Teacher Articles - Teachers Classroom
Thursday, 08 January 2009 12:21 Last Updated on Wednesday, 28 January 2009 17:31
Giving students time and opportunity to develop fully
If there is one thing that I am completely convinced about, and would passionately advocate as a teacher, it is that "things, circumstances and people do change - all I need to do is to allow some time and provide opportunity for the change to take place, naturally".
Matter of time
Time and opportunity are the two most important ingredients for bringing out the best in others. When faced with a difficult student, it is easier for a teacher to give up on him and focus on other better-performing and well-behaving students. But an educator is called to go beyond his or her call of duty and look into and meet the needs of even an underperforming, disruptive student.
For most students, especially the ones classified as liabilities to the school system, it's just a matter of time and the provision of sufficient opportunity till they turn around and make ajustments. But the change is not automatic.
It takes only one Countless research findings in the area of resiliency point to the fact that it takes only one person to believe in a "problematic" student to bring about positive changes - behavioural and academic.
Research indicates that this person is often a teacher - someone who is willing to give a student time and opportunity to make cognitive, emotional and behavioural commitments to explore and tap into the reservoir of his or her innate abilities and potential and use them for a better function.
Beware of him
When I started out as a lecturer in an international college, a few colleagues warned me about a particular student whose behaviour and academic performance did not impress them. "Watch out for so and so; he doesn't submit assignments on time, comes late to class, is often absent, and doesn't do well in exams" were some of the remarks I heard from them.
Before they could go on, I told them to stop filling my mind with such information because I didn't want to view students with preconceived ideas, especially negative ones. Sure enough, before long I noticed that this student was all that my colleagues said he would be.
One day, I called him to the office, looked at him and said, "You have great potential in you. The few times you answered some of the questions posed in the class were mind-boggling, and I see greatness in you.
Do you see that in yourself?" He gently nodded and whispered, "Yes." I continued, "It is only you who can put your acts together, realise what you really want in life, and move in the direction of your dreams."
The student instantly opened up and started sharing his dreams with me. What I heard from him thereafter was amazing. His parents were educators who owned a private Thai school in Bangkok. He went on to say that he wanted to finish college, continue with his graduate studies in education, and help them at the school.
No one had known about this. It was hidden from others, who only saw him as a problematic student. But because I believed in him and communicated hope in his potential, he was willing to open up, re-prioritise his goals, and pursue his ambition.
Transformation
The months and years ahead were not smooth for him, but the positive changes were clearly evident. I focused on giving him more time and opportunity to prove to himself and others that he was serious about his life. He did just that.
He graduated in May 2007 and started work as a learning support teacher in an international school in Bangkok. He is currently pursuing a master's degree.
One day, as I was checking my emails, I opened one from him that read: "Dear Dr Roy, check this web site out; it has an article about homework and learning that might interest you. I am helping a boy with learning difficulties and have noticed a significant improvement in his studies.
"I am helping his parents with strategies to support his learning at home." I smiled and felt proud of the kind of person he had become.
I felt happy that I had truly believed in his potential and had given him the time and opportunity he needed to blossom into the better him.
As teachers, we fail when we give up without trying - and in the process of trying to build a student, let us not forget that the best gifts we can offer our students are time and opportunity.
About the Author and Copyright
Dr Edward Roy Krishnan is the assistant to the chairman of the Board at Wells International School. He also lectures in the Graduate School of Psychology, Assumption University, and in the Faculty of Education, St Theresa INTI College.
He is the author of How to Become a Caring Teacher (2006), Engaging Teaching Methods (2006), It Takes a Learner to Teach a Learner (2007), & Secret of an 'A' Student (2007).
This article and content is copyright Dr. Edward Roy Krishnan and reproduced by TiES - www.TiESRecruit.com by kind permission. If you wish to reproduce this article you must ensure this "About the Author and Copyright" notice is displayed in its entirety with the links.
To access additional articles by him, visit http://www.affectiveteaching.com
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