and resources
• hold group and individual tutorials with all learners to discuss progress and concerns
• use learners’ names, use eye contact and treat each learner as an individual
• make sure everyone is aware of relevant policies and procedures
• negotiate and agree appropriate ground rules
• schedule one-to-one discussions with learners who require additional support
• use a suitable and inclusive icebreaker.
There may be occasions during your sessions where behaviours exist that are offensive, directly discriminate, or are distressing to others. This behaviour may be obvious, but it can also be unintentional and subtle. It might involve a learner using nicknames, teasing, name-calling, or excluding someone. Although it might not have a malicious intent it will still be upsetting. You will need to know what steps your organisation requires you to take, and deal with any inappropriate behaviour as it occurs. There are various ways of managing this depending on the circumstances, such as:
• challenging prejudice, discrimination and stereotyping as it occurs
• creating an acceptable behaviour contract which learners sign up to, and revisit it regularly, perhaps as part of the ground rules
• embracing learner diversity within the group
• encouraging your learners to discuss confidentially any of their own behaviour concerns they have, for example, if they are autistic
• ensuring all resources are inclusive through the use of positive images
• establishing at the start of the programme what the unacceptable behaviours are.
There might also be instances where you do something inadvertently and not really think at the time how it could affect a learner.
Example
Jerome was due to attend a week’s summer school programme as part of his Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). All learners were required to complete a form giving the teacher their name, telephone number and relationship of an emergency contact. The completed forms were left on the teacher’s desk where they could be seen by other learners. As a result, it became common knowledge amongst the group that Jerome has a same sex partner. Jerome became distressed as he had not made this public. As a result, he left the course.
In this example, it constitutes a breach of data protection as well as the organisation’s confidentially policy. You will be required to treat personal information in the strictest confidence and your learners will trust you with details about their private lives. Information about learners should not become common knowledge via their teacher.
Extension activity
What situations might arise with your learners which could lead to issues with behaviour and/or respect? How could you effectively deal with these situations? Talk to other teachers to find out what experiences they have had, and how they have dealt with them. Research theories of behaviour management, or read relevant texts regarding behaviour. Some are listed at the end of this chapter.
Creating and maintaining a safe, supportive and effective teaching and learning environment
Learners need to know they are safe when they are with you and not in any danger. For example, any equipment and resources should not cause harm, tables and chairs should be in an appropriate layout for the subject, and all areas should be accessible. Safe also relates to learners feeling safe to express their opinions without being ridiculed by others. You have a duty of care to ensure learning takes place in a supportive and effective environment. This duty requires you to take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of your learners. For example, by informing them how to correctly use all relevant equipment and/or to wear protective clothing when necessary.
The teaching and learning environment can be thought of as having three aspects: physical, social and learning as in Figure 1.3. Each has an impact on the others, and all three aspects should be appropriate and relevant. Some aspects will interact and overlap to ensure teaching, learning and assessment can be effective for everyone. Examples of physical, social and learning aspects are given in Table 1.4 later in this chapter section.
Figure 1.3 Physical, social and learning aspects and how they interact and overlap
Physical
The physical environment is concerned with the surroundings and atmosphere within which learning takes place. This need not be a traditional classroom but could be a training room, workshop, outdoors or another setting such as a community centre. The temperature, lighting and ventilation can all affect the learning that takes place. You may need to close blinds to block out the sun, open a window to let in fresh air or even tidy rubbish away that has been left by the previous occupiers. Different subjects might need different requirements: for example, natural light for drawing and painting, dimmed light to view videos. You will need to find out where light switches are, whether you can adjust heating and ventilation systems, and where fire extinguishers and emergency exits are.
While it is your responsibility to ensure the environment is safe and supportive, you might not be able to control some aspects such as external noise. However, what you can do is ensure that your session is interesting, meaningful and engaging to your learners. You would need to take into account your organisation’s health and safety policy and relevant codes of practice. You should not do anything outside of your own responsibility, such as moving heavy equipment. Some resources, particularly electrical ones, require regular maintenance checks and testing. If you see a portable appliance tested (PAT) label on a resource which is out of date, you will need to liaise with the relevant personnel in your organisation to ensure that it is safe.
Social
The social environment is concerned with how you help put your learners at ease, establish a rapport with them and help them work and get along together. Using a suitable icebreaker will help learners get to know each other at the beginning of the first meeting. Creating a social and supportive learning environment will include agreeing ground rules. However, the ground rules will depend upon the age and maturity of your learners. Helping learners relax should lead to effective two-way communication and enable learning to take place. You should aim to use eye contact with everyone and use their names whenever possible, so that they feel valued as individuals.
Learners should know that you, their peers, and others if necessary, will make their time meaningful, productive and supportive. Supportive also relates to giving appropriate advice and/or referring your learners to others if you can’t help them with a concern they have. You should demonstrate inclusion (i.e. not exclude anyone), and challenge any inappropriate or anti-social behaviour as it occurs.
Learning
The learning environment is concerned with giving your session a purpose by having a clear aim of what you want your learners to achieve, using suitable and varied teaching and learning approaches, resources and activities. How you plan to deliver and assess your subject will be based upon the requirements of what your learner needs to achieve. This might be stated
