If middle school students are concerned about gossip, what they are wearing and popularity then they are less likely to focus on learning in school. This is because according to Maslow’s Theory, one cannot progress on the growth needs (need to know and understand) until the deficiency needs (safety, belonging and esteem) have been met. This is shown in the video “Lenayiskindofcool”. The students in the video talk about not wanting to go to school on a day that they have a bad outfit on, obsess over boys and get “married”. They further explain that the getting married is just talk. Lenay was obsessed with Josh while in middle school. She saved notes from him and even an old backpack strap. But Josh liked Nicole. There are a few teachers in the video too and they state that the students are so distracted because they have not eaten, their best friend gave them a nasty look, someone might beat them up or that they are so interested in a member of the opposite sex.
It is important for teachers to be understanding to these students. That could mean helping them outside of the class issues. Helping them understand that although some of these things seem so important right now that in the longer run, they are not. The crush on a boy will pass, if the BFF doesn’t get over the dirty look, then find a new friend. Teachers can help them understand that although they can’t control the gossip or anyone else’s behavior, they can control their own response to situations.
Teachers can help a student gain perspective on his or her life:
If a student is confident in his or her identity, then that student is likely to be able to cope with bullies or other difficulties that he or she might encounter. This is similar to Phinney’s Model of Ethnic Identity but instead of developing ones ethnic identity, the student is comfortable with his or her identity verses a bully. The student doesn’t like being picked on but accepts that such things happen and that you just have to move on. This is evidenced in the video “Bullies, gotta hate em’!” In this video a young man who identifies himself only as “TheGoofyKidNextDoor”, talks about how he was bullied. He isn’t crying about it though. He is says that you have two choices, 1) fight back or 2) ignore it. He comments that he ignored it and is okay with that because he theorizes that some day he will drive a big fancy car and the bully will be the one washing it. He also says that he would rather get picked on but have a nice life and friends, than be someone who picks on people but does not have any friends.
Teachers can help by looking for ways to keep students from bullying others so that this situation does not happen. Teachers can also help students move to the position that this young man is in, where he does not let the bully ruin his life. Teachers can help give students perspective.
Teach students, don't just control them:
If students can be trained to respond to the teacher’s cues, then the class will appear to be under control and all students will conform to the teacher’s methods. Behavioral psychology, further developed by B. F. Skinner, is a scientific stance that all behavior is controlled. Skinner believed that all living organisms follow the same laws and are able to be trained in the same manner by teachers in educational environments. This is on display in the video “Whole Brain Teaching: High School Math”. In this video the teacher repeatedly uses verbal and visual cues that the class responds to. She starts with “Class” and they respond, “Yes” every time that she says “Class”. When she says “Teach” they say “OK” and turn and review the concept that she just covered with a partner. If she asks them to “Mirror” her, they copy the hand movements and sounds that she is making. When the class is following as she expects, they gain a point. If they don’t follow, she gains a point. They can regurgitate what she has just taught them.
This was interesting to watch. As a teacher, it feels good to have all the students involved and attentive. But I think that what was missing was that not all students learn the same way. Some of the students might learn better under other conditions. Some might prefer a quieter environment. Some might feel that the arm movements that are part of the lesson are somewhat juvenile. Also, although students could quickly reproduce what she had done, this doesn’t show that they understand or that they will remember it. Whole Brain Teaching seems to emphasize classroom control over student understanding. Much more information on Whole Brain Learning can be found at this website: http://www.wholebrainteaching.com/goodies/research.html. I think that Whole Brain Teaching might be useful to help bring a class under control but I don’t think that as a teacher that I would use it exclusively. I hope to be able to teach students to think independently and not follow directions all the time. Unless the teacher is going to follow the students through the rest of his or her life, they need to learn independent thinking.
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