ERRR #013. Russell Bishop and the Centrality of Relationships
Jan 1, 2018
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Professor Russell Bishop, an expert in Māori education, discusses the centrality of relationships in learning. Topics include fostering family-like relationships, challenging deficit thinking, improving cooperative learning, and creating an inclusive pedagogy. The importance of involving parents and creating a supportive environment for teachers is also emphasized.
Teachers can change their discursive positioning by reading narratives of students' experiences and understanding the impact of deficit thinking, creating a conducive learning environment and effectively implementing pedagogical strategies.
Establishing a family-like context in the classroom, characterized by caring, high expectations, and non-deficit theorizing, is crucial for creating a positive learning environment for marginalized students.
Despite challenges and constraints, a shift in teachers' discursive positioning can help overcome resource limitations and improve outcomes for marginalized students.
Deep dives
The Importance of Teacher Expertise
The podcast emphasizes the significance of teacher expertise in students' education. Setting boundaries is highlighted as a crucial tip for new teachers. The episode also mentions that 44% of jobs will be automated, potentially reinforcing cycles of disadvantage. However, the main focus is on the importance of teachers' attitudes and beliefs towards students. Discursive positioning, rather than deep-seated racism, is identified as a key factor in creating a positive and inclusive classroom environment. The podcast suggests that teachers can change their discursive positioning by reading narratives of students' experiences and understanding the impact of deficit thinking. The episode highlights the need for teachers to establish a family-like context in the classroom, characterized by caring, high expectations, and non-deficit theorizing. By shifting their discursive positioning, teachers can create a conducive learning environment and effectively implement pedagogical strategies that make a difference for students' learning outcomes.
Transformation through Discursive Positioning
The podcast explores the transformation that can occur in teachers' attitudes and beliefs through discursive positioning. It emphasizes that teachers' discursive positioning can be changed overnight by exposure to narratives of students' experiences. The importance of establishing a family-like context in the classroom is discussed, where teachers care for their students and have high expectations. The episode emphasizes that teachers' discursive positioning, rather than their personalities, is crucial in creating a positive learning environment for marginalized students. The podcast highlights successful examples of teachers who have shifted their discursive positioning and created inclusive classrooms where students thrive. It suggests that teachers can overcome structural disadvantages by changing their discourse and focusing on the potential of every student.
Addressing Challenges and Constraints
The podcast acknowledges the challenges and constraints faced by teachers in disadvantaged schools. It mentions the lack of resources, such as breakfast and lunch programs, counseling services, and support for students facing family violence and caring responsibilities. The episode also acknowledges the high workload and lack of support for inexperienced teachers in these schools. However, it emphasizes that despite these challenges, teachers' discursive positioning remains crucial in creating a positive and supportive classroom environment. The podcast proposes that a shift in teachers' discursive positioning can help overcome some of these constraints and improve outcomes for marginalized students, even in resource-limited contexts.
Limitations of Socio-Political Structures
The podcast recognizes the limitations of socio-political structures in addressing educational disparities. It highlights that the discourse surrounding educational solutions often perpetuates neocolonialism and serves the interests of the dominant elite. While the socio-political context can pose significant challenges, the episode presents evidence that changing teachers' discursive positioning can still have a positive impact on student outcomes. The podcast shares examples of well-funded schools that, despite resources, did not see significant improvements due to a lack of change in pedagogies and discursive positioning. It suggests that a focus on teacher practices and beliefs is crucial, even in the face of structural limitations.
Importance of Building Relationships in Education
One of the main ideas discussed in the podcast is the significant role that building relationships plays in education. Russell Bishop emphasizes the importance of establishing strong relationships between teachers and students, as well as between teachers and parents. He explains that when the relationships are nurtured and interactions are focused on learning, students are more successful academically. Bishop advocates for teachers to show care, set high expectations, and manage the classroom effectively. He also mentions the importance of rejecting deficit thinking about marginalized students and instead focusing on their potential.
Engaging Parents in Education
Another key point addressed in the podcast is the engagement of parents in the educational process. While traditional methods like parent-teacher interviews and market days may have some value, Bishop suggests that true parent engagement comes from demonstrating the academic success of their children. He emphasizes the importance of teachers knowing what they are teaching and being able to communicate progress effectively. Bishop believes that when parents see their children making academic progress, they become more involved in the school community. He challenges the notion that involving parents in various peripheral activities automatically leads to improved education outcomes.
