Exams

When advising a student on studying for exams, I would make sure they understood the rules, first, their options, and what the consequences are for the results. I would suggest that they relax when they study, to keep things ion perspectivwe, to keep in mind why they are doing those exams.

In this state of mind I think they’ed stand a better chance at exams.When they can enjoy and learn creatively, wondering and imagining and finding patterns, these are all helpfull learning tools to make it meaningfull to the person, and not like a task ore chore that has to be completed. If the exam is dreaded above the process of learning then, they may put it off, or cram at the last minute.

I would say have fun, and keep the consequences at the back of your mind.

Maori issues/treaty of waitangi

As a pakeha, living down in the South, it seems natural that I should call the treaty of waitangi a “Maori Issue” If you look at the map provided, there is only one tribal group south of Kaikoura, that being Ngai Tahu. Actually it’s very rarely that I see or come incontact with Maori out of the office, and when I’m there we present ourselves as New Zealanders. Although their is no questyion that a New Zealand Pakeha, or New Zealand Maori, proud of the title and heritage that comes with that would assert for themselves a unique cultural identity, quite apart from any other.

This then is where I think the treaty and the working together of differeing cultural backgrounds and assunmptions in our everyday life is important. Because the differences of culture can be quite defined, especially in the context of the environment, such as a classroom, a public building, a Marae, a kitchen, allthese environments are treated differently, and when “ownership” is the question, or authority, who shall take priority? And if conflict is neccessary, it may be more because of casual ignorance where protocol or informality are concerned.

What seems neccesary, in my mind, when working with Maori and the differences which arise in understanding, is the aknowledgement of a continual contract, a knowledge of the place and of just what you’re sharing and why. Why I think has the answer to the unification of our common goals,  why does this contract exist, and if we’re to see the current situation clearly, what can be gained from this bi cultural fact with which we are faced. And some would say, where does the cultural barrier end. At 2, or three, or an indevisble number. But that said, roots are the the stem from which a culture grows, and these must be remembered and nurtured, in order to bear fruit in the future. This is what makes New Zealand New Zealand, and Aotearoa, Aotearoa.

Understanding Cultural Differences/Activities

Both my parents were australian, so that may have some significance over here. We always celebrate christmas and mother and fathers day, and we have personal family traditions which I think are our own and relate not to a national culture so much as a family one. But because they’re immingrants perhaps we have lost those defining australian traditions, certainly I’m not aware of them. We never really had many BBqs but in New Zealand that’s quite different from the recognised culture too.

As for tutoring peoples from differeing cultural backgrounds, things that you might do caussually and in an offhand way might be the most shoking to someone who has different attitudes, to see their values in such a different light, in such a way. Things that may have to be pointedt out, or noticed by the tutor, or the reactions of the tutee as they take note of an offence or “faux pas”.

Possible benifits would be the lightening of a new context or concept that had not, form one view or another been thought of before, or even copnsidered as a possibility. What you thought was quite serious, and important to the way you lived your life, might be taken as light hearted and as lightly by the person sitting opposite you.

To encourage an inviting environment, I might ask the student to tell me of an example of the subject we were discussing in their own terms, about their own country. How or Where, and in what way did this effect you , and do they still in this way? What will you do with this perspective – would it be accepted at home, or in your own country, will you share it with your friends, would your friends find it new or intersting? Also, I might have them bring along some music, if tere was the option, and I could bring along some of my own, or a snack to have between times, of that culture that they were wanting to discover for themselves or share with others. And I could do the same. These are all ways of breaking dsown barriers, and becoming more attuned to each others ways of thinking about the woyrld around them.

One cultural interaction I experienced involved having dinner with some afghanis. We all sat around on a tarpaulin and ate with our hands. There wereknives and forks but I thought I do what they were doing and wrap the curry we were eating up in the bread they’d ordered. We had serviettes though, and somehow I got confused and had a mouthfull of serviette in my curry. So evryone started handing me knives and forks. It was very humourous. In that situation being open and friendly and easy going with a bit of cautious reserve was a good rule.

communication Test

The communication test results I thought were quite accurate as far as a percentage out of a hundfred could be and the number of options you’re aloud to pick. On a good day the time spent on one of these quizzes might reveal different results, and as a lot of the question seemed to be mood based, and which is often reflected in tihe the person you’re talking to , it was quite a subjective and inaccuarate test.

