). Connecting with Students. Alexandria, VA: Assoc. for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
- Riley, P., Gallant, A., & Newberry, M. (2013). Emotion and School: Understanding How the Hidden Curriculum Influences Relationships, Leadership, Teaching, and Learning. Bingley, UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Then there are memories which are not so good, such as being bullied or being left out from some games. Each of us experienced something like this in class, such as being laughed at for asking a question from the teacher or having to go to the headmaster’s office for not understanding a task in maths.
This, for example, can leave a mark on oneself. Months and years later you might still be afraid to ask questions because you don’t want to be laughed at. As Mendler (2001) says, a teacher should be able to create an environment without threats, answering questions without the fear of embarrassment. This will help students be more engaged and motivated (Mendler, 2001). This is what we, as becoming teachers, want to aim at.
One of our group members was reminded of an incident, where some students put another student (a small one) to a bin. First, this student also laughed at the situation, but he couldn’t come out from the bin on his own. When the teacher came to class, he helped him out from there. This incident wasn’t really discussed in class. We think it’s necessary to talk with the students about these kinds of issues: children need to know that school is not just about learning bits of information but also learning about important values and good behavior.
When thinking of the changes in students' lives, the transition from primary to secondary school includes the increase of bullying behaviour:
“In a nationwide survey of 6th through 10th graders, 24.2% reported being bullied once or twice, 8.5% reported being bullied sometimes, and 8.4% reported being bullied at least on a weekly basis (Nansel et al. 2001).” In comparison with our experiences, most of us can agree with it.
If we seek of something good in our bad experiences, we certainly always learn from them. We learn no to make the same mistake again if that's what caused our bad experience, and we think that bad experiences may also lead to better teaching by creatin a deeper sense of empathy, of going through same feelings as a student might be going through. As Dewey (1938) noted: "What [a person] has learned in the way of knowledge and skill in one situation becomes an instrument of understanding and dealing effectively with the situations that follow. The process goes on as long as life and learning continue". (Quoted by Craig, 2013, in Emotion and School: Understanding How the Hidden Curriculum Influences Relationships, Leadership, Teaching, and Learning by Riley, P., Gallant, A., & Newberry, M. (Ed.))
Resources:
- Birkett, Michelle, Dorothy L. Espelage, and Brian Koenig. "LGB and questioning students in schools: The moderating effects of homophobic bullying and school climate on negative outcomes." Journal of youth and adolescence 38.7 (2009): 989-1000.
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10964-008-9389-1
- Mendler, A. N. (2001). Connecting with Students. Alexandria, VA: Assoc. for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
- Riley, P., Gallant, A., & Newberry, M. (2013). Emotion and School: Understanding How the Hidden Curriculum Influences Relationships, Leadership, Teaching, and Learning. Bingley, UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
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