This is a case study that focuses on two English teachers in Singapore. The person conducting the survey wants to find how beliefs are incorporated into the lessons that the teachers perform. It is said that teachers have set beliefs that somehow are reflected while teaching. The survey conductor cited many articles that backed up this idea of teachers showing their beliefs in the classroom. One of the articles cited said, “These beliefs are said to form a structured set of principles and are derived from a teacher's prior experiences, school practices, and a teacher's individual personality (Borg, 2003). Although there have been other studies, this particular study focuses on the primary level of schooling. So what is a belief? A belief is "An attitude consistently applied to an activity".
There are three basic assumptions about teachers’ beliefs according to Johnson: 1) Teachers' beliefs influence perception and judgment. 2) Teachers' beliefs play a role in how information on teaching is translated into classroom practices. 3) Understanding teachers' beliefs is essential to improving teaching practices and teacher education programs.
The surveyor asked the two teachers 2 questions regarding beliefs: 1) What are the two teachers' beliefs about the way grammar should be taught in primary school? 2)What are their actual classroom practices of teaching grammar?
It is also noted the number of years that each of the teachers has been teaching. One has taught for 24 years and the other for 10 years.
The data collected was based on observation, pre-study interviews, pre-lesson and post-lesson interviews, and a collection of random samples of students’ written work. Observations were made for two months, and the interviews allowed the surveyor to observe the beliefs of the teachers.
The findings of the students’ data were matched with convergent or divergent beliefs or practices. After studying the data, the surveyor made a chart to show the teachers’ stated beliefs. This chart had a grading scale of agrees, does not agree, not stated, and both approaches. Examples in the chart are: grammar involves teaching language structures, grammar is important and needs to be taught, and grammar is concerned with using the correct tenses. Both teachers agreed that teaching grammar was crucial for their students to use proper sentence and grammar structuring. The one teacher believed heavily on re-teaching is she saw that students had not successfully grasped the structure. Also, both teachers believed in grammar drills for their students.
There was also another table presented that showed the teachers’ common form of teaching. Both of the teachers represented some type of traditional approach. Also the lessons were mostly teacher-centered with explanations and instruction. The teachers used worksheets and different sentence examples to teach their students, and they provided their students feedback on all compositions.
The surveyor believes that teachers use their beliefs to determine how they will teach and what practices they will use. Whether the teacher implicate their beliefs in the classroom or not, they still have certain standards that they have to abide by. The teachers have time constraints, they are not supposed to incorporate religion or beliefs in the classroom, and each teacher has his/her own attitude when it comes to teaching.
In the conclusion, the surveyor found that teachers sometimes convey their beliefs to the students in complicated lessons. The surveyor also hopes that other teachers will reflect on how they use their own beliefs in the classroom.
I found this article very interesting because I am hoping to enter the teaching profession. This article helped me determine which ways are best to present grammar in the classroom. It also made me think about implementing my beliefs into the classroom. I agree with the surveyor because technically I am not supposed to integrate my beliefs into the classroom but I feel that they will slip through at some point.
ReplyDeleteBelief- an attitude consistently applied to a belief. It is true that teachers affect their students in many ways, yet it is up to the students to carry these affections through their years. For instance, I remember growing up in schooling, but it was an annual change from classroom to classroom that would reset my learning and thinking abilities. It was when I was in high school that I remember ever really being marked to learn in a certain style by my favorite teacher. He was very fitting and it just seemed right that I approach the subject of learning the way that he saw best. Now I feel like I think the way he asked me to think, knowing he probably thought this way, and the man be for him, etc. It is the goal of a teacher to make such a lasting impression on a pupil, but I do think that it is a little unnecessary to purposefully attempt to recreate yourself in a young learner. Let them be an individual.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good article because, it shows us that there are teachers out there who are working hard to help their students learn. We need more devoted teachers like this because there are a lot of people who do not get a decent education due to lack of funding or planning. The article gives displays to us that there is indeed hope on the horizon to help better our educational system in America.
ReplyDeleteI find this case study interesting! We all have perceptions and beliefs that we display on a regular basis but it never crossed my mind to think of teachers in this way. Whether we like it or not, teachers do have their perceptions and beliefs and they tend to bring them inside the classroom with them. It can be really hard to abandon your beliefs and I do not expect teachers to do so. But I do expect them to make an attempt to adopt to the students needs. Every teacher is different and some have a lot to bring to the classroom while others only have a little to bring. Just like the two teachers in the case study, their main goal was to teach students grammar but they each did so in a different way. Teachers need to be mindful of the types of perceptions and beliefs they bring inside the classroom because this very thing can and will determine how successful they are with reaching their goal, which is to teach students!
