Reading – The Seven Languages of Respect
Share your experiences. When do you feel respected by your students? Is there something that you have implemented with your students that you feel has encouraged respect?
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It’s hard to break habits and mindsets after 40 years in the profession – but I am conscious of the shift in student expectations and endeavour to build student’s respect. Fortunately my teaching context promotes a student centered approach and enables the students to experience some flexibility. Also, from the start we are encouraged to spend one to one time discussing with the student their strengths, previous learning experiences and goals for the course they have enrolled in. The foundation for a respectful relationship commences.
Ann, I agree – one of the most important questions to establish respect is to find out about their goals, why they signed up for the course, what they hope to achieve from it. It makes it easier to plan lessons, to give examples and establishes the relationship
Ann, I agree and I find that VET supports a diversity of methods of delivery which also allows positive engagement with the learners. The practical application to the work environment be that through real experiences and/or simulation supports the development and enhancement of a person-centered individual approach
In the VET sector you can be faced with 17 yr olds up to any age so having that varying age cohort brings about its own dynamics in the learning space. I feel respected when they call me by name and they feel comfortable to clarify problems they are having with their assessments/ learning tasks. I greet the learners by name when they arrive, use my own stories to underpin my teaching and actively engage learners thru questioning techniques using their name
This way I am sure your learners feel that you are actively interested in their lives and experiences and you are a real person that they can learn a lot from. Sharing own stories is a great way to engage learners
I have 17 yr olds from overseas – international students. I would really like them to value the learning support work I do in class but I know the reality is for them, that the part-time job comes before class attendance, especially since my class is not compulsory. So I try not to take lateness or non-attendance personally – but I really would like them to engage more.
Kate – I too feel respected when students use my name and begin to share and ask for info. For me it is often the first indicator that relationship building is progressing in the right direction!
I find sharing your own real life stories and experiences is a great way to engage and connect with students.
I am new to teaching a different questioning techniques is one thing I need to work on. I find wading through the awkward silence after I have asked a question difficult and often answer the question myself rather than remember to give the student time to process the question and think of an answer… something I need to work on
I teach adult learners online for TAFE and RMIT Online and feel that respect is not a major issues. Empathy is crucial though and it is vital to engage students in order to enhance their learning experience. I do this through being available 24/7 – yes, my mobile is usually on unless I am asleep. My students respect the effort that I put in to their learning experience and know that my goal is to enable them to succeed. It is not about me but about them after all. Respect is indeed a two-way street and I always treat my students how I would like to be treated and it is reciprocated.
Dana I’m sure your students appreciate your availability. My experience on on-line learning highlighted the need to have a question answered ‘now’ so that I could continue. One course I enrolled in required us to book a Q&A session – with a 5 day wait – it was so frustrating!
Hi Dana. I agree that being available outside classroom hours is important and shows the students that you are flexible. You have very student-centred approach and it appears that it is a crucial way of giving and receiving respect
I found this loss of empathy very worrying and fear the basic loss of the ability of people to communicate with each other.
In terms of engaging with your students I applaud your availability. There may be times when you want to be ‘off duty’. That is fine and students will, I’m sure, respect your need for setting some limits.
Hi Dana I also feel that availability goes a long way to building mutual respectful relationship
I teach for TAFE in a blended delivery environment and find that I am given respect when I show flexibility in engaging with students, they really appreciate the assistance at odd times outside of the official contact times (classroom/workshops/adobe connect). I think they also respect me because I understand they are people first and students second with conflicting schedules to mine. Students understand that I care about them completing their studies and will do everything in my power to see them achieve. If I see someone struggling I ask what I can do to help. Students appreciate a listening ear and I feel respected that they trust me to share their difficulties with me and work with me to find a way forward.
Hi Judith
It seems you give a lot of thought to each student and their progress through the course, as well as understand the complexities of adult life – that doesn’t remain static from week to week. I’m sure this contributes to a strong and respectful relationship. I also use the listening ear approach and aim to be flexible to meet their learning needs. Sometimes explaining something in a different way is enough to help the over a learning hump so they can progress.
I teach in VET and definitely don’t like the formal title idea 🙂 I prefer a less formal consultative classroom environment for my area of teaching. I have been subtly using my own version of the languages of love with my students for several years now but find nothing can beat the universal language of love -mutual trust and respect. When I am on class I am 100 percent there for them and they know it. Nothing more gratifying than bumping into previous students 10 years later and finding out you influenced their life in a positive way because you weren’t the stereotypical teacher. Love being a TAFE teacher 🙂
Hi Robyn,
I couldn’t agree more with your views as they fit in with my own and it seems that this mutual respect paradigm works well. It also fits in with my wider perspective on life as I always am mindful not to judge but instead respect people’s right to be. I also love being a TAFE teacher 🙂
Hi Robyn,
I completely agree, I think for TAFE the Teachers side of Seven Languages of Respect is slightly modified due to the type of environment we teach in and our cohort.
I also love being a TAFE teacher and love my students.
I’m with you on this, Robyn. I also feel that dispensing with formal approaches of teaching and providing learners with a more informal teaching-learning experience, pays towards earning respect.
