Challenges in Implementing The Gatekeeping Role: Readiness for Giving Critical Feedback and Student Perceptions
This paper investigates and synthesizes the role of gatekeeping and the perceived challenges associated with this responsibility. I will explore my readiness for critically evaluating the qualities associated with molding positive professional identities in my students. This evaluative role has certain implications which have the potential to negatively influence the teacher-student relationship. I will also take a critical look at this student-teacher relationship and its correlation with my constructivist teaching philosophy (McCaughan, Binkley, Wilde, Parmanand & Allen (2013; Motley, Reese & Campos, 2014).
The Role of Gatekeeping
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The American Counseling Association (ACA) states that gatekeeping is a series of evaluative measures aimed at exposing and addressing graduate counseling student deficits. Deficits in areas of academic, personal and professional domains have the potential to negatively impact the professional identity development of the counselor in training. This also places at risk future clients receiving treatment from inept counselors (ACA, 2014; Homrich, DeLorenzi, Bloom & Godbee, 2014). CE’s are charged with the responsibilities of not just identifying these student deficits but that of conducting the remedial and evaluative roles of gatekeeping (Motley et al., 2014).
As a CE one of my greatest challenges in gatekeeping is the responsibilities of monitoring the many evaluative checkpoints within this process (Homrich et al., 2014; Motley et al., 2014). Will I be able to administer due process to students; define and execute remedial goals; define positive and negative termination of the gatekeeping process and recommend termination in a timely manner. I question my professional ability to perform these multiple roles and to simultaneously effectively teach other students who are proficient in their personal and academic responsibilities (McAdams, Foster & Ward,
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I believe that the collaborative nature of the constructivist pedagogy will lend itself to the gatekeeping responsibilities in a positive manner. Gatekeeping is synonymous with heightened supervision. This increase in supervision demands more collaboration between student and teacher in areas of increased feedback, evaluation and monitoring of student development (Kress & Protivnak, 2009; McCaughan, 2013).
Undertaking gatekeeping responsibilities have the capability of evoking perceptions of being uncaring and tough. These student perceptions of being a tough educator do not bother me. I do not mind being seen as tough but at the same time I want to be seen as caring, respectful and wanting the best for my students as a means of fostering their growth. I do however have a problem with being perceived as uncaring as this goes against my caring nature. In the interest of being a gatekeeper I might have to endure this opinion from students who are facing dismissal proceeding for lack of engagement in their remedial interventions (Homrich et al., 2014; Protivnak & Foss,
Both Ronald Morrish and Craig Seganti have been educators for many years and have subsequently developed their theories over many years of teaching. Both believe that it’s important first to establish the belief in students that the educator has the authority and is in command. Morrish and Seganti both also stress the importance of establishing rules and teaching students how to comply with those rules. For instance, Morrish and Seganti assert that it’s critical to practice appropriate classroom rules. Both also agree that it’s important only to make rules that you’re absolutely willing to enforce and that students should not be involved in creating these rules. Moreover, Morrish and Seganti also have similar perspectives regarding how self-esteem
Hanna, F. J., & Bemak, F. (1997). The quest for identity in the counseling profession. Counselor Education and Supervision, 36(3), 194. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.library.capella.edu/docview/201301734?accountid=27965
(2005, Charles) The premise of Assertive Discipline is that both teachers and students have the “need and right” (2005, Charles) to a caring and respectful classroom environment. Teachers are required to facilitate learning and assist students in reaching their full potential. This is accomplished by teachers clearly and confidently articulating class expectations and teaching student’s what behavior is “acceptable and unacceptable” (Marsh 2010 p233). Cooperative behavior is encouraged by “incentives and recognition” (Lyons et al., 2014) whilst unruly behaviour is managed with a “hierarchy of sanctions” (Lyons et al., 2014). Equally, teachers also have the right to facilitate learning in a proficient manner without interruptions from students and have support from administrators and parents. (Berghuis, 2005,
Sisson, Jamie Huff. "Making sense of competing constructs of teacher as professional." Journal of Research in Childhood Education 23.3 (2009): 351+. Academic OneFile. Web. 16 Nov. 2011.
The concept describes that our knowledge is something to be constructed internally rather than reflected from external realities. After the initial proposition of constructivism there came about the idea that “a reasonable conclusion is that at least three levels of constructivist advocacy appear frequently in contemporary educational literature”, according to Null 2004. Those three levels include epistemological constructivism, which focuses on issues like race, gender, and class and how issues like these need to be fixed. Next is instructional constructivism, which focuses on individual learning in the classroom. The last is prescriptive constructivism, which focuses on the relationship between teacher and student and proposes that teachers instruct with their students rather than at their students. No matter what level it is being taught, the basis of constructivism is to move away from the traditional practice of teaching the classroom through lecture primarily, and to adopt teaching the classroom through
Odysseus: Hero or Flawed Character? In a world filled with challenges and adversity, true heroism emerges as a beacon of hope, reminding people that ordinary individuals possess the extraordinary capacity to rise above, inspire and leave an indestructible mark on the tapestry of humanity. The Odyssey, an ancient Greek epic poem written by Homer, is a true tale of heroism that has stood the test of time. It has captivated generations with its epic journey and the resilient spirit of its protagonist. As readers dive into Odysseus’ odyssey, they begin to see that he truly and ultimately emerges as an embodiment of heroism.
