It has been written extensively about the extent to which teachers can make or break the process of curriculum implementation. But little is said about the power that students bring to the classroom desk. Of course, there is no denying the fact that what teachers do and say in the theatre of instruction can seal the fate of the students.
To underscore the position of the teacher as the engine of classroom instruction, some scholars have observed accurately that what other actors (parents and community) do and say cannot be as profound as the work of the teachers.
This means the work of the teacher can dramatically alter the performance trajectory of students. Clearly, if the classroom climate does not make deliberate and intentional efforts to recognise the status of students as a strong and influential resource for learning, the students will find it hard to break the ceiling and assume their right place in the learning process. A disempowering class room environment is one characterised by dominance of the teacher element to the detriment of students.
Teaching should be an enabling tool offering students sufficient air to embark on self-exploration, to discover their talents, passions while creating opportunities for polishing and fine tuning of those talents and skills. When given the platform to try things out on their own with minimal guidance, students could stand on their feet and graduate from the dependency syndrome, which commands little respect.
The framers of the curriculum and classroom practitioners should make provision for students to express themselves as a resource for learning. After all, teaching should be a reciprocal process permitting an exchange of ideas between the learner and teacher in the presence of content. Students’ engagement in the classroom comes through practice and experimentation. Giving students topics to work ahead of the actual teacher-student classroom stimulation allows students some degree of control over the learning process.
One of the most potent ways of empowering students is to educate them to ask questions during instruction. Traditionally, student participation is restricted to the question–answer technique where students respond to questions posed by the teacher. This one way traffic kind of teaching technique can be a dull affair if over used. Having the teachers for a change fielding questions from the students can break the monotony and make the teaching and learning process juicer.
The value of students is worth more than what they are perceived.
Students tend to respond positively to a much more reassuring teaching and learning environment. Students thrive in a positive teaching environment which deploys intangible tools of leaning. Intangible tools of teaching and learning are invincible elements which can only be felt but cannot be touched. Intangible tools involve things like empathy, kindness, love and respect.
Effective interaction between the teacher and student begins at the psychological stage. Students do better when they feel valued, respected and cared for. Students value the little things which may otherwise be taken lightly. There are teachers who are able to extract more from their students by cultivating a habit of spicing and peppering the seriousness of classroom instruction with light hearted exchanges which have the effect of making students feel more valued and recognised.
Way back during a harvesting season, my usually no nonsense and disciplinarian primary school teacher would out of nowhere on a Friday ask if there were any students who could bring him water melons on Monday. Such un-expected plea and request coming from a person sitting in a position of strength, eased the nerves and created a friendly and less exacting atmosphere.
Students came to realise the teacher was after all human just like them. And many students responded to the challenge and retuned with a wide range of farm goodies from water melons, sweet reed to maize. By merely asking students to bring something to the classroom, the teacher somewhat made students feel helpful and worth something.
The exchange of gifts brought about some connection or chemistry between the teacher and his students.
Lately I learnt of the story of a successful teacher who has so much chemistry with her students that characteristically she begins her classroom instruction by asking if any students have some brought some sweets for her.
Usually there will be a student who would have arranged something for the teacher. The teacher would in turn buy gifts for the students. The rare privilege of sharing some gifts with the teacher or other students make the giver feel proud and appreciated.
Today the (ADULT WORLD) adult world as never before is honouring birthdays. Teachers who take time to mark a student birthday are more likely to make students see their learning as a rewarding and worthy experience. If desiring to keep students focused and engaged, teachers should adopt the modern business model of soliciting KYC - know your customer. It does not do teaching any justice for teachers to deal with students they hardly know.
Who are these students and what are their unique and peculiar circumstances? There is a need to infuse the human element into the classroom. Students are mortals and can be constrained by their own circumstances. A personal crisis of a student should be given the same prominence and attention as that of an adult or a member of staff.
Gathering data about the home environment and using the data to drive instruction can make a big difference. How students apply themselves depends on not only how well they are taught but also on how well they are treated. Students are always looking for respect. This is to say the teacher’s mastery of content can never be sufficient to bring about positive and sustainable changes in a classroom unless spiced up with intangibles. Students stretch their potential when they feel they owe their kind teacher some allegiance.
