Tejendra Pherali

Tejendra Pherali

Associate Professor in Education and International Development
CEID, University College London
Twitter: @pherali
https://twitter.com/pherali

Location London

Activity

  • @TL The plot was not given to the students but was developed collectively by them. So, it was a participatory activity and the facilitator was a member of the learning group rather than someone who would dominate the direction of the plot. As researchers, we did not know whether it was based on one 'real event' but it was not difficult to guess that...

  • @SandarLin Glad that you found this useful. We would like to hear your own experience of teaching too.

  • @TL You note a very important point here. There is a growing body of literature on conflict-sensitive education which acknowledges that teaching and learning should mitigate grievances, rupture stereotypes and create a friendly and liberating experience for all learners. Hence, the role of a teacher is important particularly in being respectful to the...

  • @MarlarKyaw Thanks for this post. I would be interested to hear more about your teaching. Could you share an example of how you engage in teaching that potentially enables change beyond the classroom.

  • @myupanlathpaumi Thanks for sharing this very important point. It is vital that children learn in their mother tongue when they are young. In ethnically diverse societies, the most powerful groups tend to monopolise language of instruction, curricular contents and teaching workforce. This is also a major challenge in Myanmar where, as you are aware, many...

  • @LindaB While working in low income contexts, I often hear from teachers that they do not have adequate teaching and learning materials which prevents them from being able to deliver quality teaching. This is indeed a problem and more educational resources must be found for schools in poor or rural areas. However, I think, teachers can do a lot to mitigate the...

  • @GeraldineBhoyroo I really like when you say - "As an educator, I would look at the objects around me and try to use them to create tactile/tangible learning aids." We all want to be an educator like you!

  • @maihtay It is very sad indeed. Are teachers doing anything to navigate these difficulties? Doing nothing is not really the solution. What do you think teachers, parents and people who understand the situation like yourselves can do to mitigate these challenges?

  • @TL Thank you for sharing this resource. During the time of COVID-19, many countries have used radio and TV to deliver lessons. I think the use of these digital and remote means of delivering lessons will continue to expand in future. We should provide teachers opportunities for professional development to be able to utilise new tools and media of education....

  • @ElizabethWatt I can understand that access to technologies is a real problem in low resource contexts. But I have observed in the context of Lebanon where some rural areas and refugee camps are not dissimilar to Shan state and access to the internet and digital materials is gradually improving. I feel that lack of technology is not a permanent problem. I...

  • @MayBarani I completely agree with you. Teaching outdoors can be fun for both teachers and students but the teacher needs to plan their lesson properly and engage students in the natural environment.

  • @ShannonMonaghan @JAMILALAWALMUNIR Thank you for sharing your practice!

  • @EiMon Exactly. You have picked up a very important message the video is trying to convey.

  • @KasT You raise a very important point about quality of a good teacher. If the teacher is passionate about their subject and they really want to make a difference in their students' learning, they are likely to be creative about their teaching style and find resources that may be locally available. I have seen teachers in rural areas using materials in their...

  • @htetyeemoe You point out a common issue of lack of learning resources in low income contexts. Teachers often have to work with limited resources when they teach students in crowded classrooms and parents are not able to afford to pay for textbooks and other materials. Nevertheless, some teachers try to overcome these challenges by utilising materials that...

  • @NeonHmuu It is interesting to hear that you have enjoyed online courses. What kinds of courses have you participated in? I would be interested to know more about the types of skills you were able to develop?

  • Completely agreed.

  • @NithaBorSiangpum I really liked when you said, 'I like a learning environment where my own opinions and experiences are being taken seriously, as if I have contribute something to the learning experience.' I think it is so important in challenging environments. A good teacher always values their students' opinions and provides them a positive environment to...

  • @NiSan Thank you for sharing your experiences. Well resourced classrooms are certainly more effective in the delivery of education. I also think there some unique cultural educational practices in every society through which younger generation learns about their traditions, social issues and history. A lot of learning happens outside the classroom. What do you...

  • @KMon You are absolutely right. Study tours are incredibly effective ways of learning about life and can have profound effects in learners' mind. However, in conflict-affected contexts, study tours might not be possible due to security reasons. Children in refugee camps or IDP camps do not always have the freedom to interact with wider communities....