ReplyDeleteTo be a teacher is a tough job to even start out with and to teach English grammar in my opinion is very demanding. English grammar contains many aspects that are not easy to comprehend for students, one example of this would be sentence diagramming in our very own English 300 class. For a teacher to just verbally teach students grammar without putting their own beliefs into those lessons has to be a toll on the teachers. Yet, many teachers learn to deal with this and teach in different contexts so students can better understand.
ReplyDeleteI thought this article was very interesting and I see how it can be true. Different students relate to different teachers because of their personalities and teaching methods. There have been cases in the past where I have been failing a class taught by one teacher but changed to a different instructor and it all made perfect sense. I think that teachers need to asses the needs of all of their students and adapt instead of just what the majority of the class understands.
ReplyDeleteThis article really caught my attention because I plan on becoming a teacher someday. There are always students complain about how much the teachers don't care and how they're just in it for the paycheck when there really is teachers out there in the education field that cares about the students education.
ReplyDeleteThis article is great, and is very true. I know i do learn differently due to teachers personality's and teaching methods. Some student s just cant learn with some teachers, it isn't that the teacher is bad, it's just that the way the teacher is teaching is not very effective with that student.
ReplyDeleteTo begin with, this article is very useful to those who plan on entering the field of teaching. I believe that this article open the eyes of the viewer to the different ways that teachers teach, especially grammar. Some teachers are effective in their teachings and others may not be so effective. I understand that some teach based off what they think. However, I believe that teachers should teach the in his/her own style but the absolutely how grammar is suppose to be taught so that the students can get a thorough understanding of the subject matter.
ReplyDeleteI wish some of my teachers growing up were more like the teachers in this article. All teachers have a different way to teaching, which can be good or bad, from what I have experienced. If a teacher knows how to teach effectively though, I have found out that learning can actually be fun. Which is why I think teachers should really evaluate students more frequently to assure that evereyone is on the same page.
ReplyDeleteThis article seemed to make a lot of good points for the people who are going to school to be a teacher. In most cases of teaching its really based on the teacher personality. Teaching styles shouldn't be a certain way, whatever works for the students and teacher. We all have had schooling and know a good teaching style when its taught to you so its really an individualistic thing. I felt the information was true in the same sense.
ReplyDeleteThis article caught my attention even though I never plan to be a teacher. I know because I'm a student, we talk about how teachers get lazy some times and don't really care about the class after a while. This article makes it clear that some teachers really do care and there should be more teachers that care in all schools.
ReplyDeleteIt is true that each teacher has his/her own set of beliefs and perceptions. While being in the teacher education program, they tell you to not make your personal beliefs and perceptions known. Well, this is very challenging and once and a while this will happen. Students have a variety of teachers to learn from and to adapt to. They can be seen as influences. I think that if a student picks up certain habits from a particular teacher that this is not a bad thing. Most teachers have particular ways in which they do things and teach material, that appeal to a variety of learners'.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this article. I believe that teachers do include their own beliefs when teaching whether or not they do it subconsciously or consciously. Typically you are taught to exclude your own beliefs when teaching and to stick straight to the curriculum. More often than not, it's almost impossible to do this. No matter how hard the teacher tries, she can never come into a classroom as a blank slate. She'll always have her beliefs so it would be extremely hard to keep them out of the curriculum.
ReplyDeleteTeaching can be a creative way to express certain things, and topics. Teaching styles vary from person to person but it can almost be viewed as an art form in my opinion. Ultimately the article gives both views on how teaching can be creative and how beliefs and rules should often be regulated in an individuals teaching.
ReplyDeleteFrom experience I realize that all teachers have their own teaching styles and beliefs. I think it's good that teachers share their beliefs and personalities with students as long as they follow the curriculum and teach what needs to be taught. I've experienced teachers that belief class discussions are more effective and then I've had teachers that just read straight out of the book. Some teachers have little tricks that help them remember certain rules especially in grammar which can be beneficial to students. However, in some circumstance the teacher could end up confusing students. I think most teachers can sense the learning abilities of their students and find a way to help them understand the material.
ReplyDeleteI agree with a lot of points made by this article. I believe that it is the teacher's duty to maximize the potential of his/her students. A teacher can have a major impact on a student's life whether they know it or not.
ReplyDeleteI agree with many of the points made by the article. The case study was executed well, in a manner that shows how teachers incorporate their beliefs into their teaching methods.
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