Preparing personalized lessons, employing interactive strategies and helping individual students with their specific needs breaks down barriers and helps gain their respect.
Being empathetic to their current situation, treating them with kindness, respecting their diverse cultures and acknowledging their education, experience and expertise in their field of study/ profession also helps.
Respect is something that cant be assumed just because we are teachers & they are the student. It is essential that a student can see we are authentic in how we act in our classrooms, whatever they may be. I am in VET an have come from an industry that has a definite lines of power structure – the kitchen. An apprentice back when I studied was expected to give respect because they had to. I find with our apprentices now they will give respect when they see you deserve it because of your actions, words & skills. I think this is a great change. I have always found when I allow students to engage in the class, share their experiences and not just listen to mine a mutual respect is developed
I agree Sharon. The students are looking for a way to link with us. If they feel acknowledged and you show some interest in them, they relate much better to the subject matter as well
Totally agree Sharon. Our students are human beings that want to be heard, be seen for who they are and what they can achieve, when we as teachers can engage at that level, respect is developed both ways.
Interestingly, because I deliver to young adults at college the expectations from me as their teacher are different to what I would have expected when I taught primary aged students. The seven languages of respect for students discussed are the principles I apply in adult education. I found the commentary around communication interesting. I always acknowledge the difficulty students have writing for periods of time. However I hadn’t stopped to consider the empathy or vocabulary aspects of approaches to communication prior.
I agree that acknowledging the difficulty of the learning is important to engendering respect as you are showing empathy. I teach adults who are balancing work, study and personal lives and always try to complement them on their management of competing demands. If you show respect you are more likely to be respected.
I agree with you. I think that respect needs to be earnt, not just given because we are a teacher. This can be done by the way we treat others, the understanding that we show towards their circumstances, and the flexibility we can provide that takes into account their needs while also encouraging them to participate in their studies. Also, acknowledging students contribution and experience shows respect.
I feel respected when my previous students refer their work colleagues to enroll into my courses. I also enjoy when I have shared an experience with the class and they follow up with me at morning tea or lunch wanting to know about it in more detail or to share a similar experience with me.
Elizabeth, I agree referring colleagues is a good sign of respect. It also shows your doing a good job.
Elizabeth, it’s a great feeling. Many of my ex-students now have apprentices and send them to me. I have been transferred to different locations through my 30 years as a TAFE teacher and the employer request that the student follows. Although I feel a little for the student that may have to travel further i do take a lot of pride in this. i also try to engage with the employer that it’s not necessary and the student wellbeing should be considered if the travel is arduous.
I feel like I am being authentic when I share my own experiences of learning. I am hearing impaired and a class I had was very diverse with culture and linguistic backgrounds. Some groups have a cultural mind set that they agree with the teacher regardless if they understand. I suspected that some were not getting there so I shared that when I don’t hear a person I’ll ask them to repeat but if I don’t get it by the third try I usually just smile, nod or laugh. Sometimes this is not the right response. The class all laughed and agreed they do too. It made it easier for them to feel they can let me know if they did not understand something. It was a great moment.
Hi Lucy,
I do share my experience in class too. I find it also to be a great ice breaker in the beginning. Another tip I received from a much more experienced teacher was to not be afraid when you don’t know something. As teachers we know our subject, but we don’t know everything. Sometimes students come up with some very interesting questions. I am not afraid to say that I don’t know the answer to this question, but always look at this as an opportunity to turn it into a learning experience by suggesting to researching the answer together online.
That’s a perfect example of you being a genuine, real person Lucy, showing your willingness to be authentic and vulnerable. By leading the way, the students will feel comfortable to ask you for assistance and advice. Reciprocating the Respect.
It is always so encouraging when you catch up with previous learners and they share the positive impact you have had on their employment outcomes as a result of their study and gaining a qualification. Very rewarding!
This was very much my experience as well. I spent many years teaching in a gaol. I have on several occasions had students come up to thank me for the impact I had on them while they were in custody. It was a privilege to share the journey with these students.
I feel respected by my students when they greet me warmly and are happy to contribute ideas to their learning , in a reciprocal manner and they can be flexible when required.Also, when they can honestly tell me they haven’t understood something.
Activities where students need to communicate and share information I feel encourages respect all round.
Vivian,
I think it is a very positive sign when learners feel they can safely say that they do not understand. It is very reassuring as a teacher as they clearly want to understand.
I agree with Vivian and Karen – having taught international student groups with diverse linguistic backgrounds and cultures I feel respected when they feel they can repeatedly let me know they are not understanding something and we can work together to find a way they can understand the concept, word or meaning. Early Childhood Education has a whole new vernacular language so it is not easy to ‘translate’.
When students complete a task that I’ve set them, I feel that they are being respectful because they value the learning from completing the task.
eg students complete readings or activities prior to class.
i love nothing more than to sucessfully engage a group of students where there is nothing but silence and total concentration.
To then be bombarded with questions and advice on how they can achieve their individual goals is the most rewarding feeling.
Just love being a teacher, 🙂
We have a code of conduct we ask our young adult learners to sign. One aspect is on constant chatter in the classroom. I always apologise upfront to prospective students that they will probably call me on this themselves. I hate constantly quiet classrooms. The sound of engaged learners is music to my ears!
