{"id":3131,"date":"2017-05-25T10:26:34","date_gmt":"2017-05-25T08:26:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.connect2us.eu\/verhalen\/the-teacher-is-unclear\/"},"modified":"2024-09-11T14:02:19","modified_gmt":"2024-09-11T12:02:19","slug":"the-teacher-is-unclear","status":"publish","type":"portfolio","link":"https:\/\/connect2us.eu\/en\/stories\/the-teacher-is-unclear\/","title":{"rendered":"The teacher is unclear"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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12-year-old Valeria attends a Dutch school for the first time.\nShe is the only migrant in the class.\nThe first month she received special attention from the teacher.\nNow the teacher asks if she will work with a small group of classmates to make a paper and presentation. <\/span> Everyone is talking interchangeably and the teacher is not even paying attention!\nThe teacher is unclear! <\/p>\n\n

Another view<\/h3>\n\n

Valeria was excited about the assignment at first.\n“Fun!”, she thought, “What kind of animal does the teacher want us to make something pretty out of?”\nBut she didn’t say that at all!\nThe children in her group shouted interchangeably, “My dog!” says one, “No, my cat!” and another girl wants to do it over her beautiful pony.\nValeria wants to ask the teacher, but she is busy with something else.\nShe doesn’t dare stand up.\n“Why doesn’t she just tell us what to do?”, thinks Valeria.\n“Those kids think they know but they all say something different.\nI feel alone and I miss Luna, my sweet cat who is still in Venezuela. <\/span> Why is the teacher so unclear?”<\/p>\n\n

The teacher has every confidence in the children.\nThey will work it out together.\nShe is also proud of Valeria. <\/span>“Those is already starting to come along well.\nNice girl!” she thinks. “I’ve asked the class to do a piece of work and all the kids bring up an idea.\nVery nice to see.\nSo I let them do their thing.\nBut Valeria says nothing and seems absent-minded.\nMaybe in Venezuela they don’t have pets. <\/span>” She decides to leave it as it is, if Valeria has any questions she will hear.<\/p>\n\n

What’s going on?<\/h3>\n\n

Valeria comes from a society that is more authoritarian than the Dutch one.\nAs a result, people need much more clarity from the teacher, about the assignment and how to get a good grade.\nFor Valeria is the teacher in charge who knows everything.\nShe is used to getting explanations and hearing exactly what to do. <\/span>But now she finds the teacher unclear.\nAnd with that, the teacher loses her respect. <\/p>\n\n

In the Netherlands, teachers prefer that students take initiative, come to a solution together and contribute to a group task.\nWorking together is often more important than the grade, and if there are questions, the teacher is available.\nIt seems like the teacher is doing something else, but she is there to answer questions. <\/span><\/p>\n\n

Where is the connection?<\/h3>\n\n

Valeria can still join the group and rely on the teacher to step in when needed. <\/span><\/p>\n\n

At the same time, the teacher can take into account that the style of teaching she<\/span> is used to in Holland, does not always meet the learning needs of students from another culture.\nExtra attention and clearer instructions will help Valeria learn to trust the teacher and eventually accept that the learning style in Holland is based on more group work and own initiative. <\/span>It is important for her to watch the child’s body language.\nThe latter may not raise a hand, but gives other signs such as looking at her briefly or shrugging her shoulders. <\/p>\n\n

Valeria can then try to join the group and practice speaking her own mind. <\/span>Also by raising her hand. <\/p>\n\n

Explanation<\/h3>\n\n

In Holland, hierarchy is not important.\nValeria comes from a hierarchical society.\nIn her culture, a leader is expected to take care of his people in exchange for loyalty <\/span>, or obedience.<\/p>\n\n

In the Dutch school, Valeria sees an egalitarian culture where the teacher facilitates more than directs.\nStudents are expected to take initiative and engage in discussion with each other and with the teacher.\nEvery child is encouraged to have and express an opinion. <\/span><\/p>\n\n

Awareness of and mutual respect for these differences help Valeria and the teacher move toward each other and so that learning needs and learning styles are increasingly aligned.<\/p>\n\n

In short<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

For the teacher: <\/p>\n\n