EXPLAINING SOME EDUCATIONAL THEORIES:

Preparing the student based on popular educational theories 

When I started to observe classrooms for my observation project. I notice that a lot of things happen in the classroom and that teachers must do a lot to ensure that the learner is well prepared. The three teachers I observed for this project use a lot of different strategies and activities to teacher the learner that are developmentally appropriate, that encompass physical, cognitive and affective development. Each style of teaching follows a theory associated with learning style. And each style is set up to not only teach the student the syllabus and other lessons, but the different styles of teaching prepares the students in other parts of human development such as brain development, social development to make the student a better person all around.

The first classroom teacher I observed.  One of the theories I observed was Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs which has different stages but with an actual goal and final stage as Self- Actualization.  The classroom teacher was in no doubt aware of all the different needs of his students that are part of Maslow’s Theory. To support the student’s physiological needs, Mr. Peter whom I was observing ensured that students had access to frequent restroom or water breaks. His restroom pass was always available for students to take the break and at times they did not have to ask him they just got up and grabbed the pass. These breaks helped students regain their energy levels to sustain them during the entire class period. Mr. Peter supported the student’s safety needs through his classroom rules. One rule that stood out was the “no bullying” rule. This ensured that students were safe. The teacher also monitored the students very close and made sure that all safety rules in the classroom were being followed. He frequently referred the students to the classroom rules when issues arose in the classroom.  Mr. Peter supported the student’s love and belonging needs by making sure that all the students were treated equal and treated fairly. I could tell that he cared for their wellbeing of his students  when he called on students by names and when he supported them to find the right answer if they got a question wrong. This also supported the student’s esteem needs in the learning environment because the teacher’s feedbacks were positive, affirmative, concrete and transparent and gave the student a chance to know their specific strengths and can articulate when they’ve used them to succeed in the classroom.

A weeks later I went to observe another classroom teacher. This was a Health Science class at Madison High School. The day I came to observe Coach Johnson. The classroom was working on a group project. During group work the students were provided an opportunity for peers to share specific positive feedback. This teaching, the teacher expected students to perform at their best, even if they need support. I saw first hand how Vygotsky’s Theory of Social Development played part in the learning environment by how they were relying on each other for the answers instead of waiting for the teacher to reach their group and answer the questions they need to know. They were working together to find the answers to the solutions and the students were working on getting along.

 Although the students were working on completing their work. The way they did work helped in assuring esteem needs were met especially when the teacher praised the students on how good of a job they were doing. Also, when they were talking among themselves; at times they would give compliments to each other. That that the student worked on a project where they were going around the room to research elements of extreme weather and the effect it has on our wellbeing. They had to work in a group; one person had to read the information. One had to record it. One had to read it. Their social needs were being met through this exercise and indeed Vygotsky’s Theory of Social Development was met.

The students had more than one class period to work on the project. One time when I returned to observe the class for a second time. I saw that students started to strategize more with each as the due date came near. Zone proximal development was evident when the students depended on one another to collect the needed information and input about the project.  As the due date got closer.  Erikson’s Theory of Psychological Development was also evident when different groups began to compete against the other groups about who was getting the project better than the other and who was getting the best information.  This competitiveness in found in stage four of the theory: Industry versus Inferiority. Students were able to feel self-confident in their success and the teacher was able to keep a easy going and positive learning environment which is found in Jensen’s Brain Based learning. The teacher kept the project fair by setting the rubric and the rules and by encouraging the groups that were falling behind to catch up before the deadline.

Because I mainly observed high school classes. The students I was observing were in the formal stage of Piaget’s Theory of cognitive development. The students were thinking in an abstract manner and they reasoned fairly about hypothetical problems that were happening in the classroom. There were many times that students demonstrated theoretical and abstract reasoning while accomplishing their work. I could see this in Ms. McLain’s style of giving instruction. she always challenged the students through her methods of checking for understanding. By doing so she gave the students a chance to demonstrate higher thinking and therefore better transition occurred during transition time because the students were aware of what was happening next.  Each day students were tasked with doing different tasks of the lesson plan. Ms. McLain used various learning style. This is when I saw other elements of Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. I saw the linguistic part of the theory based on the word wall Ms. McLain had up and how she encouraged her students to use it. When the students were working in a group. The teacher played music and allowed the students to move around. Through this I saw the musical, spatial, bodily and intrapersonal needs of the students being accommodated. The teacher showed videos during the lesson. At times she asked students to use the textbook. There were many opportunities for students to discuss the lesson with their peers by allowing the students to do group work.

