“Seventy-seven percent of teachers admit that their teaching would be more effective if they did not have to spend so much time dealing with disruptive students.” [1]

Canter; 2004

In the final weeks of August 2023, I had the privilege of participating in two weeks of classroom assistant training with Assumption Grammar Schoolhttps://www.assumptiongrammar.org.uk/ . This course proved to be a great experience, affording me insights into the world of child care and education as I received the opportunity to learn essential teaching skills through the observation of various lessons.

As my time as a classroom assistant neared its conclusion, an exciting opportunity emerged for those who had undergone the training: the chance to interview for a permanent position within the school. Initially contemplating this for my upcoming work experience module, I hesitated due to concerns that I wouldn’t be utilising the skills learned within my initial two years of my English degree. Expressing my concerns, I engaged in a conversation with the school’s head of English where she revealed a need for literacy and dyslexia support lessons for junior school students. Intrigued by this prospect, I arranged a meeting with Mrs. Shirley McVeigh, the head of SENCO, and expressed my interest in the role. Much to my delight, Mrs. McVeigh responded positively, offering me the position for my placement.

In preparation for this role, I sought insights from teachers in the English Department, questioning about syllabuses and teaching content to which they recommended preparing the students for GCSE work. A great source of knowledge which I found ideas regarding teaching content for soon to be GCSE students was the CCEA English Specification [2]. While I had ideas regarding lesson plans and structure, my lack of experience in the world of teaching left me feeling unprepared. An example of this occurred with two students I taught in the same period each week. To say they were uninterested would be an understatement as they consistently refused to bring their books, talked over me, and exhibited little to no engagement in the lesson content. As a result of this I started to feel inadequate, concerned about the progress of both students. It was only when I started to employ Gibb’s Model of Reflection, a concept highlighted in the third week of AEL3000’s lectures, that I began to make significant progress.

“I regard the teaching of English literature and the teaching of spelling, grammar, and rhetoric as two different professions. It is in many respects unfortunate that both should have to be practiced by a single teacher, or a single department’. [3]

lewis; 1903

Description

As I began support lessons for the two students in question, a worrying pattern emerged. It became apparent that both exhibited a inability to maintain focus, constantly engaging in conversations with each other. This tendency reached such extremes that they interrupted me while I tried to provide guidance on various tasks and extend homework support. This situation continued to escalate, and by the end of our third lesson together, it had reached level of disruption that I felt uneasy with as neither student completed a single task set. This incident served as an example of the challenges present in attempting to instill focus in the face of constant disruption.

Feelings

My initial response to this behaviour was a mix of stress and disappointment. The challenges posed left me struggling with a sense of inadequacy, stemming from the belief that I lacked the experience and authority to discipline in a way that would motivate them to focus on given tasks. This struggle was heightened by a feeling of disappointment in myself as I questioned my efficiency as a teacher. The overwhelming sense of self-doubt cast a shadow over my aspirations to pursue a career in teaching as I seriously contemplated the option of abandoning the placement altogether. I see now that a key issue in this internal conflict was the reluctance to ask for help from senior teachers or the head of SENCO. I found myself hesitating to reach out for support, nervous that doing so might be seen as an incapacity to handle challenges independently.

Evaluation

In an effort to distance myself from these feelings, I took a step back and engaged in a constructive exercise. I decided to try and rationalise any emotions that could have been clouding my judgement of the placement as a whole, gathering its pros and cons on paper. This representation of the placement provided a visual aid, allowing me to assess the various aspects of my experience.

As I listed the pros and cons, a realisation began to take shape. Despite the seemingly overwhelming challenge posed by the two students, a sense of relief washed over me as I observed the balance on the paper. Yes, the struggle to control these two particular students was undoubtedly a con, but in the grander scheme of my role in providing literacy support to a total of 20 students, it emerged as a relatively isolated issue.

