STC-6 GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING

ASSIGNMENT

ON

UNIT 2: GUIDANCE IN THE CLASSROOM

CONTENT

1. Guidance and curriculum

 Concept of curriculum
2. Criteria for a relevant and meaningful curriculum
3. Integration of guidance and curriculum
4. Guidance through school curriculum
5. Guidance and learning
 Nature of learning process
 Importance of the learning material and teacher
 Importance of the learner
6. Psychological factor in classroom learning and guidance
7. Guidance and discipline
 Classroom discipline and guidance methods
8. Behaviour and Misbehaviour
9. New ways in discipline

SUBMITTED BY

S. PRAVEENA
II M.Ed. SEM-IV
Reg. No. 19MED05

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 GUIDANCE AND CURRICULUM
Guidance in the classroom is inseparable from teaching at its best. Good Teachers
have always carried on many of the activities described as guidance. They have used
the curriculum, methods of instructions or learning and discipline as instruments of child
development.

Traditionally, the emphasis in guidance work has been upon adjustment of the
individual. In schools the aim has been to help students make the best choice of
subjects from the existing curriculum. Therefore, this unit is devoted to the possibilities
of using the knowledge and training of guidance personnel and the results of their
efforts in another direction; towards making and improving the curriculum itself.

Concept of curriculum

The concept of curriculum is as dynamic as the changes that occur in society. In its
narrow sense, curriculum is viewed merely as a listing of subject to be taught in school.
In a broader sense, it refers to the total learning experiences of individuals not only in
schools but in society as well.

Meaning of Curriculum

Etymologically, the term curriculum is derived from the Latin word “currere” which
means run or run-way or a running course. Thus curriculum means a course to be run
for reaching a certain goal.

The word "curriculum" began as a Latin word

which means "a race" or "the course of a race" (which
in turn derives from the verb currere meaning "to run/to
proceed"). The word is "from a Modern Latin
transferred use of classical Latin curriculum "a running,
course, career" (also "a fast chariot, racing car"), from
currere "to run"

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Curriculum is one of the most important items in the educative process. The curriculum,
in fact, is the fundamental problem which determines the ‘warp’ and ‘woof’ of the
process of education. What to do and how to do is the very essence of curriculum.

Curriculum may be defined as the “social environmental in motion”. It is the sum total of
all the activities and experiences provided by the schools to the learners for achieving
the desired objectives. The courses of studies are merely a suggestion for curriculum
activities and procedures, a guide for teaching to follow.

A course of study that will enable the learner to acquire specific knowledge and skills.

A curriculum is the combination of instructional practices, learning experiences, and

students' performance assessment that are designed to bring out and evaluate the
target learning outcomes of a particular course.

A detailed plan for instruction set by policy-makers.

A selection of information, segregated into disciplines and courses, typically designed to

achieve a specific educational objective.

As applied to education, curriculum is the series of things that students must do and
experience by way of developing abilities to do the things well that adults do in life; and
to be in all ways the people that they should be as adults.

Curriculum encompasses a variety of technical and non technical courses that are
required to complete a specific degree.

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Curriculum includes everything that takes place, and everything that does not take
place, within the purview of the school.

Curriculum is a framework that sets expectations for student learning. It serves as a

guide for teachers, a roadmap if you will, that establishes standards for student
performance and teacher accountability.

Curriculum is a group of courses offered in a particular field of study.

Curriculum is a set of courses (offered by an educational institution) that are required to

complete an area of specialization.
Curriculum is a set of courses that comprise a given area or specialty of study. I see
curriculum as the framework of content or ingredients that relate to that given area of
study. Curriculum often conjures up words such as format, guidelines, content of "what
to teach," and "what the student needs to learn." I see curriculum in both formal and
informal ways, i.e., as a body of related information that an educator needs to convey,
but with latitude in the strategies that an educator may use to convey the information.

Curriculum is all of the courses of study offered ( science, math, reading, etc.) and those
guidelines for teaching and learning set forth for a particular educational institution.

Curriculum is any criteria, element, aspect, that aids in children's learning.

Curriculum is specifically what you teach within each discipline and at each level.

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Definitions of Curriculum
Curriculum “a set of intentions about opportunities for engagement of persons to be
educated with other persons and with things (all bearers of information process,
techniques and values) in certain arrangements of time and space.”

- Arthur J. Lewis and Mid Alice (1972)

"a curriculum can be called a plan for learning, which contains assumptions about the
purpose of education in our society. It also has a definite structure through which the
vision of the planners can be translated into learning experiences for the learner. Hence
any curriculum comprises I two major dimensions: a vision and a structure"

- Wiles and Bondi (1988)

"Curriculum is the reconstruction of knowledge and experience systematically

developed ! under the auspices of the school (or university), to enable the learner to
increase his or her control of knowledge and experience".

- Tanner and Tanner (1980)

In the words of Cunningham, curriculum is a tool in the hands of the artist (the teacher)
to mould his material (the pupil) according to his ideal (objective) in his studio (the
school). The material is highly self active, self-determining human being who reacts and
responds consciously.
Nature of Curriculum

Several definitions of curriculum have been proposed by curriculum specialists. Beane

et. al. (1986) have grouped- most of these definitions under the following four
categories:

 Curriculum as a product
 Curriculum as a programme
 Curriculum as intended learning outcomes
 Curriculum as planned learner experiences

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Curriculum as a Product
The definition of curriculum as a product derives from the idea that the school or
university prepares a document which would consist of a list of courses and syllabi of
those courses. These documents are the results of curriculum planning and
development. For example, we have History, Economics, English, Physics syllabi in
schools and colleges. Such a definition imparts a concrete meaning to the term
curriculum. It describes the course of events to be followed in the schools and colleges.
Such a definition has two disadvantages:

i) The notion of curriculum is confined to a specific programme of study as

described in the document.
ii) ii) The underlying presumption of such a definition is that all possible events
can be described in the document.

