The highlight of my study was the research project that I completed in November. I explored personal dynamics in the classroom and how these influence teaching and learning. This was essentially an historical literature review that drew upon the influence of humanistic thought on classroom practice. The "bottom line" in this project was that the extent to which a teacher can positively connect with students on an interpersonal level determines the extent to which students will find the learning experience fulfilling.
I am not about to try and summarize thousands of words in one post. But what I will do today is share a summary of one of the sections where I explored the qualities of effective teachers. Here is a summary:
- Effective teachers display both overt and covert qualities. That is, some qualities can be clearly seen. Others are internally held beliefs.
- Overt qualities are REALNESS, ACCEPTANCE and EMPATHY. Realness involves the teacher being genuine in their encounter with their students. Acceptance speaks of the teacher unconditionally regarding students in a positive manner. Empathy is the teacher's ability to understand a student's world from the learner's perspective.
- Covert Qualities are beliefs which are often expressed in expectations and intentions. Students seek to understand teacher's beliefs and intentions so they can find out what the teacher believes about them personally. When a learner perceives that a teacher views them positively they respond positively and engage in learning more readily.
- Learning experiences are directly linked to both the overt and covert qualities that I have mentioned. Teachers who frame their students in a positive manner will develop refreshing experiences that require students to be all they can be. Students are more likely to strive toward "being all the can" if the essential overt qualities are present as they will feel supported and motivated to do so.
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