  • Thank you for sharing this experience. I grew up in rural mountains of Nepal and like you @AyeAyeNyein I also wanted to learn English and speak English like native English speakers. There were however very limited learning materials available in the school and teachers were not adequately trained to teach English properly. My best teacher was actually Nepali...

  • Welcome, Ah Sai! Good to see you here. We would be very interested to hear about your work with Thinking Classroom Foundation and the educational activities you are organising to support children from ethnic areas in Myanmar.

  • Thank you for joining the course. Great to hear from you. We would be keen to hear how you are supporting education in rural areas.

  • Welcome to the course Augustine! Are the schools open in Chin State? How is COVID-19 affecting teaching and learning? We are keen to hear about your experiences too!

  • Welcome, Eimon. We would like to hear how you work with teachers in Myanmar. It must have been challenging lately due to COVID-19 and the military coup which seem the have disrupted teaching and learning.

  • Hi Lin! Welcome to the course. We are looking forward to hearing more from you.

  • Hi Tom! Great to see you here and earlier at the webinar. We would be very keen to hear about your experiences.

  • Hi Aung Myint! Graphic design! We need people like you who can use their skills to design effective digital learning tools. Hope this course will inspire you use your skills to support education of children in difficult conditions.

  • @MohMohMZ Welcome to the course. We would be very keen to hear your experiences.

  • Nice to hear this, Zay. I really hope that you find this course interesting. The conditions in the place where you live must be tough. Take care.

  • Great to hear this. You will find many digital learning tools on this course which can be adapted in emergency situations. I hope other colleagues in E4NG have also signed up for this course.

  • Hello Nina! Welcome to the course. Are you based in UNESCO Paris? How would you like to use this course in your future? Are you hoping to work in challenging educational context?

  • Hi Lu Seng! Welcome to the course. I wonder if schools are open in Kachin state now? Hope to learn from your experiences too.

  • Hi Zet! My knowledge about education ethnic areas in Myanmar is limited. I am sure there are issues about language of instruction and curriculum. Do ethnic schools have adequately trained teachers? I am very interested to learn how children are coping with disruptions in education because of COVID-19 and the military coup.

  • Hi Thu Thu! I can imagine people's life conductions must be hard in IDP camps. Even though educational research in refugee contexts is expanding, there is very little research about educational challenges in IDP camps globally. We would be ver interested to learn about how education is being delivered and what the challenges are in the context you are working on.

  • Hi May Oo! How are you trying to teach students in your community? Do you use online methods? Do students have access to the internet?

  • Phyo Thiri, welcome to this course. Are schools open in your community? How is the situation of COVID-19? I wonder if teachers are still trying to help children learn using remote learning methods. I can imagine internet connectivity must be an issue.

  • Hi Maria! You seem to be doing amazing work. I can understand it must be difficult to tailor your teaching according to the needs of children whose lives are full of difficulties. Hope you will be able to share your experiences during discussions throughout this week.

  • Hi Han Ko! Nice to see you here. What course are you studying in university now? Hope you find this course interesting and useful. We would be keen to hear about your educational experiences in Myanmar.

  • Welcome to Week 1, everyone. I am an academic based in University College London, working in the field of education, conflict and peace. I have worked on research projects focusing on education in various conflict-affected contexts including Nepal, Jordan, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Thailand and Somaliland. I teach post-graduate programmes and lead the research...

  • @KateBarlow That's a very important point, Kate. I watched this video few days ago which reminded my own school days. Corporal punishment is still common in schools in many parts of the world and during the times I went to school, almost every teacher used to carry a stick in their hand when they delivered their lesson. Warning: You may find it distressing...

  • This is a very important point, Reyland. This means that teachers have a broader responsibility than what they do within classrooms. Education is not just about delivering a prescribed curriculum, rather it is about being responsive to children's overall life which is shaped by societal conditions. When children enter the classroom, they already have social...

  • Stephanie, you have touched upon an important issue of social media as a domain where bullying is likely to take place nowadays. I wonder whether schools in the UK are doing enough to prepare learners about how to identify bullying in digital spaces, how to develop positive manners and be safe. Do you work in an educational environment? I would be keen to hear...