In conclusion I witnessed these three teachers utilizing all different kind of teaching styles and in so doing applying different educational and psychological theories to the learning environment. As I have mentioned above I witnessed Jensen’s Brain Based learning theory by keeping the learning environment safe and positive. I saw Erikson’s Theory when the teacher encouraged students to use different graph, climate cartons to explain certain points of views all which had real life implications. Gardener’s Theory was express all the time especially when the teachers called on different students at different time to explain and express different aspects of the lesson. Altogether, the three teachers I observed incorporated all the above theories and learning styles into their lessons as a motivational strategy. In the end, each teacher’s goal was to have their students master the lesson and that they were successful in all aspects of development while in class.   

Jeremy Jjemba 

September 2018

four simple structures of a functional democracy needed in Uganda

Structure one; Democracy needs citizens:

Structure one is the most important in all democracies. Democracies needs citizens. Citizens do not need democracies. Citizens are the most important people; they are the costumers paying all the dues of who they elect to lead them. They would want the best for their shillings. Citizens accept that their loyalty is to the processes their share must override the loyalty to their own political side. (Kenya) Kenyans leadership understands the idea of “loyal opposition.”  Kenyans have grown to accept the legitimacy of a government run by their opponents, assured that they will have their turn when the time comes.

Citizens should not use political space to destroy the ability of their opponents to operate in peaceful electoral systems. They must accept the lawfulness of dissension, even enthusiastic protests. They must rule out the use of force at all cost for political gains. A country without common citizens is poised on the edge of break up or civil war.

Structure two: democracy needs guardians;

Guardians hold positions of political appointments, (like Judges) Bureaucratic   (ministries,MPs,RDCs, chairpersons, etc) law and order (internal affairs, police) and military power.  What makes them guardians is that they must always be the one to check and keep in check all the aspects of Checks and Balances, and guard the moral law in accordance with objective rules or in favor of the commonweal. Queen Elizbeth is a great example of this. The motive of the guardians should not be to seek power. Although powerful is the appointments. Power follows wealth and Power and wealth are conjoined. Guardians should vet those seeking power to avoid those who just intend on shooting and looting the political systems. Those that come in power by looting and shooting will always loot and shoot; this is no basis for democratic legitimacy and will never be. It is only similar to vote rigging.

Structure three: democracy needs an economy

Okay,

So in Uganda I have noticed that they is a lot of mere talking about turning the country into middle class. Well, if by middle class we mean the abuse of power of the country to turn public into private wealth, as it has happened in so many corners of our countries; so much of this generation builds its wealth on theft are just as illegitimate as the Lords who allow them. A chairman collects a fee for a letter of reference, large percentage on phony land deals etc, and RDC is even worse! ANYWAYS!

          A proper function market, supported by a long plan back boned well function state provides an easier space to do business.  Kenyans are building a market for their citizenship. They wakeup and work. They are not just talking about becoming middle classing! They working to become middle class, they act middle class! They provide service like they are middle class not some luck bush/village boy who got appointment to a big government job and all the powers of tribalism that maybe be. Stable state supported markets are created when prosperity and power meet. This makes it possible for citizens to regard the outcomes of elections as important, but not as matter of life and death. When prosperity and power meet it lowers the temperature of politics from the burning to the bearable.

All democracies need accepted laws,

Laws shape the rules of every society for the systems of democracy to be effective. The law must be enacted and implemented in accordance with accepted procedures. This makes up the political, social and economic face of a nation. The country the lacks the rule of law is on a verge of chaos, tyranny- the unhappy fate of Uganda’s history. Democracy then is about much more than voting and voting rigging. “it is a complex web of rights, obligations, powers, and constraints” Those that win election should never just do as the wish. They should do what’s best for all of the people of the country for those who voted for and against them. Anything short of that is not democracy and it might just be elected dictatorship!

In Uganda, there will be no easy path to complete democracy

In Uganda, there will be no easy path to complete democracy....and democracy as we have come to know it the 21 century is dead.

The answer to the question of if Uganda will ever become a stable liberal democracy is yes. Will this happen under the currently (NRM) regime. The answer to that question. We do not know! We do know that other countries have overcome “elected dictatorships” and reached a destination of complete democracy. We also know as much, that universal suffrage democracy is a faint plant, in its early years like ours here in Uganda. We have many examples to look at, democracies like that of Egypt, Thailand, Ukraine, Kenya, Tanzania or even Russia to underline that truth, because democracy in crucial respects is an unnatural game.