Some of the questions were about what most people would do to get along and establish a rapport with their peer. Pretending to listen when not really or thibnking about something else is something everyone trys to do at times. Did this answer count for or against the final result if your responded with a positive?

Alot of the questions seemed to assume a lectureres role for the tutor, a position which in my opinion relfects badly on the role of a teacher to help their peer think for themslevs.

Think question about interrupting was difficult to answer because it is something which is all based on the situatuion at hnad. Is appropriate to interrupt if somone has stopped talking? Or should their be no attempt to break the flow of a speaker?

When I tell people what I think feel and believe, I think it’s important for them to know that’s what I believe, that to have people know how I feel inside about the things going on a around me is how people teach and learn.

Sometimes the best thing is not to be overly apologetic because it can burden others with feelings guilt.

Often becoming ooffensive when critiscized is not constructive in a possitive way for the other person. Becoming offensive can be very effective in asserting and defending your position

When angry it is probably good for the tutor to let the peer know that they havedone something to encourage this response. It is often a useful teaching aid to attach an certain amouint of character to the topic at hand.

What conclusions and assumptions a come to can be talked about with openly topics that have led to these assertions

Peers telling you to raise your voice or quieten it may be experiencing difficulty understanding you.

To establish a rapport it is probaly first best to watch and listen and look intersted in your tutee. Then when it becomes time to speak, because of time limitations and your role as a tutor it would be best to not speak too much where it wasn’t needed or appropriate. But instead be firm and decision will be made with as little fuss and trouble as possible. Try not to be involed too personally with your peer or attached to their opinions of you yourself. When appropriate make a humorous remark of course material content.

It is important to understand the motives of your students enrollment in the course. You must notice and understand the reasons for your tutees choice. They may not know when you ask them or may not be too willing to tell you what they know. It is possible that you and your peer may set off on the wrong foot down different tracks if your intentions or the other are different. Then misunderstanding when finally reached could be greater and more dramatic at the end.

Socrartic questioning is the ability to question a student and draw out there response so they discover things for themselves by their own methods and conclusions. Some techniques invlove knowing the answer to a question you’ve asked and incouraging a student to find their own. Another is to ask a question that directs the speakers attention to the reasons or bakground behind their assumption or supposition.

Another is to dig deeper and reach the possible conclusions, outcomes and logical assumptions that could come out of a statement from the start.

Or to become more accurate and specificly target what the facts are which an argument is supposed to be in sctrucured form.

My most often used question and method of probing would be

How can you verify or disprove that assumption?

But first I would ask the student if they could disprove it and then try and and find as many different ways ways of disproving to challenge and making the student work. This way we would see together thwe assumptyion and other possible conclusions in as many lights as posssible.

Felder Silverman

Like Mark I found the felder-silverman test to not have the options that I wanted often or to have answers that were two sides of the same coin. By the end it seemed arbitrary which one you picked because they were so general and didn’t apply to real specific life situations.
It seems to be more about your analysis of yourself as a person rather than how you would deal with a given situation. Such questions are probably more likely to lead to answers which are indicative of how you would like to be seen rather than how you are.

VARK

Kinesthetic:
Kinesthetic learners, learn best through action. Movement, involvong the actual performance of the task , and interaction in a real life situation. Kinesthetic learners are often energetic, physical people, and can have good co-ordination and dexterity. A kinesthetic learner may have trouble with listening, or planning things out, but often have an innate understanding of their physical environment.
Some examples of teaching methods for a kinesthetic learner might be field tripping; lab experiments/demonstrations, games, collecting or handling specimens, creative projects, exhibitions etc
Probably I’d make sure the written theory information was simple and broken down into bullet points or easily understandable chunks, maybe on laminated work sheets, that could handle wear and tear out in the field or on a trip. These could be refferred to without getting in the way of the activity/exercise

Learner Needs Analysis

Hi, after reading this I thought most students and tutors would have covered the bases if they could agree on the final terms. The first question  was a little subjective I thought, good for the students self appraisl, but not very informative for the tutor. But if they were specific about what they wanted to know, then it might not matter.

I think haveing the agreed outcomes is important as then you can see the progress they’re making, and gives the student a goal which fits what they think they can achieve, and a sense of achievement at the end.