You have taken a lead teacher position in a preschool program. A parent asks you to explain the program’s constructivist philosophy.
Constructivism represents a paradigm shift form education based on cognitive theories. This concept assumes that learners construct their own knowledge on the basis of interaction with their environment. (Gagnon & Collay, 200?) The role of the teacher as a constructor of the learning experience to ensure authentic curriculum and assessment which is responsive to the skills, needs and experiences of the learner, within established curriculum framework and with the reference to the achievement of literacy, numeracy, retention and attainment of outcomes. Krause, Bochner and Duchesne (p.157) comment that “as learners interact with their environment, they link information learned through experience to previous knowledge, and so construct new understandings and knowledge.” Constructivism then inturn encourages Teachers and Learning Managers to recognise the value of prior knowledge and experiences that each child brings with them into the classroom, and help them (the students) build on their understandings of the world by providing appropriate learning experience plans.
Brooks, J. G., Brooks, M. G. (1999). In Search of Understanding: The Case of Constructivist Classrooms, with a new introduction by the authors. Retrieved from http://site.ebrary.com/lib/ashford/Doc?id=10078162&ppg=28
Among many teaching styles and learning theories, there is one that is becoming more popular, the constructivist theory. The constructivist theory focuses on the way a person learns, a constructivist believes that the person will learn better when he/she is actively engaged. The person acts or views objects and events in their environment, in the process, this person then understands and learns from the object or events(P. Johnson, 2004). When we encounter a certain experience in our life, we think back to other things that have occurred in our life and use that to tackle this experience. In a lot of cases, we are creators of our own knowledge. In a classroom, the constructivist theory encourages more hands-on assignments or real-world situations, such as, experiments in science and math real-world problem solving. A constructivist teacher constantly checks up on the student, asking them to reflect what they are learning from this activity. The teacher should be keeping track on how they approached similar situations and help them build on that. The students can actually learning how to learn in a well-planned classroom. Many people look at this learning style as a spiral, the student is constantly learning from each new experience and their ideas become more complex and develop stronger abilities to integrate this information(P. Johnson, 2004). An example of a constructivist classroom would be, the student is in science class and everyone is asking questions, although the teacher knows the answer, instead of just giving it to them, she attempts to get the students to think through their knowledge and try to come up with a logical answer. A problem with this method of learning is that people believe that it is excusing the role of...
To help students to feel capable, connected and contributing (or the three C’s) Linda Albert asks us to make five fundamental changes to our classrooms, or what she calls “Paradigm Shifts in Cooperative Discipline” (see figure 2). Firstly, we need to move away from a “hands-on” or “hands-clenched” approach to discipline, which is an authoritarian style of classroom discipline, to a “hands-joined” or democratic style of classroom management. Secondly, we need to recognize that student behavior is a choice, and not caused by some outside force, though these forces may influence student behavior it is ultimately the student’s decision on how they will act in your classroom. Thirdly, she asks us to abandon our long list of classroom rules and replace it with a concise code of conduct; shifting the classroom atmosph...
We must first look at the need for a constructivist approach in a classroom, to do this we think back to our days in primary school and indeed secondary school where textbooks we like bibles. We were told to take out our books, look at the board, and now complete the exercise on page z. This approach in a class is repetitive, the teacher holds authoritarian power and learning is by no means interactive. “In a traditional classroom, an invisible and imposing, at times, impenetrable, barrier between student and teacher exists through power and practice. In a constructivist classroom, by contrast, the teacher and the student share responsibility and decision making and demonstrate mutual respect.” (Wineburg, 2001) This approach focuses on basic skills and strict adherence to the curriculum. Children are being forced to learn through repetit...
Along these two weeks we have been prompt to make a recall to our own way of learning and why we became a teacher: Was it because coincidence, due to life circumstances, maybe because family tradition, was it a conscious decision or because someone influenced us? Whatever the answer is, we have to face reality and be conscious that being a teacher does not only means to teach a lesson and asses students learning. It requires playing the different roles a teacher must perform whenever is needed and required by our learners, identify our pupils needs and preferences, respecting their integrity and individuality but influencing and motivating them to improve themselves and become independent.
Discipline is intended to cease misbehavior in the classroom. Effective classroom management procedures contribute to an environment that enhance learning and reduce discipline problems (Edwards, 2004). The goal of discipline is to help students learn to control their own behavior. Effective teachers apply various disciplinary techniques that help in curtailing misbehavior and promote self-discipline in students (Charles, 1996). Effective discipline is emotionally disconnected from student actions (Henley, Ramsey and Algozzine, 1999). According to Dreikurs, discipline is a process in which students learn to impose reasonable limits on themselves (Charles, 1996).
There are methods that are considered very different than constructivism that are used in the classroom. One of the approaches is the traditional approach where the teacher teaches the information to the student, and the student does not contribute as much or convey the prior knowledge of the material during instruction (Airasian & Walsh, 1997). It has been said that traditional teaching can segregate students, especially ones with special needs, in the classroom (Bloom; Perlmutter& Burrell, 1999). In other words, traditional instruction is a more teacher-centered approach that uses rote, fact based learning. The teachers create the values, behaviors, and beliefs for the students. The teacher is in charge of the classroom, where they have rewards and consequences, and the students work mostly by themselves (this is very different that the constructivist classroom, which will be explained) (Windschitl, 1999).