Educating the "Difficult Students".

Perhaps a small vent on my part but necessary

Today I'd like to build what I think will be a regular thing, my Teaching Experiences blog. Perhaps I can open this up to other educators to share their own experiences too. Let's see how it goes...

So, to begin, some background. I was always considered a difficult or challenging student, thought to be slow or distruptive, accused of not wanting to learn or refusing to make an effort.

Until one absolute angel of an educator stood back and looked.

• I had a reading level off the scale.

• I learned fast and had mind that was hungry, starving for facts and information.

• As I learned quickly and even taught myself some things, I grew bored when others took longer to learn.

• I was sent to "Special School" to help me to learn better but my ability to learn wasn't the problem.

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The ability of others to educate me was the problem.

I had and continue to have dyspraxia, a condition which affects fine motor control meaning manual writing and art are never going to be my thing; the digital age truly is my salvation in many ways!

Before I was considered a "unteachable student" and I'm not the only one and am certainly not the one who has faced the most challenges in education. I am what might be considered luckier than some in that regard because my angels in educator's guise recognised my condition before it was mainstream and helped me the best that could. They took an intrest in me and, more importantly, in my future.

This is, perhaps, one of the reasons I became an educator myself and might explain my philosophy of One Size Does Not Fit All.

I believe this "New Educational Revolution" ushed in by first the necessities of the Covid19 lockdowns and a massive push in videoconferencing technology, giving birth to a great many online teaching and learning platforms is a serious blessing in disguise.

I believe in making every student's courses and lesson fit them not, like Cinderella's sisters, disfiguring the person so they fit the thing. My job is to teach and, by extension, have my students want to continue learning with me. That means making sure I am teaching what they want to learn, right?

I make a point of asking my students for regular feedback and customising lessons to fit how they learn or are able to learn.

Let me give you an example;

On one platform I use, I regularly have unplanned "sudden lessons" using that platforms on demand system, I go online and teach whoever wants a teacher at that time. One young lady, around 15-17 years old, seemed different.

• She was not engaged.

• She would not remain focussed.

• She would be hyperfixated on a topic that interested her.

• She would engage little and appear dismissive of the standardised lessons.

She was clearly an unconventional learner. Now, to my shame, I initially was frustrated by her lack of engagement and seriousness towards my teaching but then I thought about it. I am no educational psychiatrist nor medical expert to be making anything approaching a diagnosis but we need to step back here and think.

What are we doing wrong?

Not every student learns in the same way, we recognise this as adults in business training.

While standardised educational systems are convenient, can we continue to use them in this new educational revolution we are a part of?

Can we make a differences to "unconvential students" and "difficult students" educations in physical classrooms may neither have the ability or inclination to accomodate?

Can the digital teaching space be what unconvential learners need as I needed the advent of the computer to be able to write and produce art?

I think we are, as I say in the video, beholden to educate any one who comes our way, we put ourselves out there as teachers so, if those whom education has possibly abanded seek us out, are we not obliged to reach out a hand to them?

• To consider those whose attention wanders; how can we engage them and help their learning experience be consistant?

• Those who hyperfixate on topics or interests and are not stimulated by others; can we incorporate these topics into our lessons and encourage them to speak?

• Those who learn fast and bore quickly if we cover the topic again; how do we keep up with their active minds and let them drive more?

• Those who feel unchallenged; how do we push them and encourage them to push back?

• Those who may not want to be seen or looked at during class; how do we respect their wishes but ensure we keep them engaged?

• Those who have particular needs; can we adapt both our classes and ourselves to these needs?

You see, we have an opportunity other educaters have not, we have the ability and the technology to truly innovate in this and somehow deliver a truly personalised and unique experience to every student.

OK, I know what you're going to say; it is indeed a lot of work when one has more than 10 students to plan each student's class individually when following a set curriculum or course is easier. Yes, it is easier, you're right, but I'm not here for easy.

I think it's time to make a difference, I think it's time we made education truly inclusive and work together as educators to achieve that goal for everyone.

This blog post has been inspired by the student I will neither name nor further identify for her anonymity and has led me to make my introduction videos on my teaching playforms more inclusive in their messaging.

Now I am asking you all; the educators and the educated (or educational exiles) to speak up and get this conversation moving for the good of all, let's see where we can make this go!