Abstract

This paper describes the development of student self-esteem and the resulting improvement in student learning. This was achieved by efforts on the teacher's part to build relationships and take a personal interest in each of her Grade 9 students.

Background

Currently, I am in my fifth year of teaching secondary school. Geography, Individual and Society, and Family Studies are my majors. I have had the pleasure of teaching in the Family Studies department for three years, working primarily with the grade nine open level Food and Nutrition course. The students of this class present a variety of learning abilities. During this time I have been increasingly impressed by the diversity of the courses and the flexibility they provide to teachers. As an educator, I find nothing more rewarding than observing my students incorporate the various skills they learn in class that can be further applied to their daily lives.

At Pauline Johnson Collegiate there are a high percentage of children who come from difficult economic situations, which means many students entering grade nine have not received efficient education training. Their development may be behind both socially and academically. This often translates into many behaviours that are inappropriate and can be extremely disruptive. I believe that many students need to be in a classroom that is inviting, creative, and fun. Students should also be developing skills that can be recognized and developed to be used both in the class and out of the class.

Family Studies encompasses many different disciplines but most of all it teaches life skills to students. Students learn through a variety of methods including practical hands-on applications and co-operative learning. Students learn how to function in a home, cook for themselves, plan meals, plan and budget for the future and plan for daily life activities. It is in the grade nine open level course that students begin to learn to cook, to clean, to do laundry, to set a table properly, and to use proper manners. Also students learn practical skills through hands-on and experiential learning. Experiential learning allows students to explore and learn from their mistakes.

Students are also gaining valuable social skills by examining models of research, problem solving, team building, conflict resolution and communication skills all of which are extremely important for survival in today's society. These skills are essential because students will take these experiences with them after they leave high school.

What Are My Concerns?

I believe in experiential learning and value hands-on experiences as a means of acquiring knowledge. All students should be encouraged to use a variety of learning methods and to acquire knowledge at their own pace. It is important that students are able to apply their educational experiences both in and out of the classroom.

It is important to have patience and be supportive of students. The most crucial thing is to develop a strong teacher-student relationship. I want to be a role model for my students. My students rely on me for guidance and it is crucial that my students learn to communicate and to accept others through my modelling. Students must know that you are there for them, you support them and that you will not let them down. Students in grade nine feel a great deal of peer pressure, both negative and positive from other students. Students are exploring their identities. Unfortunately, students are vulnerable to peer pressure and often have a difficult time coping with day to day problems both at home and at school. Students will encounter a number of challenges in their adolescent years and some will have difficulty adjusting. In the grade nine Food and Nutrition course I have to address many of these issues. Students will continue to have difficulties understanding and dealing with these issues, which ultimately will interfere with school and work and their relationships at home. Most days I wear my 'counselor' hat proudly. Teachers should encourage students to feel capable, to feel respected and to feel positive. They need this constantly reinforced. Students also need the opportunity to express their opinions openly in order to effectively communicate their feelings and deal with any problems they may encounter in the classroom.

In my grade nine Food and Nutrition course, students often work in groups and interact with each other. This can be a very difficult task for some students who are not used to working in a team environment and cannot get along with classmates because of conflicting personalities. This is a valuable skill for many students as they learn to problem solve and work in a team co-operatively. For lab groups, students are not allowed to form their own groups based on friendship. It is important that the groups are mixed according to various learning abilities, gender and race. Students will become more tolerant of others' viewpoints and opinions. I want to create a culture of responsibility in my classroom to develop social and life skills with my essential level students.

Imagining A Way Forward

This year I have four open-level grade nine Food and Nutrition classes. I am teaching two sections this semester. The group that I chosen for my study is my fourth period class. It consists of twenty-three students, fifteen of whom are identified with specific learning disabilities. There are seventeen girls and six boys. Most of these students are essential level students.

I began this class by laying down the ground rules. Immediately, there were a number of students who became defiant, and constantly misbehaved. I was used to the grade 9 open-level classes but this was an extreme case. I realized that I needed to take immediate action with these students. I had to change the dynamics in order to make this class a fun and creative learning environment. Students needed to develop relationships with each other and me immediately or they would never learn the valuable skills taught in this class.

Family Studies courses are more interesting because it relates to things that apply directly to their lives. There are a generation of children who will grow up without learning basic skills such as how to make a nutritious meal or manage household expenses.

Many students appreciate my enthusiastic, outgoing, relaxed attitude and I have learned the importance of listening and trying to understand their point of view. I have learned over the years to be patient but firm and understanding. I believe the students appreciate my support!

Grade 9 students make huge transitions into high school. Some are not prepared for the issues that arise in secondary school. Many students lack self-esteem and confidence. I try to make them feel good about themselves through the many skills they learn in my classroom.

Students enjoy many of the cooking labs and in most cases you will never see grade 9 open level students work harder than when they are in the kitchen cooking. You will also never see my students quieter than when they are sitting in their kitchens eating! Through this process students are gaining many skills they may not have ever been aware of such as communication, teamwork, and life skills.