This exercise allowed me to put things into perspective, emphasising the broader context of my role. I found comfort in the realisation that the challenges presented by the duo were, in fact, an isolated concern. The contrast between the single con and the long list of pros regarding the remaining 18 students highlighted the overall success of my efforts. This shift in perspective not only helped me rationalise my feelings but also taught me how to teach with a more balanced outlook.

Analysis

Analysing the issues within my lessons, several contributing factors to the behavioural challenges became apparent.

• The lesson’s placement in the school day emerged as a crucial factor as the period followed the girls’ return from lunch. Given this context, the transition back into focused concentration proved challenging for the students as they struggled to settle back into learning.

• Through conversation with the students I learned of their friendship outside of the school environment, which appeared to spill over into the classroom. This dynamic presented a potential source of distraction, as the natural inclination to engage in conversation superseded focus on the assigned tasks.

• Differing work paces resulted in one student completing tasks/ reading ahead of their counterpart. While awaiting the second student to finish, the first student felt compelled to engage in conversation which distracted the second student. This dynamic not only highlighted individual learning speeds but also demanded that I accommodated the varying paces.

By analysing these factors, I understand what influenced the students’ behaviour and concentration levels. This analysis not only shone light on the challenges at hand but also opened a way for the development.

Conclusion

Looking from the vantage point of the students, I gained insights into the reasons for the lack of focus, allowing me to look past frustration. Instead, a sense of understanding emerged, reshaping my perspective. Rather than perceiving their behaviour as deliberate, I began to see it as genuine struggles within the learning environment. The realisation that these challenges existed, not out of defiance, but due to outside factors prompted a shift from frustration to productivity.

In light of this understanding, a crucial conclusion emerged – these students required assistance and a tailored approach to their learning journey. The need for separation became apparent as a prerequisite for any meaningful progress to materialise. By recognising and addressing the unique challenges each student faced, a path toward constructive support and individualised strategies became clearer. This transformative perspective allowed me to approach the situation with renewed determination, poised to implement measures that would foster a more conducive learning environment and unlock the students’ latent potential.

Action Plan

After consideration, I made the decision to convey my concerns to the Head of the English department, addressing these challenges in teaching two students within the same class. In response, I was provided with practical strategies to regain focus. Among the suggestions, one approach involved incorporating brief breaks into the lesson, allowing students to release any pent-up energy before refocusing on their tasks.

Taking this advice, I also looked into my weekly timetable, identifying a free period in the morning. I engaged with one of the students’ subject teachers during that time slot and through collaborative efforts, we successfully rearranged the schedule, allocating one student to the newly available slot while keeping the other in the original period. This separation marked a shift in my teaching approach, enabling me to work with each student individually creating a more focused learning atmosphere.

In reflection, I appreciate the benefits of separating the students to address behavioural issues. While I acknowledge that this intervention could have occurred earlier, the experience served as a learning opportunity that significantly contributed to my professional growth and confidence. Looking back, I recognise the importance of sharing my feelings of stress and disappointment with a senior teacher earlier as it provided substantial relief.

Reflecting on this experience, I am better equipped to navigate similar challenges in the future. The insights gained, coupled with a more proactive and collaborative approach, enabled me to address such situations efficiently and with heightened confidence. This journey has highlighted the significance of continuous reflection and adaptability in the world of education, reinforcing my commitment to providing the best possible learning environment for my students.

References

[1] Canter, L. (2004) Public Agenda. Available at: https://quotestats.com/topic/quotes-about-disruptive-students/

[2] CCEA (2017) English Literature and Language Specification. Available at: https://ccea.org.uk/downloads/docs/Specifications/GCSE/GCSE%20English%20Language%20%282017%29/GCSE%20English%20Language%20%282017%29-specification-Standard.pdf

[3] Lewis, Charlton M. “Method of Teaching English Literature.” The School Review, vol. 11, no. 3, 1903, pp. 187–99. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1075357. Accessed 11 Nov. 2023.