Establishing Positive TeacherStudent Relationships By Whispering Birds Fehime
Establishing Positive Teacher-Student Relationships By Whispering Birds
Fehime Özlü Pelin Gürel Whispering Birds • Motto: Listen to Whispers! • Average Age: 22. 25 Neslihan Çalapkulu İpek Pehlevan • Observation Schools: Şişli Terakki Foundation Schools– Robert College – İstek Belde Schools
We talk about… • Summary of the path that we follow during the process • Our subject: Establishing teacher – student relationships • Problem 1 - Why do the teachers discriminate the students according to gender, race and success differences in Turkey? • Problem 2 - Why don’t the teachers know the student well outside the classroom in Turkey?
Brainstorming 1. Why don’t the teachers know the student well outside the classroom in Turkey? 2. Why aren’t the teachers interested in the students’ behavior outside the classroom? 3. How can we improve the empathy between the teacher and the students? 4. Why do the teachers discriminate the students according to gender, race and success differences in Turkey? 5. Should the teacher supress his/her social and cultural background?
Matrix Diagram Members 1. Problem (knowing the students) 2. Problem (Lack of interests) 3. Problem (lack of empathy) 4. Problem(Dis crimination) 5. Problem(tea cher’s background) Fehime Özlü 7 4 3 6 5 Pelin Gürel 6 4 3 5 2 Neslihan Çalapkulu 5 6 4 7 3 İpek Pehlevan 7 5 6 5 4 23 24 % 19 20% 16 17% 23 24% 14 14% Total Point Approx. %
Pareto Diagram Approx. % 30% 25% 20% 15% Approx. % 10% 5% 0% 1. Problem (knowing the students) 2. Problem (lack of interest) 3. Problem (lack of empathy) 4. Problem(Discrimination) 5. Problem(teacher’s background)
STEPS 1 st week (30. 09. 1306. 10. 13) PLAN Identify topics DO Observations and survey implement Approval Literature review and target Identification Analysis of causes (fishbone charts) Approval of the fisbone charts Check list and survey designing Determined solution tactic CHECK Discuss results ACT & STAND ARDIZ ATION Standartization Final corrections and delivering PRESEN TATION As team ASSES SMENT Award ceremony Feedback 2 nd week (07. 10. 1313. 10. 13) 3 rd week (14. 10. 1320. 13) 4 rd week (21. 10. 1327. 10. 13) 5 th week (28. 10. 1303. 11. 13) 6 th week (04. 11. 1310. 11. 13)
Methodology • We defined two main problems related to the teacher – student relationship. • We did class observations and a checklist to collect infromation.
Problem -1 Why do the teachers discriminate the students according to gender, race and success differences in Turkey?
Fishbone 1
Literature Review (Tomul, E. , Çelik, K. , &Taş, A. (2012). ) • Discrimination and justice -- changes from person to person -- are related to -- student’s justice perception, -- his/her socio-demographic characteristics -- his/her own socio-cultural standing. Injustices can give rise to negative behaviours such as -- burglary -- aggresiveness.
Literature Review According to the study results; • When the participants experience discrimination they think that they are discriminated against because of their political opinions and faith. -- These findings may be related to with Turkey’s sociocultural state. -- Students whose socio-economic status is high state that teachers disciminate less; -- Students whose socio-economic status is low state that teachers are more discriminatory.
Literature Review In Turkey, student perceptions of teacher behaviour related to dicrimination and justice and their effection teacher-student relations has not been extensively researched.
Recommendations • Teachers can supply explanatory information to students about their affairs and evaluation processes. • Evaluation standards can be determined and discussed with students beforehand. • Drawing attention to a teacher’s discriminatory behaviours and encouraging empathy can be achieved with special training during teachers’ pre-service trainings.
Problem -2 Why don’t the teachers know the student well outside the classroom in Turkey?
Fishbone 2
Literature Review (Beyazkurk & Kesner, 2005) • In the study conducted by Beyazkurk and Kesner, the dimensions which were concerned are closeness, dependency and conflict. • Results of the study showed that Turkish teachers are more closeness and dependency with their students. There is a lack of studies showing the significance of attachment based relationship between the students and teachers especially in the childhood.
Literature Review Suggestions • The teacher training programs in Turkey needs a focus emphasizing the relationship. • Teachers are role model in the classroom for the students, so they need the necessary education to develop the social and emotional development of their students.
… How can we improve the relationship between teachers & students?
Creating open, professionally appropriate dialogue with the students Sharing a wide range of personal concerns and values with students Almost complete openness Sharing no personal feelings or reactions but merely perform our instructional duties Openness related to reactions and feelings An exclusive focus on a role -bound relationship. Its about the school environment, with limited sharing of aspects reflecting our out of school life
Establishing effective relationships with the students Thomas Gordon’s concepts • Openness or Transparency • Caring • Interdependence • Separateness • Mutual Needs Meeting Gordon (1974) p. 24 Nel Noddings’ Concepts • • Modelling Dialogue Practice Confirmation Noddings(1984)
Methods for communicating caring and support We can express our interest and concern for students by 1. Getting to know students 2. Maintaining a high ratio of positive to negative statements 3. Communicating high expectations 4. Giving specific, descriptive feedback 5. Listening to students 6. Sharing responsibility with students 7. Using culturally sensitive communication 8. Responding effectively to inappropriate behavior.