  • Thank you, Juliette for sharing your personal experience. I think it is really important that the teacher recognise there are children who follow different faiths or no faith, which reflect the diversity in society. Yes, there would be several common points of reference relating to humanity that the teacher can emphasise on and celebrate in the class but it is...

  • @AshokSarkar Interesting. Why are Rohingya parents not keen to send their children to learning centers? Does it have to be one or the other? I understand that parents value religious education over the other type of education but what could the agencies/ NGOs do to make learning centers more accommodative to educational needs of these children. I have often...

  • @AzizaMd.Aziz You rightly point out that the learning environment in contexts of mass displacement could be stressful as both teachers and learners continuously experience challenges due to their difficult living conditions and the trauma related to their past experiences. Why do you think the 'principles of empathy, innovations and inclusion' are not easy to...

  • @NikkivanDijk I am just thinking about sociocultural locations of learning. Ballard and Clancy (1985) in their book on 'Study Abroad: A Manuel for Asian Students' point out that in most Asian countries (also in other parts of the world) the learning approach is 'reproductive' and students tend to learn by reproducing the knowledge that is provided by the...

  • @MiniRavi The point you make about access to 'necessary infrastructure' for digital technology is crucial here. Technology could serve as a learning platform as well as a means to engage in learning activity. I completely agree that the issue of equitable access to digital learning environment is very important. Some children may have access to digital devices...

  • I would completely agree with the idea that 'effective pedagogy' cannot be replaced digital technology. However, in contexts where access to learning materials is difficult and textbooks are not readily available, teachers can use digital resources to design their lessons and engage learners in group activities. Mitchell, I would be interested to know the...

  • Aziza, this is very interesting. In many low income and rural contexts, teachers often report that there is no access to digital equipment such as computers or tablets and the internet, preventing the use of technology in learning. What you share here is particular notable as the LMS appears to be accessible to learners in rural areas. Also, the tools seem to...

  • Thanks for sharing, Janaina.

  • @RafahAlSabbagh could you share the link for the platform and say a bit more on what aspects of the resources you have found useful?

  • Many thanks, everyone for sharing your ideas. The most important point here is how teachers adapt to different situations in order to facilitate learning. Transformative teachers are able to see the child in the social context and respond to their needs. In stead of simply delivering the lesson they are expected to teach based on the prescribed curriculum,...

  • @MustafaKhattab You might certainly want to use the 'parrot' as a learning object. This could be used in any subject not just in science. For example, a social studies teacher would use the parrot posing a question about - why people keep pets? How do birds live in groups? How are different species on the planet related to human lives? The key point is that...

  • @MustafaKhattab Good point. Teachers are certainly not alone. But they are key actors in facilitating good quality education. They can promote a positive learning environment even within various constraints they face at school and in the communities they live in. An effective learning experience can be achieved through collaborations between parents, children,...

  • @JulieGreen Collaboration with fellow teachers, school leadership and parents is key to enable change. Sometimes, cultural values are also strengths as they provide a sense of belonging and mutual support to trial new approaches. Certainly, as you note 'dedication and patience' are important qualities of teachers who are motivated to promote positive change to...

  • Thank you, @SandyKinninmonth for sharing your experiences and the resources.

  • @AmelSayegh Very interesting description of the societal challenges. I particularly like your idea about organising a workshop with parents to create a space for dialogue. Of course, there are cultural barriers, economic hardships and other types of constraints. But what is important is what teachers and schools are doing to mitigate these challenges. I like...

  • @HaythamKaawash Can you describe your experience relating to case 6? I am sure other participants would have ideas about how you tried to deal with the situation.

  • @HaythamKaawash A great idea about case 3. Teachers can adapt situations of disagreements to teach children conflict resolutions skills.

  • @AmelSayegh Interesting ideas here. I particularly like your approach to the case 3. The question still remains in terms how you would resolve the disagreement between the two children. I would be interested to know what transformative approach you would take in this scenario?

  • @widadkayed excellent point Wide '...being transformative means you are caring to children, showing interest, adapting curriculum, customizing the approaches, considering the children's challenging circumstances and responding accordingly !'