I feel respected by students when they engage, participate and contribute in the classroom. I facilitated delivery of business administration units in a simulated office environment called a Practice Firm. Each week responsibilities were rotated and shared. Responsibilities included reception work, word processing, mail, finance, scheduling and running meetings to name a few. The activities were relevant, real and transferable and seamlessly linked to assessment. Finding ways to make the learning interesting and meaningful will go a long way to getting respect.
Totally agree with you Elsa giving students a sense of responsibility that are relevant to what they will do in industry will build respect. I also think sharing fun stories of what you have done when you worked in industry also helps them to stay engaged and builds respect both ways.
Hi Elsa,
What a great idea in giving students responsibilities which are akin to their learning objectives. I teach business subjects but also teach English to Speakers of Other Languages [ESOL] and like to create a collaborative learning environment by getting students to correct each others work and engage in fun activities which are competitive – within reason. I encourage learners to not be afraid to make mistakes because we learn from our mistakes in life as in learning.
I feel respected by students when I see them outside of class and they say hello and stop to let me know what are they are doing now that their study is finished.
Hi Julie Anne yes I also get a buzz when a student from years ago recognizes me and stops to have a chat and I love to hear about their journey since their training. What I find is that this is common with older generations however not the same with the younger generation maybe it’s just me being sensitive.
i agree this does give you a warm and fuzzy respectful feeling.
Agreed great to see someone you’ve taught doing well and that you have indeed had an impact, feels rewarding
I’ve been a teacher so long my ex-students have children of their own. It is lovely when they introduce me by name after so long. It indicates a relationship had been built and has had a lasting impact.
The other interesting part is that if I recognise the face (I taught a long time in infants schools) I often can remember their name as well.
I feel respected by students when they are actively participating in the activity. If it’s questioning them about their learning and they share their own stories about how they have dealt with the concepts. Having the whole class listen to others is a big part of ensuring everyone gets their views and opinions across.
I totally agree with your feelings SueAnn.
Nothing more rewarding than when an entire group of students become actively involved in group discussions and share life experiences.
SueAnn,
I feel the same way. It is so satisfying to see genuine engagement in the learning.
Couldn’t agree more. It brings such a great feel to the classroom when students are sharing themselves – I had a lovely student from Laos who shared with the class how she would play when she was a young girl [ early education ] we were all fascinated with how creative their play was – using sticks as chopsticks, coconut shells for bowls and shredded paper as ‘noodles’ . This was way before sustainability was entrenched – so on point. It also showed the class that although we are different we are the same in many ways.
I had a great first session with my TAFE Tvet access group, We played lots of games to demonstrate and apply questioning techniques. They loved taking turns to control of the games and distribute rewards.
The Topic was Engaging customers and the flow on was engaged learners.
One of the learners even stayed back to shake our hands and thank us for a fun lesson!
This is what motivates me to continue teaching ….
That’s wonderful Tanya as TVET students can sometimes be very difficult to engage and you can feel disrespected quite easily . Having them really involved in the class certainly helps.
I also love using games in a TAFE classroom it is such a good way to get engagement and sometimes they like to change the rules to make it more interesting or fun.
I teach English as second language to adult migrants. My students come with varying levels of motivation and need and with differing family commitments which makes it hard for them to reach class on time, either due to lack of motivation or due to family commitments. I feel respected when all my students try and come to class closer to the start time as the activities that I usually plan for the day are from easier to difficult level of complexity to assist students with disparate language levels. I feel they show respect by appreciating the work put in as well as show respect by respecting their own learning needs.
I feel the respect of students when they share a story that is personal to them, demonstrating the trust that their confidence will be respected.
it is great to hear these stories, as we often forget how hard or different our lives and theirs can be.
Yes, I agree with this as sometimes coming from different perspectives, we’ve tended to forget the difficulties some students may have.
Agree totally, we sometimes assume that we all have the same backronds and lifestyles and take for granted that the skills and knowledge that we may have should be easily transferred to students but we all have different needs and requirements.
I too enjoy this Chris, it certainly adds to the richness of the learning experience and also makes the discussion so much more authentic and engaging.
I feel the respect of students when they are willing to participate and engage to collaborative discussions or when we are brainstorming.
Nothing makes a lesson flow like a dream than, learner participation and robust discussion
I feel the respect of students when they are willing to contribute, collaborate and engage. To encourage students I always allow them to opt out, encourage self direction and ask why as often as they do.
As a TAFE teacher I often have classes that consist of students covering various age groups. Treating every student with respect end actually listening to their experiences not only gains respect but is interesting to the class and forms the basis for work to be completed in class teams.
Hi Sandra, I am a TAFE teacher also.
I’m with you, encouraging our students to share their expedience. It is a great starting point for creating / reinforcing knowledge. It is paramount to the learning process.
Sandra I agree that with so many different types of students in our classes is treating each student with individual respect makes a difference to the whole class dynamic. It is modelling the behaviour for everyone to learn from and reciprocate to each other not just to the teacher.
