Author: forthewellbeingofthenextgeneration

From Social Learning Theory proponents, I learned about the value of self-efficacy in learning and I could agree that our intrinsic belief in our capabilities make personal goals including that of highest levels of education possible for us.

For instance, when I was in college, out of nowhere, I thought that I would give my best and graduate as one of the best students in my school – I had difficulty in sophomore year where I was occasionally absent due to “the curse of” acne which debilitated my already lacking self-esteem, but when I realized that it should not have gotten the best of me and started showing up in my classes, I was able to recover from opportunities I missed out on and pursued my dream. And, “the thought” became a reality!

But sadly, the opposite took place when I was in my graduate studies. Out of nowhere (again!), I just thought to myself I would not be able to complete my studies, and for many years I struggled with proving myself wrong and eventually quit. I was just not strong mentally and emotionally and received little support (particularly professional one) from those around me. I also thought there was nothing I lack to have a satisfactory life. I was telling that to myself repeatedly to ease the pain. I have never really gotten over from this failure.

So, whenever I tried something new (even unrelated to studies which I’d always be motivated to start), I would think back to my past and felt down.

But, this time, having realized that I can teach myself to be a better thinker, a more optimistic person, I always try to visualize myself overcoming big hurdles. What will happen if push my boundaries and just act instead of overthink?

That’s the reason I am thankful for the teacher of this course who has to bend herself backward to help a problematic student like myself. If I can be as tireless and self-less educator like she is, and many of the learners of this program value this humbling and “learning” experience, then we can indeed see a promising future for every Filipino (and even non-Filipino) students.

Truly, when we become invested in something with our dreams, time, talents, emotions/frustrations, focus, and habits, we can have the strength and fortitude to see it through (and we also get all the help we need as if all the universe conspires it). And, something wonderful happens – not only to us who have postponed success or our deepest longings and desires but also to others who are directly or indirectly affected by our learning, going through, and going past failure.

When I started teaching at kindergarten last year which was the very first time I would be in-charge of an offline class, I was nervous and at the same time, excited. My students were a stubborn bunch, hyper all the time, but brilliant. There were moments when I questioned my own skills but I stood my ground to give them my best in learning all the skills and values they needed not only to prepare for the next step but to relish learning something new, relearning, and applying those bits of information in solving problems that come their way even without my supervision. I enjoyed every bit of time I had with them and I wanted to be ready for the little (but actually big) minds and hearts that can be molded with my guidance this upcoming school year.

When I read all of the explanations, insights, and examples given about behaviorism, I was thankful to have learned the theory that explains the ways I and my students behaved in our class, and what I could have improved upon including my methods of managing the class. As I’ve mentioned, they could really cause trouble and made me shout at the top of my lungs when I was at the end of my rope. I regretted that then and now. I didn’t believe that scolding would work on them and that was solidified by this approach. I had to use other strategies and tried to be consistent. It was hard when they would question my decision sometimes like why Student A was not punished/did not receive positive punishment even though he did something that was against the class rules. My desire to do trial-and-error was not effective in those times (for the students who behaved according to the rules and too smart for their own good), but I knew that the student they were referring to was someone who needed to move around to express himself and he was not a slow learner. I had to give him the exception. Those were the instances that I didn’t give them much explanation but just turned their attention to the class work, circle time activities or their centers. The reason I didn’t talk much about it was not because I underestimated their intelligence; I believed they could understand had I explained, but I wanted them to realize that there are kids who are different from what we expect them to be and they are just as good children as they are. Happily, they were all good friends when the term ended.

Based on behaviorism (though I didn’t know it), I tried to solve the problem with students who proved to be exceptions by giving them the positive reinforcement when they behaved according to the class rules (though rarely) by giving them praise, high-five, or a warm hug. For that little boy who’s always moving around, I tried to give him more play time when he promised to stay put during the time the teacher had to say something to the whole class. This didn’t work at times, but was effective at fortunate moments when he was listening or in the mood.

For students who are different from most and usually catch the attention of the whole class because the teacher treats them differently or in a “special” manner, try to get them to interact more with others. Let them observe how others do it the “right way” and imitate them but if it really can’t be helped, just love them for their uniqueness and eventually they will shine as well as other students who are always “good” or “well-behaved.”

Although I was able to read discussions on intelligence and my classmates’ respective theories very late, I felt elated. That is because they were able to point out the positive aspects of it – that we can think out of the box and not only measure what we know to be the norm (cognitive ability) to determine intelligence – the beauty of one’s personality is not only attractive to the eyes but also to the mind it seems. One also pointed out that it is not too late to get to know learning or intelligence as a learned behavior to improve on it.

Their points of view have helped me step aside from the simplistic view of intelligence that I have. In my own analysis, I believed that intelligence is synonymous to completing (learning) tasks in expected pace or earlier than the set date despite what the context is or inner and outer turmoils the learner has. In its directness, it seems more to be an approach or method of learning than a theory of intelligence to me now. But I do hope that with the purpose of learning better, knowing that they can complete tasks and have access to genuine support and guidance from teachers, family, and friends help students in their own journey of positive and lasting transformation.

As an educator, I was often stumped and trapped by my preconceived notions of learning and intelligence. Thanks to the reading materials we have, I can get to know amazing experts who have made efforts to understand the values, behaviors, and abilities that go with them and shared them to us through their theories and scientific data. I may still misunderstand and continue to have perceptions that are not error-free but with my very own experiences, the evolving theories, and experienced teachers and supportive systems that we have in schools or governments, I can learn and accumulate “intelligence,” resilience, and turn-empathy-into-action philosophies to provide opportunities to students to learn and take ownership of their own understanding of the world and its wonders.

I understand that I will continue to make mistakes but I will also persist in learning from them. I will not let my fear of committing errors turn me into an unintelligent species. I will not neglect the responsibilities and challenges this powerful position as a teacher commands but strive to give my best now to the young minds needing the nurture, correct guidance, discipline, and wisdom knowing that I can also learn from them and through them.