Interview+summary+(K&E)

Psychology of Teaching and Learning Questions for the interview Topic: Teacher’s expectation

Core questions: red by karen Purple by Esther He teaches English Language, Literature and History for 21 years. He has taught in around 8 schools before. She is the Vice-Principal of St. Paul School (Lam Tin). She has been teaching for 15 years. Subject: Religious Study, Chemistry and now she started to teach Liberal Studies. --> teacher's expectation and behavioural are related? these are 2 big topics, will it be not too focus or too lengthy for our assignment? by karen --> Christopher: I propose this because I'd like to see whether there is a close relationship between T Expectation and Ss' behavioral problem, like if the T has Expectation on Ss, will Ss' behavior be changed? We can later choose whether include this part in our assignment so it doesn't matter the length of our assignment. =) How do you think? --> sure (Karen)
 * Some background about the teacher (Which subject does s/he teach? How many years has s/he been teaching? Etc)**
 * What are the major problems in classroom teaching/students’ behavioural problems in classroom?**

For the schools he has taught, there is little violence problem. The major problems are Ss lacking in motivation, disinterested in English and passive. They don't like doing homework and can't see the importance to learn English.

Students sleep/ do some other things (not paying attention)

To increase Ss's motivation, he suggest to do with the design of the lesson. Don't follow those UK books. There is no point for Ss to learn sth that is unrelated to them and decrease their motivation of learning. We can still make use of it by picking out pieces and find out the linkage. We should find out what Ss is interested by keeping in touch with them and use some contemporary materials like Lady Gaga. In St. Pauls, Ss need to do sth like news react and there is a guideline. He think the guideline cannot show how Ss reacts to the news so he made a new one. At first, the school doesn't buy it but then, the school adopts it. It also depends on how T conduct the activities and make it relevant to their life. He also suggest cross-curriculum teaching, esp. in Eng lang, to teach some thing of other subjects making use of English language.
 * What strategies have you used to tackle these problems? How effective or ineffective are they?**

For behavioural problems, he suggest preventive measures. He believes in comprimise and understanding. It is the teachers who create their own problem sometimes. He believes in building trust on Ss. He tells the Ss 'do the right thong at the right time'. He will get info of the Ss and find out their problems from the other Ts first and start to prevent it at the very beginning. If S sleeps, she walks to her and wake her up(by 拍一拍/knocking the table), maybe asks her to wash her face. If S is doing some other thing, she reminds her and asks her to stop it first. She may also take away the thing that she is playing with. The above strategies are quite effective.Beside, she encourages the Ss to engage more. She also tries to improve the lesson and make it more interesting.

Expectation should be set by the Ss own self but not by the Ts, even more, not by their parents expectation. Ts should set a higher standard and goal for Ss and they should give themselves their own expectation. He thinks Ss should maximize their own potential and live up to it. Ts should encourage them and help them to set long and short term goals and achieve it bit by bits.
 * Do you have expectation on students (* clarify expectation to the teacher as it might be a bit vague. Expectation: Believing that students can achieve a certain goal)? If yes, how do you show your expectation to your students? How do you use expectations to enhance Ss’ achievement and behaviour? If not, why?**

She has expectation on all Ss. For her, Ss should try their best according to their own ability. If they have tried their best, it is okay even the performance is not really outstanding. She tells Ss that she believes in them. She gives feedback to Ss after they did homework or after test. For some weaker Ss, she gives face-to-face feedback individually. She gives encouragement to them that they can actually do better.

He thinks extrinsic measures, such as sweets, are BS, we are not feeding animals. What Ts should do is to use intrinsic measures, to make Ss feel success, such as making a line graph and show their progress.
 * Do you think expectation on students is important to motivate them to learn/solve the problems?**

Yes,because Ss don't know what and how high they can achieve. T's expectation somehow give them a guide/ goal to achieve.

Further questions: Have you ever encountered a case that you used to have no expectation on a student, but after you changed your mind, you made a difference (Students showed great improvements in various fields)? no specific example, but suggest encouragement.

no, she has expectation on all Ss

How do you keep your expectation on low-achieving students who keep making you disappointed again and again? keep on encouraging them.

Keep on believing in them. She may change her own mind-set as sometimes it may not be the problem of Ss but T sets a goal which is too high/difficult for Ss to achieve. She also talk to them and see what their problem is.

How do you strive a balance between having different expectations on different students and maintaining fair treatment to them? no double standard, treat everyone fair, punish the same way for Ss who haven't hand in hwk for the first time and Ss who never hands in hwk. She treat every Ss in the same way usually. Yet when it comes to praise, she do it base on Ss' ability. For high-achievers, she praises them less. For low-achievers, she praises them more if they make a progress. She wants to let Ss know that the amount of praise is positively correlated to the effort you paid.