Respect for Learners
Over nine years of experience in the academic field, I have gradually started understanding the importance of respect and inclusivity for individual learners. It is important for a teacher to have a strong knowledge and understanding of the subject taught but indispensable to establish a healthy relationship with the learners where a mutual respect is developed between the two. One of the ways this could happen is through better understanding of the requirements of the learner group.
My personal experience with one of my professors’ that I am still not able to forget until date happened back in 2000, during my under graduation study in Architecture at Pune. I am a resident of northern part of India. In addition, I did my schooling locally during the primary education course and moved to a boarding school for secondary education. At all these places, the main language used for communication were Hindi and English. My first experience with a new language took place during my under graduation learning period in Pune, where Marathi is the common language spoken. It was obvious that some of the faculties who were from the same region, brought the language into classroom as well during some discussions, which was a very alien language for me at that time. Two of my peers and myself were from a different state and did not understand the language at all. On one such occasion during the History of Architecture Class, the faculty started speaking in Marathi during a classroom lecture, to which three of us protested. The reply that came from faculty was also in Marathi, that if you do not understand the language then you might as well go out of the classroom as explained by one of my Marathi speaking peer. Our Architecture school was an English medium based and the faculty concerned should have understood this while giving out of a statement like this.
This attitude of the faculty showed total lack of respect for the regional background of the learners. I am sure that students studying at schools and colleges located in regions with different native languages must have faced language issues, whether in India or outside India. Thus, it is extremely important that as teachers we should be carefully select our words and should not be giving statements that can have a negative impact and lifelong be embedded in the mind of learners. Sometimes a suggestion can bring about positive changes in a student; however, if the same suggestion is put in another way can even have a negative impact.
As a faculty I observed and learnt from experiences and from these learnings, I have been making an effort to develop an atmosphere of respect and inclusivity among the teachers and learners. Some of the steps taken in this regard are as discussed below.
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As a faculty, I always made it a point to listen to each student and get acquainted at the starting of a module. Some of the common questions are to understand the students better for example, where they were from, the languages they spoke, what they like and what they thought about interior design in general. This is very much required and should not be done merely for formality purposes. The ice-breaking session aids in understanding the learner group and get a glimpse of an individual’s personality. During these sessions and after, it becomes very important for a teacher to show respect and understanding, while the students are introducing themselves. One must abstain from making any personal comments on clothing, the accent or the language, food habits, the cultural or regional background, ideologies, political party preferences, etc. I can still remember the expressions and comments by some of my professors and even peers during my introduction sessions in the college. When I use to tell them that I was originally from Patna, the capital of Bihar, there was a sneer on the individual’s face followed by a sentence in a bad mocking accent shown in Bollywood generally, to depict how people in Bihar spoke. Unfortunately, this is a common trend; however, as teachers one should definitely show a better understanding of a place or a region or at least make an honest effort to study about it before commenting. It is important to inculcate these values in the students as well. If a peer sees a faculty disrespecting a fellow student or speaking low of him, then some of the peers develop the same notion as well, which can affect the learning experience of a particular student.
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Through my personal experience, I have also learnt that certain sensitive issues, critiques, weaknesses and other topics that are directly related to a particular student requires to be privately discussed as one on one with the student in the form of counselling rather than making it public in the classroom. This is extremely important as this can affect the confidence and even lead to anxiety and depression issues among the more susceptible students. If there is an important concern related to a particular student, I make it a point to address with the student in private instead in front of his/her peers, so that the individual does not feel offended or feel like being reprimanded. This may ensure a better understanding of the student’s issues, develop a better bonding between the student and teacher and hence ensure a better learning experience.
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Another important step during my tenure as a Course Leader at Pearl Academy was that I ensured that different students got an opportunity to become Class Representatives every semester. This was an essential step to develop leadership skills amongst students and the bring the quieter and hesitant students out of their comfort zones and learn management and team building skills. I also ensured that if there were other opportunities in terms of extra-curricular activities, even the remaining students got an opportunity to lead it. I observed that this helped the students to understand their strengths and weaknesses and thus act upon it. Some of the students who were extremely shy started realizing that they were good in organizing and managing events, were better with team building skills, or had some great contacts, which eventually helped them, their peers and the cohort in general.
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Apart, from these points I keep in my mind that I am giving equal opportunity to the all the students to discuss their ideas, explain the vision for their projects and interact during my sessions. As people we have a tendency of playing favorites, which in the long run may be detrimental to the growth of others as they might feel neglected and not be presented with equal opportunities. We should always keep in check that we are not doing that subconsciously also, as sometimes it just happens and people do not even notice how biased they are towards particular individuals or in the class towards particular students.
As teachers sometimes it is our natural tendency to pick up the brightest lots and run with them quickly towards the goal, however, it is imperative that we pay attention to the weaker ones as well, who need us and ensure that we are not running at a pace that leaves them behind. As a person I have made my share of mistakes as a teacher whether in terms of favoritism, personal comments, being insensitive or too strict but slowly and gradually have learnt from my share of mistakes.