Let’s Build a Learning Troika (For Teachers)

Student-compatibility is the objective of the troika of a teacher, students and a curriculum. To achieve the goal, a teacher has to consider different factors e.g. cultural and socio-economic background, level of understanding, ability to cope, language, age , gender, home environment, learning style etc.

According to Brechr and Young:
The curricular use of VAKT makes a learner effectively and productively. A UK research suggests that 40 % students are keen to learn kinesthetically and tactically. 35% are visual and 25% prefer auditory means. In order to fulfill the learning style of students, a teacher must plan to arrange the related tools of learning e.g. physical activities like making graphs on white board, using PCs etc. for kinesthetic learners, quality use of white board & multimedia for visual learners and oral presentations like lectures & recordings for auditory learners.

Tetrahedral model of learning is an another triangle of text, task and strategies keeping the characteristics of a learner in view. It is essential to know not only the learner’s beliefs and attitude about learning but also their motivation for learning. Do they feel ‘Have to’ not ‘Want to’? Are they overburdened by homework or classwork?
For a meaningful learning, a teacher keeps in mind when planning the curriculum that the topics should relevant to students’ lives and interest e.g. giving the example of a visit to a dentist will be ineffective if the students have no such experience themselves. Focus on how they learn is an ultimate target and making students feel included as well.

According to Bandura, people can learn through observation. He suggests a live model (live character), a symbolic model ( characters in books, T.V. etc.) and verbal instructional model ( descriptions and explanations). He attributes intrinsic reinforcement to internal rewards like pride, satisfaction and sense of accomplishment. Moreover, the key factors for (social) learning success presented by verywellbeig.com are Attention, Retention, Reproduction and Motivation. So, a teacher is supposed to impart the curriculum under ARRM while planning and teaching.

It Is the era of student-centered teaching. Educationists recognize the assessment as a function of curriculum. They tell us that an assessment whether formative or summative or both ,should be non-threatening, not time consuming and challenge-based fun. If a facilitator takes long & mismanaged tests and warns the learner’s of severe punishment, it will all go in vain. Students involvement and generative behavior should be their prime concern which can achieved through educational games, use of multimedia, discussion between /among a pair /group etc. PNI is Edward De Bono’s tool of evaluation. A teacher can check the effectiveness and productivity of their planning and execution using PNI. They evaluate the positive, negative and interest-evoking aspects of the delivered lesson. So, they would be in position to improve and bring new ideas next time.

Bringing a lesson to life is similar to taking a learner into a lesson. It is upon the facilitator to choose to deliver the lesson within the classroom or outside. It is recommendable to take the students on visits to companies, markets etc. Likewise, a history teacher is expected to make a tour to a museum.

In brief, it is evident that the troika takes a teacher and students to the lovely journey of knowledge.