I’m a TAFE teacher as well and it’s not unusual to have several generations in the class. I also feel that respect is given to me as ensure that I treat everyone as equals, we all have something to contribute to the session. I have found that everyone has strengths and by encouraging students to allow their unique strengths to shine in class by assisting each other really ups my respect level. The tec wiz kids (for want of a better description) I have found love helping the seniors with technology and the seniors might assist with their more formal language skills (business letters for example), I also bring cake and often we all have morning tea together, it’s very rewarding to see everyone engaging with me and each other.
I teach Technology and Business Services but also have twins in this same Gen Y group. Our cohorts are very diverse so flexibility is something I practice with all cohorts when teaching which I find is always received really well. I am sure to always take an active interest in the lives of students and I believe that authenticity is key to gaining the trust of our Gen Y students. When these students are absent from class, rather than greeting them with “where have you been”? I have always taken the approach when greeting them after a time of absence from class with, “Good morning, welcome back, I am so pleased to see you again, we have missed you”! This is always received really well and allows for the student to settle instantly back in to class after a period of absence, it tends to remove the discomfort.
Hi Kim, This is really innovative and positive. I always make sure I have copies of anything that the student may have missed ready for them, this also enhances positivity, not only missed but thought about!
Hi Kim and Sandra, the demand for flexibility is definitely real and it is great that you both implement strategies to this end. I find it difficult to be as flexible as some students would like. This is due to many barriers. Our organisational structure and systems are not truly flexible with training, plan, course end dates and funding cycles.
Hi Kim, thanks your approach here is great. I’ve also had online rage courses and whilst I cannot physically approach them with this greeting, I’ve always tried to let them know that I understand sometimes life gets in our way of study. We have to appreciate that if their adults they make the decisions and sometime people have bigger issues to deal with. I let them know this and they’ll reach out to me if needed or when they’re ready to deal with life.
Auto correct is a pain – it was meant to be “online tafe courses”
Kim I love your approach for welcoming back an absent student. I have had many students disappear for a while due to a motivation change, home life issues, transport or health, and it is really hard for them to come back when they think they have missed too much. I try to encourage them to return and join in where we are up to. This only works without prerequisites and pick up the missed work later. It’s better to get back into th w swing of it. When other students see this they feel that it is ok to hit a speed bump but you can always come back and get going again. This builds a lot of trust and respect in the room for me and the other students.
Hi Kim – our learners come from very different and diverse backgrounds some of which are very complex. Respect for diversity is also key.
As a teacher pastrychef is is common that students refer to you as chef, as i have children in the same Gen Y group and have learnt from them, I have made a point to my student to call me by my christian name. I feel this builds a certain amount of respect from the student in the way that in my class there is no hierarchy. The students feel free to address me with question, feeling , career paths -mosaics!!!. As a person below described this might be easier as my students have the same common interest FOOD!!!
I agree. As a Teacher of Leadership & Management to have students from foreign countries addressing you with Professor or Most Respected Teacher. It takes time to move them to a position where they can us my first name and relax. This is a reflection on their history and also their preferred method of learning by rote, rather than open discussion and problem solving.
I see it as part of our role to encourage not just learning but cultural exchange so they can benefit from our more relaxed, sharing culture in Australia.
Scott good idea to break down the hierarchy stemming from the kitchen context, this inevitably opens up discussion and also makes for better teamwork which is also critical
Please refer to this paper on networked learning:
http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/1041/2025
Different learning objectives and different life contexts of learners in an open course lead to different levels of participation in learning activities and subsequently to different learning outcomes. The current research pointed to a maturing of e-learning users; the more experience in networked learning and through MOOCs, the higher the level of participation. People produced artifacts and created learning networks when confident with the technology and with the topic under discussion, while among new MOOCers there was a higher level of consumption of resources created by others. These results confirm research by Mak, Williams, and Mackness (2010) showing an emerging and growing practice across learners to develop those new affordances in innovative and nuanced ways. The challenge in a MOOC is whether the levels of support by facilitators and other learners and the affordances of a complex emerging learning environment will align and aid participants in such sense-making, and whether the openness, diversity, and interactivity of MOOCs aids participants on their personalized learning journey.
The type of support structure that would engage learners in critical learning on an open network should be based on the creation of a place or community where people feel comfortable, trusted, and valued, and where people can access and interact with resources and each other. The new roles that the teacher as facilitator needs to adopt in networked learning environments include aggregating, curating, amplifying, modelling, and persistently being present in coaching or mentoring. The facilitator also needs to be dynamic and change throughout the course. Scaling up to the majority in networked learning requires facilitators to adopt a multifaceted role so as to guide or influence the learners and communities to get involved and embrace social media practices. The significant role of the knowledgeable others or other learners is to share part or all of the roles of the facilitator and support other learners by taking an active, participative, and critical role in connectivist learning by communicating, sharing, cooperating, and collaborating with and providing feedback to each other in the communities or networks.
Novices can best be supported through a series of activities that are structured on connectivist learning principles with a goal to enhance autonomy and the building of personal learning networks. Such scaffolding is necessary to build confidence and self-efficacy and to ensure novices will feel confident and competent in using technologies and are supported throughout the course.
