Report requirements

• Discussion on examples of ineffective learning management
• Reflection on Learning Disruptions

GRADE: 4.0

Are learning disruptions useful or necessary to create a paradigm shift or make leaps of progress in learning?

Disruptions naturally hinder the learning of core content of most subjects, but they are, instead, an indication that something is wrong and the root cause may need to be identified. Once this problem is solved, learning can once again resume and it could even accelerate.

Most of us don't need to read research articles to know that disruptions are not, in themselves, beneficial to learning, however, I am not most people. After doing an online search for research articles and opinion pieces I cannot find anything that would would encourage classroom disruptions. Instead, it seems that if there is a classroom disruption it is more likely a sign that there is a root cause of the problem that needs to be addressed. In situations like this, the teacher needs to identify the cause of the problem and address it as quickly and effectively as possible.

It could be that these disruptions are signs of preexisting behavioral patterns that have become ingrained in the students over the years, or it could be that the students are responding to a problem in the particular classroom setting, such as a lack of interest in the material or the teacher. Equally, it could be a matter of little relation to the classroom setting, but rather the student's personal life. If the issue is academic in nature, relevance, respect, difficulty level, method or presentation or interactivity level of the lesson could all play a part.

Presuming the issue is academic, it could be the teacher needs to switch from teaching class material to teaching students about positive values, appropriate behaviors, the advantages of those behaviors, ambition and the benefits of a productive classroom. It could also be a sign that the material is being presented in the wrong way for the some of the students in that class. The question that follows then is are these students representative of the group? Would any changes implemented be of net benefit to the group, or would they benefit these select students to the detriment of the others. For instance, sometimes a student disrupts because they are not at the same level of the group, adjusting the level of the material to benefit this one student might actually negatively effect others. Differentiated instruction may be necessary, or, perhaps the student might be best placed in another class that is closer to their level. Other times, it may be that the same problem is being experienced by the class as a whole and that a change will benefit all the students.

Issues relating to a student's personal life are more tricky, but an understanding of the reasons behind the issue and additional support from other sources may help.

Indeed, humans are not simple creatures, the reality is often a complex mix of all of the above. Being a teacher is often about exercising one's judgement to try to achieve the best outcome.