Jasmine Azimi
26 April 2010
Teaching Fellows London Abroad Seminar
Teaching and Learning in a London School
Introduction
One plus one. The most basic mathematic problem. A problem that is synonymous with obviousness. When you put a cube of clay and add another to the tray, there are two cubes. When you smash a cube of clay into another, rolling and squeezing out the evidence of it ever being two cubes, you get one. One, big piece.
The ability to see things differently is welcomed and encouraged at Wilberforce Primary School. As a community school, it has a growing number of students falling into the reception to year six categories. The “Welcome” sign before buzzing into the main office can be read in three languages. English, Bengali and Arabic. In conjunction to their obvious scale of diversity, the teachers have tailored their teaching approaches to include all barriers.
The students of Wilberforce Primary, some traveling by tube and others by foot, live neighborhoods and neighborhoods away from each other. The commonality between these students, therefore, is their school. Their school offers a friendly welcome. Teachers and faculty introduce themselves by their first name. First name basis even holds true in the classroom. A “Mr.” and “Mrs.” free zone. As uncommon as fish and chips on an American restaurant menu, using only first names is not exercised in the United States. An obvious degree of authority is lost without the “Mr.” or “Mrs.” On the other hand, it certainly qualify as a method of instilling camaraderie within the teacher to pupil relationship.
Standing as the common ground for students of unique backgrounds, Wilberforce Primary of Queens Park, London successfully approaches diversity and companionship, the major aspects of teaching and learning. The school acknowledges students who see the big piece of clay along with those who appreciate personal relationships in the classroom.
Body
A lesson is never given without a backup plan. If a student, even the most academically talented one, does not understand a teacher’s lesson, time has been instantly wasted. Chapter 13 of Science for All Americans claims that “concepts- the essential unit of thought- that do not have multiple links with how a student thinks about the world are not likely to be remembered or useful” (Americans, 1990). These links that affect the student can be lost between the diversity barriers in schools. The teachers that are walking up to the classroom and passing different colors and shapes to their student’s faces, must come up with a bulletproof plan to their lessons. Their lessons are the ones that must offer multiple links to these unique students. Links do not necessarily have to be made organically, though. Wilberforce came up with a way for its year five students to retain information by giving them lessons through a variety of contexts.
The nine and 10 year olds of all the year five classes had similar lessons of geography. Pointing to a map of where the different continents were located hardly counted as a successful lesson. There wasn’t enough effort in that lesson for a student to remember the information. The only link made may have been when a teacher pointed at a country where one of the students was from. Having every year five class represent one of those continents for a “World Hug” day soon became enough effort, though. The teachers intentionally gave their students more opportunities to become embedded with the taught information (Americans, 1990). Students dressed and assembled food typical to their assigned continent at the end of this two-week geography lesson. Permanent memories were made possible by the important variety of teaching and learning through this lesson- proving that learning geography is far more interesting with a side of baklava.
English class was even detailed with novel teaching and learning approaches. As any American high school graduate would argue, William Shakespeare wrote complicating language and sad stories. To great surprise, Andy’s year five students were learning Romeo and Juliet. Out of its original, complicating context, Andy read aloud with his adorable students a two-page synopsis of the play. Assigned to further summarize the play, the students worked on understanding Shakespeare’s brutal love story for weeks. Within the learning came art and numeracy lessons that worked around this romantic theme. In weeks to come, there was new decoration around the classroom. William Shakespeare in blues and greens and purples were drawn and hung up. The most exciting aspect of this subject was the end. Andy’s class was going to hold a production of Romeo and Juliet for all the school and neighbors to watch. The event was even photographed and written about in the school-wide newspaper.
Teaching and learning are two principles that are dependent on one another. In the “World Hug” example, it was clear that learning was affecting teaching. Students who would not normally grasp the idea of different cultures spread throughout the world and their location were given tools to realize them. The teachers creatively provided these tools. Just as teaching is dependent on learning, nonetheless, learning is dependent on teaching.
Though they are walking into the same building, the students in the Wilberforce Primary School database are appropriately separated. By floors, years and academic levels, these students find themselves receiving specified lessons plans for their assumed abilities. The students who are at lower levels of their year are given one worksheet while the higher-level students are given another. The differences in worksheets accounts for every, mattered child. Specific teachers do not always successfully cater to the students of Wilberforce in the way worksheets could.
Spanish is pushed at Wilberforce. A close relationship to a school in Madrid may have something to do with it. Another language piled on top of English may be the greatest or worst idea Wilberforce came up with. Teaching units of time seemed hard to a substitute teacher at the primary school. Having to force the terms “seconds,” “minutes,” and, “hours” out of students proved there was indeed a language barrier. Spanish terms were soon to be added to the list of almost memorized flashcards of vocabulary words in student’s backpacks. On one hand, learning Spanish allows the students to put themselves in another culture through small, progressive steps. They are also all starting at the same level of academics. They are able, therefore, to successfully collaborate with one another on a shared subject. On the other hand, however, the students can become too overwhelmed. They’ll potentially be subject to the bitter stage of learning (Bransford, 2000). This stage triggers behavioral and emotional rejection towards scholarship due to an intimating work subject or load. When the Spanish teacher barely knows English, though, the subject is doubly overwhelming.