Greeting the students courteously, and asking them to introduce themselves, during the orientation session is especially important in vocational education and training. Be aware of the differences of background, skills and experiences, and the learning styles among students, so we could encourage every one to participate actively in the group discussion and learning activities. Treat every student with respect, and acknowledge their cultures and beliefs, so students believe that we are there to support their learning. We also need to build trust with students, by communicating with them through face to face classroom sessions and online sessions, and helping them to build up confidence in questioning and responding to questions, and engaging them in group discussions.
Yes, I agree, I think it really helps for our Gen Y students to feel validated when we listen to their stories and experiences. Thanks for sharing.
I work across schools and vocational education. Students warm to honesty, respect and consistency. Its a two way street for an educator and students so the value of ideas and actions that create a productive learning environment for all involved are acknowledged and reciprocated.
I agree totally, I often think about being a student and think of the actions that I found respectful in a teacher, and it was as you said, honesty, respect shown and consistency in all interactions.
Greeting the students warmly, acknowledging them by their name, asking them for input and ideas, providing them with constructive feedback, be a genuine person showing empathy as well as vulnerability, are all key aspects and have gained me students’ respect.
This is pretty much how I see my self with students I Interact with.
Yes, I totally agree and to be honest, I find that if I do all these things then gaining respect is never an issue, it happens naturally with these Gen Y students when they feel valued and validated, I love teaching the younger generation, I have learnt so much myself from listening to their stories and experiences.
Yes! students do love for you to make the effort to remember their names and also their industry and work experience (I am a TAFE teacher) it shows you care enough to make the learning experience relevant to them. The same applies to students who recall experiences or examples I have taught them previously, its so nice to hear.
I teach in Vocational Education, and as I teach in a creative field its probably easier to connect to students as we already share a common passion. I find that giving student options such as choosing the subject matter , or giving a range of choices for topics for a creative project really helps, rather than dictating that everyone has to use the same images etc. I also make sure when i first meet new groups to give them an idea of my professional creative career (without going on too long or sounding boastful-just factual) so that they trust that I know what Im talking about! I also ask about their own interests and have one on one conversations about what they have an interest in creatively, as it really helps to know if they have an interest for example in Photography or illustration. The best way Ive found to build respect is when they share something of their own work (like their graffiti art) or sketches or photos from home, and rather than being disapproving (which they almost expect) we have a conversation about the technical aspects or style or typographic elements they have used and how this can translate into their design work-–a reaction which often surprises them, and also trust. I used to ask about their interests and goals in a group , but have for many years avoided this kind of round the table question/introduction as there are too many students we see with anxiety issues. and for whom talking up in a group is tremendously challenging.
I have found that just by being enthusiastic about the subject matter its easy to keep up the energy level in class, if a teacher is enthusiastic about the subject matter it really helps the student fel excited to go on the journey and be more open to learning.
Having conversation with students is critical to success in establishing a good communication and relationship with them. It’s also a huge challenge when students are experiencing anxiety when engaged with conversation, due to various reasons, such as difficulties in sharing information, or weak communication skills.
I agree with you that teacher needs to inspire their students through their enthusiasm and passion at work.
I agree. I teach in Leadership & Management. This cohort is driven by achievement, the desire to prove themselves worthy of promotion or a payrise in the workplace. They are largely passionate about successfully completing their Units and showing respect for their ideas and contribution is critical to the respect they feel as part of a group.
Gaining respect from the students is a two way street. The teacher has to lead the way and quite often, by showing authenticity in the first instance can be a great leveller. One method that works well for me is in my first class with my young adult learners, we do a informal icebreaker – ‘tell us something about yourself and a ‘fun fact’. I start first and always include something about myself that could be perceived as a fault or negative trait. This shows the students that I am human with vulnerabilities – just like them. This communication in the class is a great tool for getting to know the students and what interests them.
Millicent I think we should give the students information about us on introduction. Allowing them to share some information about themselves . This creates a good learning environment.
Gaining respect from students has definitely changed but I also think as a teacher , students gaining my respect has also changed. To gain my students respect as a vocational education teacher i.e. I have to have currency in my vocation as well as in my teaching , I like to hear from them their experiences around a subject I am teaching, why they want to study that particular vocation and I share my experiences in the industry that they want to move into. Its a two way street. This gains respect both ways as we can all learn from each other. Gone are the days that the teacher stands in front of a class and lectures to them without a lot of engagement. I feel respect for students if they show me the same respect I give them, they are curious, listen and actively engage in class.
Fell I am gaining their respect when during class introductions I ask each student their hobby/interest. Write their responses down and next week when I see them I ask them have they done something in relation to their hobby or interest
That might work, but sounds a bit forced, but as I’m teaching in vocational education with adult learners it tends to be a more organic, by the way kind of discussion, Ill ask them about their background, or interests as Im discussing their work one on one, which is easier than high school as the group numbers are smaller and there is a range of ages. I think adult learners would feel a bit creeped out if I wrote suff down about them and kept asking later! So I guess different strategies would be needed for different learner cohorts!
Hi Jennifer,
I agree with you.
This is a major part of what i do in the pastry section, find out what students enjoy most.