Gathering Data

In order to show evidence of the skills and values learned in class as well as to legitimize my research I collected the data through survey, interview, journaling and observation. All students were given a survey to complete during class time with the assurance of confidentiality. My research correlated with the results discovered in the survey.

Case Study #1

Susanne was an extremely needy student; she was constantly asking questions, seemed confused about her work and she was quite a complainer. I knew that she needed my attention. Most teachers found her to be annoying and a nuisance. But I liked her. I had decided I would take her under my wing. She needed me and my support. Every morning I would say hello to her and ask her how things were. I started to give Susanne extra attention by delegating some of my classroom responsibilities to her such as, doing my attendance, setting up labs, folding laundry, and cleaning. These tasks made Susanne feel special and gave her a feeling of belonging. She started to become more independent and to work much harder in class. Susanne had a much more positive outlook. She decided she wanted to become a 'cook' and decided I was her favourite teacher. During this time, I decided to phone home and speak to Susanne's father. I wanted to let him know that Susanne was progressing well in my class and she was a real pleasure to teach. When progress reports came out I wrote a message to Susanne thanking her for all her help and letting her know how much I appreciated it. Susanne and I have now developed a strong teacher-student rapport.

Case Study #2

From the first day of class, Jack was not able to stop talking or laughing in class. I repeatedly asked him to stop behaving this way and he would not respond to the usual reprimands. I knew that I would have to work twice as hard in order for him to become compliant. Jack would not take responsibility for his actions and had been sent to the vice-principals' office a number of times because of his constant defiant behaviour. Everyday Jack came to class I knew I had to work with him closely in order to make the classroom situation better. There were other issues troubling him that he had brought into the classroom that he needed to work through and take responsibility for. Jack had a difficult time staying on task. I would sit with him, speak to him as well as work with him in the lab. I would wash dishes with him, eat with his lab group and ask him about his day. By doing this, I started to develop a much stronger relationship with Jack. I noticed that over time Jack had settled down a lot since the beginning of the year. When he came to class I asked him how his day was, always encouraged him to say 'please' and 'thank-you', and complimented his good work. I wanted to let his parents know how well he was progressing in my class. This, I believe, strengthened our rapport and the relationship with his parents. The importance of daily life skills seemed to leave a big impact on many of the students who enter my class. It is here that they are able to learn many things that they most often do not learn at home. As an educator, I hope that the skills learned in my classroom will remain with the students throughout their education and follow them into the remainder of their lives.

My classroom educational assistant Kim Battram wrote,

This was an eclectic, challenging Grade 9 Foods class which included a high number of identified students. As a result, Niki modified her approach to better accommodate student needs and abilities. She provided a supportive, nurturing yet structured learning environment which allowed for positive interactions and an atmosphere geared to learning. Her approach also required her to be flexible as situations presented themselves. The outcome: the students were able to learn to work co-operatively, develop independence as well as tolerance, and increase self-esteem; goals which may otherwise have been unattainable if classroom structure remained rigid and unmodified.

Analyzing Data

While doing my research I had the opportunity to survey and interview a number of the students in my class. Through the method of gathering, and interpreting data I was able to show that life skills and social skills had been gained in the classroom. When asked, why they took this course, many students responded by saying, "Because it would be fun, I wanted to eat, I wanted to cook". I realized from the surveys that students also learned a number of other valuable lessons such as dining etiquette, eating disorders, healthy eating habits, how to fold and wash laundry, facts on Nutrition and working as a team.

Many of the students had taken the recipes done in the classroom and tried them at home, sharing them with family members. Students were also asked to comment on the new skills they acquired in the class. The number one skill learned was "how to cook" and number two was "working as a team". These life skills are extremely valuable, and practical to students. These skills relate directly to their everyday lives.

Many students said they would register in another foods class and commented on the method of learning in the classroom as well as how the teacher cared about each and every one of them succeeding. The majority of students commented on the kindness of the teacher as well as her smile and positive attitude everyday. In addition students learned to cook, health and safety rules, dining etiquette, better eating habits, how to do laundry and take responsibility for their actions.

Student XX wrote, "I think that she is a very nice and kind person and she really taught me a lot." Student XY wrote, "Thank-you for helping me have better cooking skills." Student YY wrote, "Thank-you for the encouragement, you always told us we could do it!"

Personal Reflection

I have always found it rewarding to share my passion for teaching and knowledge. I find it benefits my students. Moreover, I want to provide a positive, creative and enriching environment where students can explore and benefit from education. I have discovered that students respond best to a positive and 'fun' teaching environment where they can explore and benefit from educational experiences. I encourage fair and genuine human relations in the classroom.

Through the changes and modifications I have made in my teaching practice, during this action research project, I have realized that students are extremely responsive to my teaching approach. Through journaling, observation and data collection I was able to see all the positive changes in my classroom and how these changes affected attitude and learning. In addition, action research has allowed me to see the many positive social skills that students gain in a class like Food and Nutrition as well as the value that is given to these skills. I hope that these valuable lessons learned in class will further benefit my students in their future endeavours.