Getting to know students Important days for some communitie s and celebrations History, traditions, holiday Health & hygiene Treatment ways and illness causes Food Eating habit School restiristions Family structure Life cycle Getting to know students Religion Time & Space Constituting a family, living with others in one house, hierarchy and authority. The criterias for defining life stages Avaliable roles and ways they are acquired Roles & interpersonal relationship Discipline Meaning of discipline Punctuality, speed Peregoy & Boyle, 1993, pp. 8 -10
Getting to know students Arranging Individual Conferences with the Students • During preparation period, lunch, before school, after school. • To discuss their work, behavior, get to know the student better Demonstrating Interest in the Students’ Activities • To indicate our concern for the students and to enjoy our relationships with them Eating Lunch with the Students Arranging Interviews Sending Letters & Notes to Students • To share personal interest not to discuss the student’s schoolwork or behavior. • To allow your students to interview you • When a students’s behavior has improved, when a student has been successfull at a new or difficult task, when a personal matter seems to be worrying a student and on a student. • Make them eager to get to know them, and excited about the upcoming school year.
Getting to know students Using a suggestion box • Encourge students to write ideas for making the class a better place in which to learn. Joining in school and community events • Increase positive teacher – student interaction • Helps create a positive school atmosphere Joining in playground games • To show our humanness and to demonstrate that we enjoy our students • It can also provide us with an excellent form of relaxation Being aware of issues related to sexual harassment • Teacher must be careful to interact with students in ways that are not uncomfortable to the students and do not evoke accusations of sexual harassment.
Maintaining high ratio of positive to negative statements • Children are sensitive to praise and critisism given by adults. Purkey and Novak (1984) explains four types of teacher behaviors toward children: Intentionally disinviting: a message that is continuously transmitted to the students with the intention of informing them that they are irresponsible, incapable and worthless. Unintentionally disinviting: The teacher discouraging the student by replying him/her negatively.
Maintaining high ratio of positive to negative statements Intentionally inviting: • Intentionally informing the students that they are responsible and valuable. Unintentionally inviting: • The teacher makes positive comments and responds positively.
Communicating high expectations Did you witness that some students receive more attention, praise and opportunities than others? What was the role of the teacher in such a situation?
Communicating high expectations • The teacher should be careful about potential biases against some types of students. • Biases can be because of the differences in gender ethnicity, high-low achievers. • The teacher’s high expectations can be another factor that affects teacher-student relationship.
Guidelines to avoid the negative effects of teacher expectations: • Use information from tests, cumulative folders and other teachers very carefully. • Be flexible in your grouping strategies. • Make sure that all the students are challenged. • Be careful about how you respond to low achieving students during class discussions. • Use materials that show a wide range of ethnic groups.
Guidelines to avoid the negative effects of teacher expectations: • Be fair in evaluation and disciplinary procedures. • Communicate to all students that you believe that can learn it and mean it. • Involve all students in learning tasks and in privileges. • Monitor your nonverbal behavior.
How to help the students to access information? • Provide adequate wait time. • Rephrase the question. • Ask if another students would like to assist the student. • Allow the student to request assistance from another student.
How to help the students to access information? • Ask students to turn to a peer and discuss the question. • Offer hints or clues to assist the student in coming up with the answer • Break the question into small parts and ask the student a subset of the question. • Provide some or all of the answer, and ask the student to discuss his/her thoughts about this as an answer. • Allow the student to pass.
How to provide Feedback? • How much? - Somewhat more but not too much. • To whom? - For both high and low achievers, positive feedback is more effective. • What type? - Specific, clear and descriptive feedback.
An effective reinforcer; • Contingency: Praise must follow desired behaviors • Specificity: Praise should describe the specific behavior • Credibility: Praise should be appropriate for the situation and the individual. Contingency Specificity Credibility
Listening to Students • Listening to students is very important to make them feel significant, accepted, respected, and able to take responsibility for their own behavior.
Listening to Students Be an empathic and nonevaluative listener! • Approaches to nonevaluative listening: 1. The speaker’s statement by looking at him/her and making oral responses such as “m-hm, yes, I see, I understand”. 2. Paraphrasing, active listening or reflecting.
For an effective communication; • Share responsibility with the students to enhance their selfesteem, sense of efficacy, motivation, achievement and school appropriate behavior. • Use culturally sensitive communication. Do not judge any belief, thoughts and value. • Respond effectively to inappropriate or disruptive behavior.
What we talked about? ? ? • How to create an effective communication between teacher and students • How to know about the students better • What the reasons for discrimination in the classrooms are • Some solutions and suggestions related to these issues.
References • Imece Circles by Dr. Hayal KÖKSAL • Beyazkurk, D. , & Kesner, J. (2005). Teacher-child relationships in Turkish and United States schools: A cross-cultural study. International Education Journal , 547 -554. • Gordon, T. (1974). Teacher effectiveness training. New York: Wyden • Jones, V. F. &Jones, L. S. (2007). Comprehensive classroom management: Creating communities of support and solving problems, 8 th edition. Boston: Pearson/Allyn&Bacon. • Noddings, N. (1984). Caring, a feminine approach to ethics and moral education. New York: Teachers College Press. • Peregoy, S. F. & Boyle, O. (1993). Reading, writing, and learning in ESL. New York: Academic Press • Tomul, E. , Çelik, K. , &Taş, A. (2012). Justice in the classroom: Evaluation of teacher behaviours according to students’ perceptions. Eğitim Araştırmaları– Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 48, 59 -72.
Special thanks to Hayal Köksal
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