The ability for the students to adapt to teachers is unparalleled. There is one, shared Spanish teacher for Wilberforce and he is highly respected. He is able to use his upbringing to teach willing students his language. The students have a hard job on their ends, though. They not only have to translate Gustavo’s broken English, they have to then translate those scraps of English into Spanish. In an interview with nine-year-old and year five student, Ahoub, understanding the length of which learning depends on teaching was made more obvious. Ahoub mentioned Gustavo’s attempt at English was a humorous characteristic of the Spanish teacher more than anything. Gustavo’s strong, Chilean accent was nothing short of charming. The way Ahoub mentioned that the language barrier between him and Gustavo must have only been because of the subject (Spanish), it was shown that Ahoub was not picking up on the other traits that made Gustavo a distraction in class.
It wasn’t hard to understand his accent. This statement is, of course, coming from a twenty-year- old half Salvadorian. It was the sloppy job at attempting to relate to his students that made an off-putting sensation apparent throughout the classroom. Ahoub didn’t realize it, but it was rather obvious that Ahoub was doing the majority of the work to make Gustavo’s lessons work. The students had to focus and train themselves to make up for Gustavo’s failed and old lectures and, so, made the learning dependent on the teaching (Azimi, 2010).
Though flamboyantly distracting, not even Van Gogh could match the luminosity of his loud personality, Gustavo did exemplify some of the good details that made Wilberforce so distinctively fun. A pair of denim jeans was no stranger to the 8: 30 AM staff meetings every morning. The level of comfort was surprisingly brilliant.
It was school of 401 students and at every assembly, head teacher Angela Piddock could name almost all of them by first name. Just as she could call them out for talking out of turn or congratulating them on having a successful term, students were able to call out their teachers. The first name rule went for everyone. From Wilber the stuffed teddy bear to Mario the security officer, students developed a special relationship with the adults around them.
Watching a student address his teacher by the first name was startling to watch in the beginning. It stands for a rather taboo argument of teacher to pupil relationships and showing them as being considerably equal. An upbringing of rude authority from teachers is not new to an American student. The policy at Wilberforce, their most attractive quality, was just this. In Andy’s year five class, it was like watching art take form. Things were being placed as they always should have been.
Especially in younger years, it seems consequential to acquaint young students to adults with a sense of respect dividing the two groups. When these same adults were the onse shown on a more relaxed, lower status of authority, it changed the student’s idea of them. It was then that the students were comfortable asking questions while expectations were still involved.
This liberal concept found in Queens Park, London got it right. With the distraction of rude authority rightfully vanished, students were given the opportunity many other primary schools were never given. They were able to feel genuinely welcomed to ask for help. It even allowed student learn their point of view on positions. Argument and debate were no random acts. Strategically placing personal stories within the context of lessons, teachers at Wilberforce had less of a boundary between their personal lives and their work lives. Stories about weekend activities and personal positions on political or social issues were readily told, though there was definitely a widespread sigh of sadness when it was published that David Beckham tore his muscle and could no longer play in the World Cup.
The welcoming vibe that Wilberforce Primary School gave off was even obvious to the neighborhood. Instead of bare walls of synchronized geometric shapes, this primary school was covered in student’s artwork and achievements. This school can be, therefore, seen as a display for its students.
The school also offered university students from the United States to take up their space and uneaten bagels from breakfast club to better their personal understanding about learning and teaching. A chance that could only be seen through a London eye. This once in a lifetime chance is no doubt be one William Wilberforce would be proud of.
Conclusion
The story of Wilberforce Primary school should be told. On the corner of Beethoven Street of Queens Park, there is a school that understands the major aspects of learning and teaching as being diversity and companionship. The relationships that young students develop from their first years and school are vital. There will be a greater outcome if a student grows up in the primary school and realizes his teacher should be used as more of a helpful tool than a rule enforcer. Faculty can be seen wearing many different hats in primary school, being that tool and rule enforcer, but it is important to know when a hat is or is not appropriate.
Teachers can be quick to take on the authoritative role in a rude way. As seen at Wilberforce, sweet, green students make up for those teachers in the end, which proves its greater brilliance.
London has proven its originality. Stories are told of classes full of students in uniforms with specified agendas that condition them into living an ordered life. Any Harry Potter fan would know that English schooling had a lot to do with using uniform outfits. It became a problem only when these uniform outfits were a reflection of the uniform lesson methods used in school. These stories make Wilberforce Primary School shine that much great under its blue, urban sky because of what it encourages. It is a school that encourages students to represent South America and put on a production of Romeo and Juliet. It is a school where students are not distracted by the intimidation of authority. Though the gate around the school is a bit intimidating, its gawking metal bars were never welcoming; it does stand for a lot of modern approaches to learning and teaching.