Millennials, Electronic Natives, the Net Generation. Many names have been used to describe the new generation of college students, whom population experts have identified as being distinctly different from the previous generations in terms of their technological abilities, teamwork skills, and openness to participatory pedagogies (e.g., Howe and Strauss 2003; Lancaster and Stillman 2002). However, if there is general agreement that younger students do not have have the same attributes as their older counterparts, scholars and commentators still offer divergent assessments of this contrast. For example, Howe and Strauss’s (2003) optimistic description of the new generation, based on theories and predictions rather than conclusive evidence, has drawn criticism as educators in colleges and universities have perceived this new wave of students quite differently. Meanwhile, Taylor (2006) offers a much less encouraging characterization of “the Generation NeXt student” (that is, a college student younger than 26 years old) as the “disengaged, entitled, student customer” (48). Such contrasting accounts suggest that even if younger students have greater levels of comfort or proficiency with new technologies, it is still debatable whether such traits necessarily entail more
open, progressive, or positive perspectives of the educational process.
Howe, N., and W. Strauss. 2003. Millennials go to college. New York: LifeCourse.
Lancaster, L. C., and D. Stillman. 2002. When generations collide. New York: HarperCollins
Taylor, M. 2006. Generation NeXt comes to college: 2006 updates and emerging issues. In A collection of papers on self-study and institutional improvement, Volume 2, 48-55. Chicago: The Higher Learning Commission. http://www.taylorprograms.org/images/Gen_NeXt_article_HLC_06.pdf
It’s a huge challenge when our students are coming from a diverse background. I have students ranging from 20 to 59 years old in my class in TAFE, and so it is not about one generation, but a number of generations. We need to acknowledge that we could only embrace different generations in terms of their technological abilities, teamwork skills, and openness to participatory pedagogies, as you mentioned, as some of the teaching and learning strategies. It’s also critical to acknowledge the 3 presences, i.e. teaching presence, learner presence and social presence are commonly embraced in an teaching and learning environment in vocational and higher education such as TAFE and universities. The role of teacher could play the role of facilitator, supporter, assessor, trainer, coach, mentor, co-learner, researcher, and interact and converse with the learners at different stages of teaching and learning. Do these changes of role apply to younger students?
One of the tenets of Trauma informed care is genuinely respecting your client. Now I understand that while I thought I was being respectful it may not have been perceived by Gen y as respect.
True totally agree. Perceptions are subjective to personal experiences. Once again, we come back to the method and form of communication. Communication is complete when the other party perceives the intended meaning. Hence, demonstrating respect is communicating in a way that acknowledges the other person and it will eventually lead to gaining respect in turn.
When at the end of the day students have enjoyed what they have participated in and come and thank you. I always encourage students to do there best and I know that what earns students trust.
Completely agree Jane, it is so rewarding nd you feel so respected when at the end of the class students come and thank you for the class and acknowledge how much they have enjoyed it and learned.
As part of our Vet courses students have the opportunity to run and work in a diverse range of areas in our fully licensed restaurants. Respect in this environment I feel is fostered over time. Respect is earnt by the teacher demonstrating industry current skills. Respect is also earnt by providing regular constructive feedback to students. Students who act on this quality feedback generally grow and develop skills at an exponential rate. This generates self confidence and in return helps generate mutual respect.
As you mentioned:”Respect is earnt by the teacher demonstrating industry current skills. Respect is also earnt by providing regular constructive feedback to students.”
I also think that students need to be assured that they are in complete control of the learning, when they are exposed to various social media postings, or classroom discussions. It would take time for students to fully participate in every discussions, as some students are hesitant in raising questions, or responding to questions in the early stage of the course. Also, some students may feel overwhelm when they find too many postings that they have to respond to in an online environment. As a teacher, we need to be patient if this happens, and provide support by encouraging students to raise questions when they feel confident.
It is the most rewarding moment to see students appreciate your intention to do good to them and act on the feedback given. Totally agree, it is a way of respecting your knowledge and putting their trust in you.
I teach in the VET environment, and getting to know your learners as individuals is crucial in earning respect from learners. Encouraging participation, sharing stories and building trust has been useful for me to build respect from learners.
I agree Lindy, story sharing is a great way to gain respect and trust, I generally weave it in the beginning by talking about my dog and cat, and then I will get some share pet stories with me as well. Students also love work “war stories” and as I have had a very wide range of occupations in my past life I have plenty to draw on to make classroom discussion relevant.
I have been a PT Event Teacher for 7 years now whilst still running my own event business. I 100% agree with the shifts as my students certainly make you earn their respect. I really emphasise to my students that even though I’m their teacher and sit up in front of them passing on my knowledge, I don’t pretend to know everything about my industry. I have learnt a lot over the years, but I still learn new things everyday, very often from my students which is why I encourage discussion and engagement in my classroom. I try and ensure that my students see me as a person that is passionate about their industry and my entire focus of being a teacher is to pass on as much knowledge as I can to the next generation of event professionals. I also treat my adult learners as adults, not children and give them the respect and flexibility (to an extent) they are entitled to and I feel that this is well received and earns me their respect. I actually admire the way students of today think, there is nothing wrong with respect being recipricol between teacher and student, as long as the student doesn’t take advantage and delivers what is required of them.
