Module 3: Knowing our students as learners

 I mentioned in my previous blogs that I wanted to really teach my students the way I wished to be taught. This resonates in me while reading the module on needs assessment. So I try to go about how I could know my students better by reflecting on my own experience as a student before.

“I think the most important thing teachers need to know is how important it is to get to know their students.”

-Michael Schultz (2015,March 6)

When I was still a student, I am a phlegmatic type of person who just goes with the flow. I take whatever is given to me by my teacher and honestly, I cannot tell whether those things are my needs or not.

 I am not even sure whether they conduct needs assessment or not.

Now that I am a teacher, I don’t want my students to be passive in learning by participating in the class just to comply. I want to uphold a proactive kind of learning. I think that to prioritize their needs is the surest way for them to effectively learn. Knowing the learning styles of my students served as a basis of my approach in teaching. My students are visual and kinesthetic learners. They need to see pictures and role out some concepts to be able to learn. When they can act and enjoy in the class that’s when they are motivated to learn.

“The great aim of education is not knowledge but action”

-Herbert Spencer

  That is why I always try to engage my students to activities but there are still times that some students don’t seem to participate. So I end up thinking that maybe my students have other needs. I try my best not to be so affected by their learning attitudes that contributes to learning gaps. I would try to search other methods and change some activities that don’t seem to excite them.

A needs assessment also provides a method to learn what has already been done and what gaps in learning remain.

Paul McCawley (n.d.)

From experience, intensive needs assessment is the most appropriate one to use in the classroom by talking to them directly. I also try to offer tutorials after my class so I can discover things about my students which I cannot learn inside the classroom. I get to know my students more by asking them of their hobbies and interests or the kind of music they like. It has also been a great help for me to be able to talk to their parents.

To end this, I believe that getting to know our students is a good start to be able to close the gaps that hinders them from learning effectively.

Developing an in-depth understanding of each learners enables teacher to increase engagement and success

William Powell and Ochan Kusuma-Powell

Happy learning!