The document discusses four fictional stories of learners - Jackie, Mphilonhle, Divia, and James - who face challenges related to their identities. In each case, a lack of understanding from teachers leads to declining self-esteem and poor outcomes. The document then discusses how more thoughtful teachers could have helped each learner by understanding their backgrounds and identities better, finding ways to engage them, and addressing cultural misunderstandings in the classroom. Good teachers are said to understand learners, encourage diversity of thought, and help all children reach their potential.

1. Teaching to improve
How issues of identity affect learners self-esteem
and how we as teachers can help learners

2. Teaching to improve
If students are demonstrating self-defeating
behaviors, such as quitting, or not trying, or acting like
the class clown or class bully, we must recognize
these are ineffective coping strategies that often
mask feelings of vulnerability, low self-esteem, and
hopelessness. Rather than impose punitive
consequences, we must ask how to minimize the
despair these youngsters experience each and every
day. - Robert Brooks

3. Introduction
●
●
●
I will begin by using four fictional stories about
learners to highlight different identities in
learners.
Following that I will explain how I as a teacher
could help each of those learners reach their
true potential.
Then I will rewrite each of the fictional stories to
show how the story could be changed.

4. Case 1: Jackie
●
●
●
Jackie is a shy, quiet learner who hates
sports. She is often made to feel
worthless at home. Her father wanted
only boys and Jackie has four brothers.
Jackie is at a sports school. Her
teachers have no interest in teaching
girls and wish that they could just leave
girls in the kitchen where the teachers
think they belong.
Jackie finally ends up pregnant at age
16, a high school dropout with no
prospects for her future. She marries
the child's father and spends her days
doing menial chores and looking after
her husband.
Photo by taylorsevens on Flickr

5. Case 2: Mphilonhle
●
●
●
Mphilonhle is a boisterous, noisy
child. He likes nothing better than to
play pranks on his classmates and
teachers. He often disrupts lessons.
Mphilonhle's teachers have
concluded that he is a typical boy
and have ceased to discipline him
anymore. They allow him to run riot
in class.
Mphilonhle drops out of school at age
14 to join a gang and run with the big
boys. He is arrested multiple times
and eventually killed in a shootout.
Photo by stevendepolo on Flickr

6. Case 3: Divia
●
●
●
Divia comes from a very traditional
Hindu family. Her parents have
arranged for her to marry a prominent
businessman's son when she turns 18.
Divia attends a very strict Catholic
school since her parents believe that is
the only school that will provide the
right discipline for her. None of her
classmates understand her.
Divia's teachers ignore her and her
classmates tease her. Divia commits
suicide at age 16 from the constant
teasing and peer pressure.
Photo by patrick_doheny on Flickr

7. Case 4: James
●
●
●
James' father is a foreign diplomat
who is currently assigned to Iraq.
James' father wants his son to
understand other cultures so he does
not send James to the international
school.
James struggles to understand his
classmates culture. His teachers often
do not use English in class.
James meets a beautiful woman in
the market place and tries to save her.
He drops out of school to join the
Photo by USAG-Humphreys on Flickr
rebellion fighting for freedom. He is
killed in the fighting.

8. What can we learn
●
●
●
Four different stories. Four different tragedies.
And four chances for teachers to have helped
rewrite the ending.
In each case misunderstanding of a person's
identity led to a decline in self-esteem and self
worth which eventually led to four sad
outcomes.
So what could I as a teacher have done in each
case to help the stories turn out differently?

9. Questions every teacher should ask
●
Who are my learners?
●
What backgrounds do they come from?
●
●
●
●
Are there any that come from a very different
background?
Do I have gender biases or racial or cultural
biases that affect my teaching?
Who do I actually teach in the classroom? Who
do I ignore?
What language do I use? How do I explain
things?

10. Who are the learners?
●
●
Knowing who the learners are that you are
teaching starts the journey to knowing what
cultures and social norms apply in the
classroom.
Knowing where the learners come from, how
they got to to this school and why they are here
helps a teacher to approach each learner in the
best way for that learner.

11. Who am I as a teacher?
●
●
Knowing your biases and cultural background
as a teacher helps you be more aware of which
groups of learners you might ignore.
This then leads into who you actually teach in
the class. Jackie's teachers taught only the kids
who showed an interest in sports, Divia's
teachers taught only the good Catholic kids,
Mphilonhle's teachers decided boys were
unable to be disciplined and James' teachers
ignored his culture entirely.

12. Language and communication
●
●
Knowing the language of the class and the
language you use makes a big difference. In
South Africa we have many languages but often
teach in English. This affects learners in many
different ways.
We as teachers need to ask if we often use
language that only some will understand. We
need to be constantly finding different ways to
phrase things so that every learner has a
chance to understand.

