Explaining Ground Rules, Roles, Responsibilities and Boundaries as a Lecturer at Graham College

Describe what your role, responsibilities and boundaries would be as a teacher or trainer in terms of the teaching and learning cycle. How might “equality”, “diversity” and “inclusion” impact on a learner’s experience? Give examples from your own experience and research to support your assertions.

Using my personal presence, presonal example, charisma and tools such as ground rules, I need to create the right first impression to ensure that my learners are aware of their responsibilities within the learning environment. I try to create an environment of support, collaboration and mutual respect. I am responsible for ensuring inclusivity of the learners and celebrating their diversity. I have a duty of care in respect of my learners and should get advice and guidance from my fellow professionals in areas I am unsure of. The environment should be in accordance with Health and Safety requirements allowing free movement and access, no trip hazards, safe, tested electrical equipment. I need to create a psychologically safe environment without intimidation or disrespect. I would do this by challenging inappropriate behaviour and encouraging positive behaviour. I could also refer learners back to the ground rules. Depending on the learning needs / progress of individuals I might need to adapt and target some parts of the course content. I need to minimise jargon and adapt my language and style to the needs of the participants. I need to create opportunities for networking, self-development and experimentation. I must also be aware of any perceived or real barriers to learning and make appropriate interventions. To do this I would confer with teaching assistants or ‘privately’ discuss any issues directly with learners.

It is important to promote appropriate behaviour and respect for others to achieve a safe learning environment, that is orderly, co-operative and purposeful. A good way to initiate this is by establishing ground rules and set boundaries at the start of the course. This can be a dual input exercise, with both the students and the tutor having input, whilst ensuring the tutor’s

3.2 & 3.3 The teaching role is bound by their code of practice and legislation. The teacher would be able to advice/recommend the learner of a more knowledgeable professional enabling the individual to receive the appropriate opportunity to enhance their knowledge in a certain field. They would understand the time frame in which to complete a course given to by the awarding body. The teacher may be bound to the classroom and be in breach of Health and Safety by moving a session elsewhere.

For years, there have been many theorists who have shared their views on how individuals learn. Such research has determined that individuals have different learning styles. It is important for teacher to understand the learning styles of both themselves and their students because it helps them to relay the subject knowledge to the students. The teacher is in a position where they must be able to assess the learning styles of their students. This means that the students and teachers are both in a process of learning.

When considering teaching in Further education, I assumed that managing behaviour and having to establish ‘ground rules’ had been left at the school gates, amidst an onslaught of eggs, signed uniforms and flour.

These boundaries could have a negative effect on us as teachers as well as other professionals within the organisation. We therefore need to deal with these boundaries by referring to the Institute for Learning's Code of Practice (2008) which outlines the behaviours expected of teachers.

As a course lecturer my responsibilities in identifying and meeting the needs of my learners will start from the initial interview with them when I will assess if the learner has any additional needs. This will carry on throughout their time at Oaklands College periodically. This enables me to arrange for additional learning support for example. If they have any medical conditions or a criminal background I will take steps so as to ensure this does not affect their learning or the learners around them. This equality allows all learners the same chance on the course selected.

This is important, as it should not be assumed that all students have been involved in working on ground rules in the past.

This model is centred around principles of rights, rules, respect responsibilities, and relationships. Rogers emphasises the need for teachers to establish a set of student led classroom rights, rules and responsibilities during the establishment period of the year (Killian, Ogden, Shipston, & Facas, 2017). These rights, responsibilities and rules entail the behaviours that are expected in the classroom and protect the student’s rights to; feel safe, be treated with respect and to learn. The rules are to be developed reasonably and provide freedom in the sense students are free to move around the boundaries. As the rules are decided and agreed upon by the students, this develops a sense of understanding and accountability for their own behaviour and learning (Edwards, & Watts, 2008). In order to ensure students are respectful to the rights of students, the teacher must also treat students with respect. The teacher must consider the dignity of the students and their rights in the classroom ensuring they avoid any behaviours they

Our first step to identify the individual learning style of the learners’ (ergo to identify their needs), is performing ‘VAK’ (visual, aural, kinaesthetic) assessment. Francis and Gould (2013) describe it as a model of

“Just as students have different personalities, they also have different ways of learing (Slavin, 107).” Learning styles are another important factor to incorporate when implementing the best learning environment. Learning styles are defined as an individual's mode of gaining knowledge. The most common learning styles addressed are auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. Auditory leaners understand information through hearing. Visual learners need more visual aids in the learning process, such as diagrams, webs, or pictures. Kinesthetic learners learn better by using manipulatives or by being physically involved in the learning process. Learning styles is a piece of the “backbone” of differentiated learning. Both are used to individualize instruction to help students achieve the most success.

A driving objective for a teacher is to affect students to advance their expertise in education by finding them the correct course. The teacher should promote positive motivation and inspiration by adhering to legislation and codes of practice which will increase every student’s focus in developing and bridging gaps to display eagerness towards a healthy broad mindset, creative thinking and brighter approach. A mentor should coordinate assessments which will reinforce the ability to perceive individuals’ abilities and knowledge progressions and moreover support them further to boost their learning capacity to acquire a well-established national standards skill set.

In this assignment I will explore my role, responsibilities and boundaries as a teacher within the teacher training cycle and will analyse the different ways in which I would establish ground rules with students which may promote good behaviour and respect for other students who are participating within the same learning environment (Gravells, 2010).

Learning styles and barriers to learning can be by the VARK to give a profile of learning preferences of how a person takes in and gives out information or Tidwell and Rodgers Practical learning styles Questionnaire. The VARK learning styles determines if the person learns by being a theorist, reflector, activist and/or pragmatist. The practical learning styles questionnaire looks at how people learn by their orientation, whether they are a realistic or creative, by their interaction, are they a doer or a thinker, by how they represent things, either by words or pictures, and how they process information, whether they are a surface or deep processor. There are many other