The quality of teacher instruction and classroom management determines various outcomes one of which is students’ academic achievement. In this age of technology, teachers face numerous challenges when it comes to managing students’ use of mobile tech devices such as phones and tablets. While technology has been cited as having positive effects on learning, there are concerns that it promotes distraction for both teachers and students. Arguably, a smoothly functioning classroom promotes not only good instruction, but also a high level of student engagement. Consequently, students are likely to realize a considerable improvement in their grades. Therefore, it becomes clear that student management is a fundamental skill which both teachers and learners can benefit from. A compliant student body allows the teacher to be effective in his or her work. Thus, positive teacher-student engagement will be achieved. Therefore, the use of professionalism and soft skills in the classroom can help promote beneficial outcomes for both teachers and students.
This weeks’ resources address various issues facing the education such as students not being ready for the workforce even after graduation. Such a state of being is likely to imply that the quality of instruction given in the classroom is subpar leading to negative student outcomes such as inability to retain course concepts. Mulhere (2015) explained that while graduates are confident in their chances of getting employed and career preparations, the reality is that there are considerable disparities between career expectations and entry-level jobs. A survey confirmed that 49% of older graduates felt that they were underemployed or were in a profession that did not demand a college degree. Further, Mulhere (2015) noted that when asked to rate new employees, employers gave recent college graduates low grades in a category of 17 career learning outcomes. The underlying issue is that there is a wide gap between career expectations and the kind of quality of education given to students.
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In response to the growing issue of disparate outcomes due to mismatch of career expectations and the reality of entry-level jobs, the federal government is advocating for skills-focused education. Maurer (2017) noted that the federal government is funding state and local career and technical education programs. The objective is to promote access to education and skills which are needed to establish promising careers and a successful future. The federal government’s approach is geared towards addressing the issues currently faced in the classroom. It could be that the quality of teacher instruction is poor thereby leading to ineffective learning. The Office of Disability Employment Policy (2010) explained that teachers can alter the classroom setting such that general education or hard skills are taught to potential employees as the classroom simulates the workplace. The idea is to expose students to relevant information and contexts which are akin to those they can experience in workplace settings. Therefore, the importance of merging instruction with a specialized focus on career needs and expectations is to expose students to skills that will make them marketable and on demand.
There is increasing emphasis on the nature of classroom activities and how they affect students’ ability to acquire jobs that suit their college degrees. Thus far, the dominating theme is that there is lack of congruence between what is taught in schools and what students experience in the job market. Employers are experiencing shortages for skilled workers while that should not be the case (Mulhere, 2015). Additionally, the federal government has identified the mismatch between job opportunities and the skills that college graduates have. Such an observation intensifies the need to revolutionize the manner in which instructions or lessons are taught in the classroom.
A scholar, Robert Bain (2005) addressed the concept of honest practices in teaching. It entails teachers using a uniform approach when giving instructions to students but appreciating the fact that learners have disparate cognitive skills. Therefore, it becomes the role of the teacher to understand such differences and shape classroom instruction to accommodate the needs of all students. It could be that the current educational system is lacking when it comes to adopting honest practices in teaching. Some teachers are ignoring the needs of some students through the nature and quality of their teaching. Bain (2005) advocated for equal exposure to intellectual tasks for all students regardless of cognitive ability. Such an approach is directed towards promoting collective learning where students learn from the teacher as well as from each other. Therefore, the idea is to avoid and refrain from using subjective teaching strategies and instead adopt impartial techniques that are geared towards promoting uniform academic outcomes for all students.
Conclusion
Reflectively, the lack of congruence between career expectations and the required skills for particular jobs has left many graduates without jobs or if so, working in industries not related to their college degree. The issue that the quality of teacher instruction is lacking whereby students have limited exposure to the skills that will make them marketable. However, a change in how instructions are given such as setting the classroom to resemble a workplace setting could help curb the problem at hand. Students will graduate with the knowledge and skills that employers expect. Additionally, the adoption of honest practices can also bring about positive student outcomes. The idea is to employ and expose students to similar challenges in the classroom. Such an approach will not only promote collective learning, but also acquisition of relevant knowledge and skills required by employers.
References
Bain, B. R. (2005). “They thought the world was flat?” Applying the principles of How People Learn in teaching high school history. In Bransford, J. and Donovan, S. How Students Learn: History, Mathematics, and Science in the Classroom . The National Academic Press.
Maurer, R. (2018, April 11). House Approves Skills-Focused Workforce Readiness Bill. Retrieved from https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/talent-acquisition/pages/house-approves-cte-perkins-act.aspx
Mulhere, K. (2015, May 14). 2015 College Grads May Not Be As Ready for the Workplace as They Think They Are. Retrieved from http://money.com/money/3857107/college-graduates-career-ready-overconfident/
Mulvahill, E. (2018, January 16). 9 Awesome Classroom Activities That Teach Job Readiness Skills. Retrieved from https://www.weareteachers.com/9-awesome-classroom-activities-that-teach-job-readiness-skills/
Office of Disability Employment Policy. (2010). Teaching soft skills through workplace simulations in classroom setting s. Retrieved from https://www.dol.gov/odep/documents/TeachingSoftSkills.pdf
