Monografía Final

Universidad de Playa Ancha Humanity Faculty Language Science Department English Pedagogy

Monografía Unit 2- Positive Relationships: Conditions for learning environment.

Group Members: Mabel Iribarra Karla Calderón

Profesor: Isabel Vásquez

Valparaíso, Chile 2009

“A good teacher is like a candle - it consumes itself to light the way for others”. Author Unknown

When you come into the presence of a true teacher they only work as a mirror in order to help you to develop inner qualities that you may not see.This teaches us that every human being is a unique creature and has a unique gift. So, a great teacher often puts us through exercises designed to bring out the hidden talent that is placed within. While the structure of Chile’s elementary and secondary education has changed considerably in political terms but we do not want to emphasize that poin. As we and everybody knows, teaching is the profession that teaches all the other professions. If the government of Chile is investing in education it is because every issue has an starting point of development, in the mission on an advanced human capital in chile that point is called “quality educaction” and therefore “quality teachers”. Effective teachers are costly, but bad teachers cost more and by that we mean that it may cost the lost of prospective students. Therefore, we claim for a good and positive learning enviorement in classroom settings in order to help to develop academic skills and inner qualities in students which will guide them for the rest of their lifes. “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”(Henry Brooks Adams)

We often fell tired of spending so many hours at school, got bored of reading tedoius books that were not interesting enough for us, followed rules that we considered ridiculous, and could not forget the authoritarian teacher, etc. At present is not that different. As students of Vise II, we have realised that this situation has not changed at all in our schools. After years of research some experts have developed several theories which have contributed enormously to transform in long term the positive relationship schoolstudent-teacher. Daniel Goleman, the author of series of books about Emotional intelligence, has described the importance of “emotions” at a school stage, since school is an essential part of students lives. “En la medida en que la vida familiar está dejando ya de ofrecer a un número cada vez mayor de niños un fundamento seguro para la vida, la escuela está convirtiéndose en la única institución de la comunidad en la que pueden corregirse las carencias emocionales y sociales del niño” (Goleman, 1997, p.177). Certainly children spend 5 to 7 hours a day at school, more than what most of them spend at home with their families, which makes school become their second home. Then we wonder, ¿ What happens inside the classroom? And ¿Which consequences will have in children development? As Goleman says “Pero dado que casi todos los niños están escolarizados (por lo menos en teoría), la escuela constituye el único lugar en el que se pueden impartir a los niños las lecciones fundamentales para vivir que difícilmente podrán recibir en otra parte. De este modo, el proceso de alfabetización emocional impone una carga adicional a la escuela, que se ve así obligada a hacerse cargo del fracaso de la familia en su misión socializadora de los niños, una difícil tarea que exige dos cambios esenciales: que los maestros vayan más allá de la misión que tradicionalmente se les ha encomendado y que los miembros de la comunidad se comprometan más con el mundo escolar”. (p.175). Pero este enfoque también redefine la función de la escuela instaurando una cultura «más respetuosa», con lo cual la escuela se convierte en un lugar en el que los estudiantes se sienten tenidos en cuenta, respetados y vinculados a sus compañeros, a sus maestros y a la misma institución.” (Goleman, 1997, p. 176) Although the school represents the image of responsiblility for children learning and education, the main conexion between these elements are teachers. A positive relationship among teachers and students, will provide an appropiate atmosphere for both to accomplish their goals in the classroom. As Jones states “academic achievement and student behavior are influenced by the quality of the teacher and student relationship” (p. 95). What makes a positive relationship in the claasroom is good communication, respect and showing interest from both sides, teachers who enjoy teaching and students who enjoy learning. However there are other points of view that establishes precisely, “positive student-teacher relationships are characterized by open communication, as well as emotional and academic support that exist between students and teachers.” (Pianta, 1999)

We know that students at school go trhough a complex stage where they can get easily confussed or lost if they are not supported by their teachers, besides they need to gain a positive attitute for their future education in order to achive long term goals. “Children have different strategies for learning and achieving their goals. A few students in a classroom will grasp and learn quickly, but at the same time there will be those who have to be repeatedly taught using different techniques for the student to be able to understand the lesson. On the other hand, there are those students who fool around and use school as entertainment. Teaching then becomes difficult, especially if there is no proper communication.” (www.csun.edu/~acc50786/Education.html) Teachers need to be aware of the different backgrounds that children come from, so that they understand which values children give priority as well as students are aware of how to be respected for who they are. In addition, understanding their problems and fears the teacher will gain child’s confidence and respect and also will understand their difficulties to learn. Consequently the teacher will know how to deal with children that are unsuccesful in school. “The communication between the student and the teacher serves as a connection between the two, which provides a better atmosphere for a classroom environment. Of course a teacher is not going to understand every problem for every child in his or her classroom, but will acquire enough information for those students who are struggling with specific tasks.” (www.csun.edu/~acc50786/Education.html) Children also need to show their knowledge, talk about their experiences and want to be listened. Therefore a teacher must give them confidence when askimg for opinions or important contributions they will probably make. Like this paragraph clarifies “The teacher(s) does not have to give up all their control, rather teachers share control with students and encourage interactions that are determined by mutual agreement”. (www.csun.edu/~acc50786/Education.html) .

Conclusions Now we have some knowledege of the benefits of stablishing positive relationships with our students. The more we learn about them, the better chances we have to help them in their particular personalities, viewpoints and realities. Showing interest for our students will awake their enthusiasm to make relationships with their teachers. But a good communication is essential for this to happen, since would not it be possible if we do not let them know how important they are, each of them, what we expect about them because we are certain they are able to accomplish any goal, and that all of this can be approachable only if they respect themselves and the teachers. Having established a positive relationship with students will encourage students to seek education and be enthusiastic to be in school. Students will see the real importance of schooling that provides the learning you can not get anywhere else. Just take into account that learning is a complete process that not only benefits sudents, but also enrich teachers instruction. “You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself.” Galileo Galilei.

Bibliography

Goleman, Daniel. Inteligencia Emocional. Colección Ensayo, editorial Kairós, 1997. Jones, Vernon F., and Louise Jones. Responsible Classroom Discipline. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, Inc., 1981. 95-215. Pianta, Robert C., Enhancing Relationships Between Children and Teachers. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Assn., 1999 Rose, Mike. “Lives on the Boundary.” The Presence of Others. Ed. Marilyn Moller. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martin’s, 2000. 106-115. Thomas, David. “Lives on the Boundary.” The Presence of Others. Ed. Marilyn Moller. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2000. 122. www.csun.edu/~acc50786/Education.html