Observations on Learning

How do students learn? I would be arrogant to say that I know how each and every student learns. Since every person is different and since teens can be reluctant to open up about their learning, knowing, even after several observations, is difficult.

Some students are eager to learn. Others do not want to be there. Student A and Student B both play the roles of students who don't want to be in school. Student A appears to try her best not to learn. She makes excuses as to why she is not participating or not paying attention. One example was an in-class reading assignment. She made sure to state, so that others would hear, that it was difficult. She made statements such as, “Why are there so many difficult words?” There have been students who had a difficult time with the article, but they got through it. The students with IEPs got through it. None of the others made such a fuss about it. It seemed to me that her statements were made to elicit sympathy so that when she did not participate or turn in the assignment, she would be excused from the assignments. I realize that this is very preliminary evaluation based on my observation. I could be wrong. Her behavior could be due to other factors. At present, though, it seems that she is putting a lot of effort into not learning.

Student B started the semester off by coming into class on the first day late, flopping down in his chair and being surly. He tried to avoid doing anything that first day. My cooperating teacher took him aside after class to ask him what the problem was. His answer was that nobody at the school liked him. The teacher's response was to remind the student of his behavior through the class and asked if it might not be his behavior that put the other students off. The following days proved to be different. He tries to stand out. Not as an outstanding student, but as the center of attention. Unlike student A, he does show that he's intelligent and can do the work, when he wants.

Both students seem to express the attitude that learning, or at least school, isn't cool. It's better for their egos to appear to not to do the work or participate. Student A will never do the work or participate. It would ruin her image to do otherwise. I hope I am wrong. Otherwise she will get through school with the lesson that she will not have to work at anything. What is worse, is that she may actually convince herself that she's too dumb to learn anything. However, Student B has shown a willingness to participate but will still cause disruptions to gain attention. His attitude could be an asset if he can be convinced that other students look to him.