13. Facing the big issues
●
●
●
As teachers we have a role to play in helping
learners to understand the world they live in.
In South Africa racial issues are huge. Many
learners question this. I myself have a tendency
towards being racist which I constantly strive to
overcome. As teachers in the classroom how
we treat every learner makes a huge difference.
In South Africa we as teachers need to
acknowledge the events of the past but teach
learners to move on beyond them.

14. Facing the big issues
●
●
Teachers need to question their own beliefs and
decide what they will not tolerate in their
classrooms. They also need to ask their
learners what really bugs them about their
classmates. Then as a class a code of conduct
can be agreed upon.
Following on from that, anyone (even the
teacher) who steps over the line can be called
out on the issue by anyone.

15. Rewriting the story: Jackie
●
●
●
Jackie is a shy, quiet learner who hates sports. She
is often made to feel worthless at home. Her father
wanted only boys and Jackie has four brothers.
Jackie is at a sports school. She mostly feels left out
and wishes she was a boy. Until one day, one of her
teachers discovers that she is really good at running
and loves running. Jackie can run like the wind.
This teacher befriends Jackie and encourages her
to join the athletics team. Jackie finally finds
acceptance and encouragement from her
teammates. She goes on to compete in the
Olympics for her country.

16. Rewriting the story: Mphilonhle
●
●
●
Mphilonhle is a boisterous, noisy child. He likes
nothing better than to play pranks on his
classmates and teachers. He often disrupts
lessons.
Mphilonhle is mostly undisciplined at school.
Until one day the science teacher finds a way to
channel Mphilonhle's energy into science and
inventing things.
Mphilonhle goes on to become a great inventor
and studies science. He makes many devices
that help make people's lives easier.

17. Rewriting the story: Divia
●
●
●
Divia comes from a very traditional Hindu family.
Her parents have arranged for her to marry a
prominent businessman's son when she turns 18.
Divia attends a very strict Catholic school since
her parents believe that is the only school that will
provide the right discipline for her. One day a
brave teacher decides to teach the children about
different religions.
After much debate Divia's classmates realise that
she is not much different from them after all. Divia
goes on to become a great leader teaching others
about acceptance of all.

18. Rewriting the story: James
●
●
●
James' father is a foreign diplomat who is currently
assigned to Iraq. James' father wants his son to
understand other cultures so he does not send
James to the international school.
James struggles to understand his classmates
culture. His teachers often do not use English in
class. Until one day his Arabic teacher realises
that James' has never learnt Arabic.
James begins to learn Arabic and from there to
excel in class. His Arabic teacher teaches him the
customs of the land. James goes on to become a
world leader and helps bring peace to many lands.

19. How did these four teachers do it?
●
●
Jackie's teacher found something Jackie was
passionate about and encouraged her to go for
it. Jackie's teacher never told her she could not
become a great runner for any reason but
supported her.
Mphilonhle's teacher found what sparked his
interest. This teacher found what would unlock
Mphilonhle's world and open doors. Then the
teacher found ways to make that happen.

20. How did these four teachers do it?
●
●
Divia's teacher realised that her culture was far
different from the others and found a way to
address that in a non-threatening way. This
teacher found a way to help the kids
understand Divia.
James' teacher realised that James was
struggling with the language and with culture
shock. James' teacher found ways to help
James catch up with his classmates and to
understand them.

21. How did these four teachers do it?
●
●
Jackie's teacher found something Jackie was
passionate about and encouraged her to go for
it. Jackie's teacher never told her she could not
become a great runner for any reason but
supported her.
Mphilonhle's teacher found what sparked his
interest. This teacher found what would unlock
Mphilonhle's world and open doors. Then the
teacher found ways to make that happen.

22. How did these four teachers do it?
●
●
Jackie's teacher found something Jackie was
passionate about and encouraged her to go for
it. Jackie's teacher never told her she could not
become a great runner for any reason but
supported her.
Mphilonhle's teacher found what sparked his
interest. This teacher found what would unlock
Mphilonhle's world and open doors. Then the
teacher found ways to make that happen.

23. Summary
●
Good teachers:
●
create a positive atmosphere for learning
●
understand their own weaknesses
●
understand their learners
●
let their learners take charge
●
guide their learners on a journey to becoming adults
●
find ways to cross cultural and gender divides within
the classroom
●
see mistakes as learning opportunities
●
encourage learners to work together

24. Refereneces
●
●
●
●
●
●
Jackie: photo from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/taylorsevens/2112305990/sizes/m/in/photo
stream/
Mphilonhle: photo from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevendepolo/3275214127/sizes/m/in/phot
ostream/
Divia: photo from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14132971@N05/2432071644/sizes/m/in/p
hotostream/
James: photo from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/usaghumphreys/4593241679/sizes/m/in/ph
otostream/
http://www.phoenix.edu/forward/perspectives/2013/06/5-ways-teacherscan-build-self-esteem-in-kids.html accessed on 25 Nov
http://www.greatschools.org/special-education/health/773-teachersfoster-self-esteem-in-children.gs accessed on 25 Nov