Fabio, a really considered post and I totally agree with your comment as trainers of a vast industry area we cannot possibly know the answer to every question. I believe we need to park the question, we as the trainer follows up and researches and then comes back to the group with a response as soon as possible.
Really important to get the respect from students and gaining rapport from day one can help towards that. Getting to know your students is an important part of making the learning relevant and engaging.
Lesley, I agree it is so important to gain that respect from day 1 and getting to know your students is crucial to engaging learners in their learning
Lesley
Couldn’t agree more. Students definitely need to know that your confident with their learning and the outcomes they need for the future what ever? and respect gives them positive grounding, which in turn gives you as the educator a purpose to help
As a parent of primary school-aged children, I spend quite a bit of time in their classrooms, volunteering for various L3 activities. Something that stands out to me early on, is whether the teacher has the respect of the children in the classroom. When there is respect, the class runs more smoothly – the children listen more actively, focus more quickly after getting distracted, there are less distractions and overall, everyone is happier. There is usually less respect for temporary teachers and this is reflected in the chaos of the classroom and carried home at the end of the day via frustrated children and teachers. Given the high demands on teachers, it’s near impossible to maintain consistency with teaching staff, but maybe there needs to be more focus on developing these relationships, rather than getting through the curriculum.
I find that respect is earnt by building a relationship with my students. I try to take an interest in their experiences and value their opinions and actively listen. I ask for their inputs and ideas in the classroom and I am always interested in their experiences. I find there are very few students who do not respond and reciprocate to this building of respect.
I couldn’t agree with you more Jocelyn. Taking an interest in your students experiences, opinions, etc. is so important and they know if you genuinely are interested. When they realise that you do care, you can see the respect being earnt in their eyes. It’s such a great moment when this happens and I feel that from this point on you really do get so much more from them.
Hi Jocelyn,
This is something that i try to do as well, get to know your students , treat them with the respect that you would want, ask them about their ideas and plans whatever they might be.
During my years of teaching I have tried to listen to the students and have received respect for doing so. I believe that I need to earn their respect by becoming involved in their activities
I completely agree with Elena. It is important to listening students stories.
In a VET classroom I often feel a bit uneasy about sharing too much about myself, but small links you can make to a student on a personal level have been useful. Finding common ground helps to build mutual respect.
Totally agree Sally, you need to find the balance! Build Rapport and trust.
I ask the students to fill out a one page profile for me which has their interests, goals and how they like to be supported as a student. This is a great way to capture a lot of information and then plan how to use it as class progresses. As a teacher we can’t remember everything about each student and each class unless we record it. This has helped me in many ways, such as doing case studies related to students interest areas and discussing dream jobs they want.
Good idea Rosanne, making an attempt to get to know students early helps to build the rapport that is needed for mutual respect.
I always try to find out details about their interests and try to always ask them about them at least once a week. I find that the student become more open and trust you as a teacher.
Great idea Rosanne. Taking an interest in our students experiences, etc. is so important and the best thing is they know if you’re genuine or not. Ensuring we remember the personal details of each student i.e. what they want from the course, etc. allows us to deliver the content whilst personally relating it to individual students at various times. So important and this generates respect between teacher and student resulting in a much better quality of learning.
Rosanne great way to identify what makes your individual students tick. I am sure your students respect would grow as you are showing interest in their personal lives!!
People love to be heard and listened to. Getting to know your students is important
This is a good way to engage the students and to get them to think about themselves and how they see their place in the future. It also encourages them to put into words, their thoughts and sometimes this can be quite challenging for them.
As a vocational trainer and assessor I typically work with adult learners, though last year I worked with a group of high school students and I guess the first thing I found jarring was simply that they would refuse to refer to me as anything except “sir.” The need for flexibility was huge; the students had all kinds of things competing for their attention (both from the school itself and externally) and I would never know if I would have a lot of students or none at all. It felt chaotic, and I found myself explaining the same bunch of concepts over and over again – less so for reinforcement of the concept itself, but just because the attendance was so haphazard.
I have found the same thing in a VET classroom, have tried all kinds of technical solutions to help with this too, recording sessions and supporting materials.
Yes that sounds really challenging. I also have had experiences like that, in the VET classroom. If its an adult class with no school-age students it can be a matter of re enforcing the expectations in terms of attendance.( if they are TVET students, its reported to the school to deal with) A couple of times Ive used the tactic of starting the class with something exciting, about a topic that I knew they were very interested in (latest Marvel movie) brought in a how to, step by step to create one of the character drawings, then word got around that the others who were late missed out on the “cool” tutorial, the attendance improved as the content was more relevant to them. I guess that gets back to the issue of really knowing what that a particular cohort are really interested in. I knew a high school language teacher who always got plenty of students enrolling in Italian as they had heard about the gelato making class, the l pizza making day, and the Word Cup Soccer match re-enactment! (Italy versus Germany) so the German language group versus the Italian Language group! They also had a yearly night to an Italian restaurant etc. Yes it was extra work with all the permission forms and allergy issues, but it was enjoyable for the teacher and the students.