In history of grown-ups, the governed must be provided with their alienable    rights to hold accountable their democratically elected governments. This is what is happening in Uganda, Liberia, Zimbambwe and South Africa. This is the only suitable form of ligament government because all other forms of government treat its citizens like little children. In the past, during colonial times, and the reason why the colonists had such success in ruling Africa was that they turned people against themselves, and created a space where traditional understandings where seen as illiterate. Such paternalism could have been okay, but it can longer be true.

As Ugandans have become more informed and a government that treats them in a “colonial military” way is eventually seen as less acceptable. I expect (or pray) that this seen among those voted to lead the country.

          They are a few underpinnings of a stable and successful democracy. A democracy that requires a double set of limits; among the people (The ruling parties) and between the people (the opposition) and the country (the three branches of government).  These limits can be summed up in four simple structures, which are all important.

Government offices are not sanctified places and those that hold them should know

Happy New Year…

I must begin the new year by acknowledging the fact, in some respects, I am becoming increasingly fond of the wild opposition movements going on in different African countries, their red colour campaigns, their new phases like the “Togikwatako” in Uganda and their raucous plead for ending life-presidencies and strong rulers like ours. 
In a very straightforward and uncomplicated manner, I feel that these opposition leaders are probably the only truly religious people in our country. Whether consciously or unconsciously, they are protesting blasphemy and among them a Messiah will come ..

This may come to some as a surprise; to those who are close to me, those who know me as a very devout man. As devout as an altar boy.  Uganda has too many fake Prophets , too many wolves in sheep clothing. Mere men wanting to be called prophets. Leaders unquestioned ....self proclaimed.. .only next to God.

Personally I accept literally the concept of the virgin birth, the trinity and the resurrection. To me, these things happened and at a communion service I am literally drinking the blood and eating the body of Jesus Christ. 

I am merely bored with the earnest, emancipated, pedestrian minds who explain to me with such a fervor that these concepts are superstitious hangovers from spring fertility rites, Babylonian mythology, and Greek philosophy, which spoke truths that have not been so well stated in over 2,000 years and more so in these last few decades

          
All of this is totally irrelevant somehow to human life.

The basic point of my unquestioning faith begins and ends at the communion rail. THEREORE, on all other matters of society, I reserve the right of skeptical judgement. And I believe that the only real blasphemy…the deadliest of sins…is the deification of mortals and sanctification of human institutions.

All of us human being especially those trusted with public discourse are guilty of this and retribution is certain.

How many of us have stood by without protest through meetings where glorified nonentities expound profound platitudes in the awkward, ungainly language of modern liturgy the “ creative” nonthought and the innovative no proposal?

These obscenities have become the condition of life in the modern Africa/Uganda… in business, in labor, in liberal and conservative organizations, in publishing, in education, and even in our religious groupings.

But when these obscenities reach our governments where decision made are life and death for hundreds of millions of people, they reach the ULTIMATE of intolerable. Under such circumstances the Four Horseman ride not as a dreaded force but as a welcome relief.

Today, looking around with what’s going on politically in Uganda/ Africa. Some of us especially those in areas of influence should stand their ground and scream some four letter words to a few men that are trying to bring the rest of our countries/continent down to hell with them. 

Really, nothing else today is more adequate as a protest to the large constitutional injustices of the reversing of the rule of law and of abusing the powers granted to one by a constitution.

We are restrained not out of fear but out of our carefully cultivated reverence for institutions which were holy only in the sense that all men and women are children of GOD, which is for sure quite a different thing from deification.

Today’s leaders in government, of course are tragically wrong because they would destroy not only obscenity but the tradition of civility, which is probably the closest to excellence of any product of human civilization. But their rage and invective are wholly understandable. It fits far too much in the world which they live in verses the world we live in.

I am a trained professional teacher, and I do not like four letter words and normally have reserved them for moments of great stress when they are essential to preserve sanity. But they describe the current situation of entitled leaders in Africa/Uganda. From the president to the lowest of elected members of government.

Things that are truly holy cannot be splattered no matter what is thrown at them. And that which can be befouled deserves its fate.

Somehow, in order for there to be perfect harmony in Uganda/Africa. Things have to be made human again. Somehow, we must learn to govern ourselves from an office that is secular and not from a court that is sanctified. Government offices are not sanctified places and those that hold them should know. There is no holiness to the position and power vested in them. We must govern all government business from a secular place. Not from a court that is sanctified. If our destruction comes, it will be because we placed our faith, our unquestioning faith in institutions that are only brick and wood and in men or women who are flesh only and blood and this seems to be the condition of the first half of this century here in Uganda.