  • @MustafaKhattab In the first case, you probably mean that this what a hegemonic teacher would do, right? What would you do, Mustafa if one of your students did the same?

  • @WassimOmarSidani Excellent response. Really liked your ideas.

  • @JulieGreen 'to be truly transformative the impetus should come from the learners and not the teachers' - an interesting point. In my view, teachers should constantly reflect upon their own views, ideological positions and practice. They should promote critical thinking and transformative action in learners. In other words, they are both transformative...

  • Great start in the discussion here. I would be keen to see what others have experienced and dealt with difficult situations in their settings.

  • This is interesting, Wassim. A hegemonic approach would have been to punish the student for his behavior but this would not necessarily have changed his attitude. As we know that children with difficult behavior are often intelligent and creative - they think, plan and act - even though their acts are not always positive and helpful to others, including their...

  • If you would like to read the full paper by Arran Magee & Tejendra Pherali (2019), here is the accepted version which is available from the UCL repository: http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10040760/

  • Transformative teachers 'go beyond simple knowledge acquisition to make meaning of their lives' - excellent point, Hasan.

  • @LeaGeorgesElias This is a very important point. It is easy to forget teacher's wellbeing in challenging environments. Of course, children's wellbeing and quality learning matter but unless teachers are well supported and recognized of their difficulties, it is difficult to enable a positive learning environment. So, educational practice is a holistic...

  • Wassim, here is the link for the article (accepted version). http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10040760/

  • @JulieGreen , your comment reminds me of what we learnt in Week 2 about the ecological model. The child's behavior always has links with the wider context in which he/she is living. What is crucial here is not necessarily the response of the teacher to mitigate the problem but to investigate the causes of it. You are absolutely right in thinking that the...

  • Thanks for sharing this experience, @ClaireArnott . What is important here is that you observed children's behavior, identify the concern and plan an intervention and trial it. As a teacher, there is nothing more satisfying than to see that your proactive action making a positive impact. Well done.

  • Thanks for sharing the definition, @AmelSayegh . Transformative learning also enables teachers to appreciate different perspectives of the learner and shape the future collectively. I look forward to reading more ideas from you as we progress in this week.

  • Haytham, you make a good point about educational practice. Theories help teachers to explain the logic behind their pedagogical approach and research helps them identify the best approach to educational delivery. However, I think teachers do not necessarily have to be limited by the lack of access to advanced theoretical knowledge or understanding of complex...

  • A very useful resource. Thanks for sharing, Janaina.

  • Charlemagne,
    'Project based teaching style' - a great approach. Do you remember what it involved? How did it motivate you to engage as a learner? Can you share an example?

  • Very good point, Mustafa. Building 'empathy' is key in enabling learning in challenging situations. This provides children with emotional confidence, sense of belonging and certainly, motivation for learning. In contexts of mass displacement, children's emotional wellbeing should be a key dimension of pedagogical practice.

  • Magbule, I agree with your point about 'the best teaching style was when some teachers used their social-story to captivate our interest'. Of course, 'passion about the subject' is a key quality of a good teacher.

  • Very interesting! 'Showing practical things' and 'appreciation for little efforts' certainly are important qualities of a good teacher. I really liked my Social Studies teacher when I was at primary school because he used to tell stories about people's lives. Everyone loved this teacher and we all did so well in the exams.

    On the other hand, I remember my...

  • Chamdjou,
    Lack of resources is a common barrier to quality teaching and learning in poor communities. Parents in economically poor communities often struggle to pay for their children's education and government support is usually inadequate. Thinking back about my own school education few decades ago, I remember carrying a sitting mat to school as there were...

  • Hello all,
    I am delighted to be able to welcome everyone. My name is Tejendra Pherali, one of the educators on the course. I am very excited to see such diverse backgrounds of the participants and undoubtedly, this is going to be a great collaborative learning experience for all. I look forward to participating in discussions with you all as we move forward.

  • Hello, I am an academic, specialising in education and conflict. I am based in UCL Institute of Education. I originally come from Nepal, a low income country which has experienced violent conflict. I am interested in how education and health could be merged in humanitarian situations. I work in Lebanon, Somaliland, Afghanistan and Nepal.