Even with adult learners making it fun and special works, I had a project designing branding for a bakery and asked if any students knew much about the process of making bread, next week the class was treated to fresh traditional bread made in the traditional way by a student from an Afghanistan background…Ive also had an end of term mini part with cake etc and had fun with giving out “prizes”usually chocolates etc Just because they are adults doesn’t mean they don’t enjoy a bit of fun, and I think these kind of more informal things help with mutual respect, your showing that you enjoy teaching them..and this doesn’t take away from the professionalism of the teaching content, it just lightens the atmosphere for everyone.
I have found that when teaching an intergenerational group that respect is more two way thank teaching a younger age group, The younger members learn to respect the older members of the group and vice versa particularly when asked to work in small group activities. Encouraging involvement in the activity, asking for opinions, listening to peoples stories and sharing your story all contribute to a respectful environment.
You make some good points, Jen. I find that in general, small group activities bring out more of the student’s underlying personality, whether that be through good or not so good behaviours. I find that setting some ground rules and reminding all participants about respectful interactions before group work begins, helps to ensure better behaviours in the activities.
I feel respected by my students when they are engaged and positive about their learning. I believe respect is a two way thing and that both teachers and learners have the right to be respected. Behaviours such as participation, positive engagement and making realistic attempts convey respect, as does active listening and working cooperatively in the teaching:learning process.
I feel that I encourage respect by modelling repectful behaviours and by discussing expectations of teachers and learners, allowing for a collaborative and responsive approach.I will challenge/call out/ address disrespectful behaviours at a time where the student has privacy ( while being mindful of my own safety) – to minimise any peer involvement, allow for open conversation and avoid embarrassement for the learner
I agree with your comments Sharon and I have found that all the strategies you have highlighted are integral to forming a respectful learning partnership rather than the old one way street that I experienced as a younger leaner.
Your point about calling out disrespectful behaviours in a private setting is interesting. I am interested to find out if others think this applies to primary school as well as high school students.
Provided teachers are being supported by the education system modelling respectful behaviour is a useful way of encouraging respectful behaviour in students – we just need to model the behaviours that are meaningful to them not us.
Respect and trust come when people feel they are being listened to, or understood. You don’t always need words to interact with people. Dr. Albert Mehrabian conducted several studies on nonverbal communication. He found that only 7% of a message is conveyed through words, 38% through certain vocal elements, and 55% through nonverbal elements eg facial expressions, gestures and posture. People pick up on the signals and know if you are authentic and caring. Respect wins respect.
Iagree wholeheartedly… students know if you are genuine in your investment in their learning. Our non verbals are key.. especially for our learners who may have difficulty with English … non verbals communicate soooo much ! A smile is invaluable…as is truly actively listening.
So true! I am always aware of my body language in a classroom and one on one as much as possible. Open authentic body language has many positive outcomes for all.
The power of non verbal communications is fascinating. Students respond to authentic and caring communication just like everyone else. Empathy is something we can model in the classroom that helps with mutual respect.
I agree Robyn, we have international students in our classes and how you convey any message can really impact on the learning. Students might interpret your body language and other NVC differently, so be aware of your own NVC.
The power of non verbal communication is very underestimated!! Love the statistics!
I agree Respect and Trust are core values and this will provide a safe environment for students to be able to study.
I agree – you can’t fake an authentic interest in your students your body language will give you away every time.
I agree with you Robyn. Respect and trust are important aspects in our daily life.
I focus on positive body language and hand gestures to help communicate points. When sharing my career stories to help give purpose to a learning outcome tone of voice, energy and expression are critical. Some thing that is missing in today’s student digital medium of communication
During my years of teaching i have found that respect from students has changed. A few years ago It was a given that teachers would be respected, this was the norm. Now however, I find respect must be earned and this can only happen if you can make a connection with your students. I try to make this connection using various methods. These are:
Be interested in the students and what interests them.
Try and make the learning relevant to something that is interesting to them or something they can relate to.
Allow them time to share fun things with the class ie You Tube clips they have enjoyed (if it is appropriate of course)
Encourage them in the work they do even if it is not great, look for something to praise them for.
Treat them with courtesy and respect, be an example of what you expect from them.
I absoutely agree— connections and knowing your learners within prfessional boundaries is key ! I believe we all feel respected when we are acknowledged as individuals and when we feel we ‘belong’ and are valued ! This sets a positive tone for teaching:learning relationships.
Totally agree Kerry, we must work hard to encourage a respectful relationship. Building trust, demonstrating interest and encouraging input are all ways we can develop respect.
I love the idea of making time for the class to share fun things!
I agree with the comments. There is a need for mutual respect to build a strong relationship with the students.
I agree that it is great to encourage the students wherever possible because they respond better to constructive feedback when they first receive praise for what they have achieved.
I agree Kerry connection with the student is essential to gain trust
I enjoy allocating time for free chat. Allows students to debrief about their week adn weekends activities. I usually allow this at the start of class and individuals become more settled when they have talked about events
Kerry, you have captured the keys of mutual respect. I often find if the teachers are open minded, we can learn from the students too
I completely agree Kerrey that we need to understand and connect with our learners, of course within the professional boundaries, in order to gain respect. Only a mutual respect will build a strong relationship with our students. This will provide a positive environment for an enjoyable teaching and learning.