Believing in your learners

Believing in your learners means valuing and having positive expectations about your learners

and working earnestly to bring them to those expectations. 

Teaching involves believing in your learners and allowing them to show that you believe in them. It goes beyond words and involves verbal and non-verbal expressions and actions. They should feel and see that you believe in them because by believing in your learners, you align belief and hope with actions. 

I have consistently taught learners who have been highly disobedient at home and in school, nonchalant with academic activities, and sometimes violent. However, I've realized that my success as a teacher lies in my ability to communicate how valued and useful the learners are and can be, irrespective of their behaviour. By the grace of God, they are all alive and doing great. My most wonderful moment is their response anytime we meet – 'Ma'am, thank you for believing in me.'

Conversations with several learners as a mentor have challenged me in this regard over the years. Let me anonymously share some positive feedback from some learners about teachers who believed in them: 

In 2019, a student narrated how being a kleptomaniac made him almost lose everything; his life, family, education, and friends. He concluded with tears that if not for his high school teacher, he wouldn’t have possibly been here today – probably dead or in prison. Today, he is doing very well in the financial industry. 

Another learner, who works in one of the reputable organisations in Nigeria, explained how she was the least in her class because of her very low learning ability. None of her peers wanted to play or talk with her. She was constantly in low-ability classrooms and even the low-ability learners hated her because her low ability was on another level. She was at a time nicknamed 'blocked head' by some of her peers. She stated that she almost lost hope in education because nobody believed in her, not even her parents and siblings, but only her science high school teacher who constantly reminded her that 'She can do all things through Christ that strengthens her' (Philippians 4:13). She said that the teacher constantly told her according to the piece in Mariah Carey’s song that the 'Hero lies in you.' Today, she is that hero who sits on the board of one of the most reputable organisations in Nigeria. The list is endless.

•  Acknowledge that each learner is unique and provide an inclusive atmosphere where each learner can thrive.
•   Allow them to lead learning, try new positive things, challenge themselves, and take reasonable risks. Be patient to correct them in love and provide constructive feedback when they make mistakes. 
• Encourage them to believe in their abilities and persevere through difficulties, as no mountain is too high to climb. Use positive affirming words to motivate them.
•  Apply discipline with love and always ensure that learners are encouraged when they are corrected, not broken.
•  Be their greatest cheerleader and celebrate their wins with them no matter how small. Use rewards that are motivating. Do not cause division or tear them down. 
• Show them that you genuinely care for their progress and well-being and are ready to help them reach their full potential without bias or prejudice.
•  Understand that learning is a process and be committed to helping learners overcome learning challenges.
• 

Additional resources

Why believing in your students matters (Dr Katie Martin)

Believing in Students:The Power to Make a Difference (edutopia-Richard Curwin)

 

 

 

Closed Teachers vs Closed Teaching

 

A closed teacher is unwilling to consider new ideas, suggestions, and improved teaching methods. Instead, they prefer to maintain traditional values and resist progressive ideas. A closed teacher is comfortable with the status quo and may be resistant to improvement. This type of teacher strictly adheres to traditional or old teaching methods rather than embracing improved, active teaching and learning skills. With traditional teaching methods, the teacher leads the learning instead of the students, who are often confined during lessons. Interaction among students is sometimes seen as a distraction, when in reality, it enhances learning by encouraging active brainstorming.

In a closed classroom, students are confined to what the teacher wants them to know instead of what they should know. Students benefit from peer interactions, collaboration, and individual contributions, all of which make learning more engaging.

I remember a colleague condemning my interactive teaching method as a distraction, until I used the analogy of noise versus music to illustrate that noise-making and positive contributions serve different functions, even though they both produce sound. My colleague's closed mindset prevented him from understanding that effective learning occurs in an active atmosphere. Like begets like.

In a closed classroom, it's difficult for learning to progress from lower-level critical thinking skills to higher-level skills, because learning is passive rather than active. While students may remember and understand in closed teaching and learning settings, they may struggle to analyse, create, and evaluate. When learning occurs this way, students find it challenging to apply what they've learned in real-life situations. This contributes to the prevalence of passive professionals in today's workforce. What use is education if it cannot be used to solve problems? Society needs problem solvers.

As teachers, our impact on learning is significant. Let's update and upgrade ourselves to deliver effective education. You cannot give what you do not have. Aim higher and do yourself a favor by not being found wanting, because the system is always evolving. If you lag behind, the system will leave you behind

Teacher Affirmation

  

 

Affirmation is to assure or agree, providing emotional support and encouragement to oneself or others. Affirmative words have existed for a long time. 

 

Isaiah 3:10 encourages us to take action and deliver positive messages to others. 

Similarly, 1 Peter 2:9 

emphasizes our chosen status and the need to uplift others with positive declarations. From the perspective of the Bible, affirmations are positive declarations to uplift individuals and not to tear them down. It is essential to provide affirmation to learners, as teacher affirmation sets the teaching and learning tone.

Teacher affirmation, which includes positive specific words, statements, or even non-verbal expressions, helps learners overcome learning and life hurdles. It fosters self-belief, love, and acceptance, transforming learners’ perspectives toward their roles as learners. With teacher affirmation, learners are provided with an enabling emotional atmosphere, shutting down self-rejection and negative thoughts, and creating ways to a constructive mindset.

 It is also important that learners confirm your affirmations on them by echoing all encouraging names, words, and statements said to them, as affirmations, when internalized and constantly practiced, have the potential to inspire and motivate for the greater good.

It is great to find affirmations that resonate with learners at each learning level and situation. For example, learners who need support and encouragement can receive something like "You can do it" and "I am here for you." 

Some examples of teachers' affirmative words include: 

 and the list goes on. .

The benefits of teacher affirmation are numerous. With teacher affirmation, learners discover who they are, enabling them to pursue their purpose with intentionality and determination. 

Affirmations help learners build and boost confidence, strengthen their belief in their abilities, focus on positive thoughts, and promote emotional well-being, which will reflect in the way they interact and relate with others.

Affirmations create a positive learning atmosphere where learners feel empowered and committed to learning effectively.

Incorporating positive affirmations into our daily routine can significantly impact our teaching and learning experiences. By choosing affirmations that resonate with each learner and consistently using them, we can instil hope and promote their well-being.

Who are you as a teacher?