Understanding Learning

To understand successful learning we must first address the fundamental processes and principles that allow a person to learn. Maslow argues that for a person to be motivated to learn certain basic needs must be satiated.

These are:

1) Physiological: hunger, thirst, bodily comforts, etc.;

2) Safety/security: out of danger;

3) Belongingness and Love: affiliate with others, be accepted

4) Esteem: to achieve, be competent, gain approval and recognition. (Huitt 2007)

If we address each of these points individually it can be seen that if a student arrives at school in a hungry or thirsty state this can have a detrimental effect on their learning capacity. Also, if, as an example, they have walked to school in heavy rain with little or no protection then, again, because they are suffering discomfort this can have a negative effect on the students learning. Unfortunately, the basic physiological needs that occur at the beginning of a school day tend to be beyond the control of the school.

Once the student is in school then safety and security can hopefully be provided to a level that allows progress to the next level of belongingness and love. We could also refer to Bowlby’s attachment theory at this point where he argues that maternal deprivation can lead to behavioural and learning problems in a child (Bowlby, 1969). Even the opportunity for a student to belong to a class can provide the opportunity for their self-esteem to increase and allow them to move to the next level where learning can begin. This can be shown to link to teaching standards 1a and 5d.

Teaching young people appears to rely as much on behaviour management as it does on delivering the information the students need to know and it can be argued that good behaviour management lies at the heart of effective teaching My own experience in the classroom has shown that managing the behaviour of the students is fundamental to being able to provide a lesson that fulfils the requirements of the teaching standards. To this end, the whole school behaviour policy is vital in presenting a unified, professional group of staff to the students. However, should this policy be adhered to the detriment of individual teacher/student relationships? We can examine the effectiveness of using the techniques that are stipulated in the school behaviour policy and compare this to a modified approach that is designed to control behaviour in the practical and creative subject of music.

To gain a better understanding of how the whole school behaviour policy was viewed by staff members I had a number of informal discussions with teachers, Learning Support Assistants and senior leaders. These discussions indicated that three quarters of staff members felt that using the whole school policy alone could