Curriculum as a Programme

Another definition of curriculum is in reference to the entire learning programme of the

school or college. In its narrowest sense a curriculum refers to the courses of study
offered by the school. It could also, mean a student's choice of courses within a given
program of the school. Such a definition of curriculum is most widely accepted by
schools.

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However, there is another broader interpretation of this definition. If the purpose of the
school or college is learning and curriculum is the means of achieving that purpose,
then curriculum will denote sources of learning other than just the courses the study.
For example, learning takes place through activities like cultural events, sports activities,
in the cafeteria, in the bus, in the principal's office, etc. Such a definition of curriculum as
a programme, believes that curriculum can be described in concrete terms and that
learning occurs in several school settings apart from the prescribed course of study

Curriculum as Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

A third interpretation of curriculum definitions refers to the learning outcomes, which are
intended for the learners. In other words, curriculum could be defined as 'what is to be
learned '. This definition of curriculum clearly demarcates what is to be learned from and
how it is to be learned. The question of why something is to be learned is not
considered.

Curriculum in this context refers to knowledge of content, skills, attitudes and behavior
that students are supposed to learn in school or college. Learners go through planned
leaning experiences by interacting wi* their peer group and teachers in the school
environment, in general. However, proponents of this definition believe that such
sources of learning then characterize "instruction".

There is considerable debate over the meaning of the terms 'curriculum' and
'instruction'. Some curriculum designers see a distinct difference between what and how
of learning. Their definition limits the idea of curriculum to the former.

Curriculum as intended learning outcomes prescribes the result of instruction and not
the means, i.e. the activities, material even the instructional content. The advantages of
this definition are:

i) Outcome is directly linked to the objectives, and

ii) The basic plans of learning and its implementation or transaction are kept as
distinct entities.

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The disadvantage of this definition is that it does not take a comprehensive view of
learning. The what and how of learning are treated separately and this leads to
fragmented planning.

Curriculum as Planned Learning Experiences

Curriculum is something which is planned prior to the teaching - learning situations. The
fourth category of definitions differs from the above as it refers to curriculum as
experiences of the learners which are an outcome of the planned situations. The
proponents of this group firmly believe that what happens is not always in accordance
with what was planned. Hence the above definitions, in their opinion, constitute only the
curriculum plans, whereas the actual curriculum is the learning that occurs in the
students after going through different experiences.

In their opinion the outcomes of the planned situations of the course contents are more
important than the course content itself. In other words, learning experiences must be
well planned. A curriculum should include as analysis of the student's learning
experiences. To illustrate this definition, imagine that a teacher conducts a monthly
project activity, with the goal of fostering team spirit and cooperation among the
members.

However, every month the teacher assigns poor grades to the shy and quiet members
and high grades to the bold, talkative, and dominating members. As a result the former
group would gradually get I i demotivated and resist any such activity. They will also
learn that it is the high grades that matter and will not be able to include the intended
qualities of team spirit and I cooperation. Hence the course of events, which emerges, is
different from what was t intended.

The advantages of this definition are:

i) It is learner-centric and focuses more on learning than teaching.

ii) ii) It imparts a complex and comprehensive meaning to the term ' curriculum '

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 Characteristics of curriculum
 It should faster the growth of development of attitude and skills required for
maintaining a planned social order of democratic type. To put more concretely, it
should contribute towards democratic living.
 It should not be narrowly conceived but dynamic and forward looking, sample
adequately both the scientific content and the abilities of the pupils to the
developed, should cater to the right use of leisure later on and should be related
to the environment in which the children live. Consequently, it will then become
exiting, real and imaginative.
 It is tested and improved through research.
 It should aim at bringing about an intelligent and effective adjustment with the
environment itself. Further, it should enable pupils to acquire relevant scientific
information of subsequent use in the significant areas of human living.
 It should be psychologically sound. It should take into account the theories of
learning relevant to science teaching. Further, children’s capacities and
capabilities, if taken into account, will lead to the development of differentiated
curriculum. Incorporating geographical difference in it will be another innovation.
 It should provide sufficient scope for the cultivation of skills, interest, attitudes
and appreciations.

Criteria for a relevant and meaningful curriculum

In order to meet the above said needs of students, the instructional programme of our
school

(1) should be geared to the needs of youth,

(2) meet the recurring demands of our social order and

(3) developed in harmony with the learning process.

1. Needs of youth: This first criterion is concerned with students common general
needs and special individual needs.

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 a) Common needs: All students have certain basic needs in common; they will I
all become citizens; nearly all of them will marry and raise families; they will earn a
living; they must all meet and try to get along with other people; they will all have the
responsibility of voting, etc.

b) Special needs: Besides these general needs, there are particular or individual
needs and interests. e.g. some students will like to further their studies by going to a
college; some will like to join certain vocational courses; some of them would join their
father's business still there would be some who would wish to join any professional
course/college such as medical, engineering or architecture. The common needs are
easily identifiable and can be met by planning different "courses of study"

Depending on their needs students can join any of the courses. The special needs are
met in two ways:

(a) By selecting certain courses for study, or by assigning students to various sections
or groups. e.g. those wishing to join medical college will be studying only science
subjects, and

(b) Other special needs are cared for by the teacher or counselor e.g. hose studying
science at 10+2 are helped in preparing for various science competitive or entrance
examinations, such as medical engineering.

2. Meeting demands of our social order: It is difficult to identify many of these

demands, and yet some of these are extremely obvious. Our society demands as
a minimum that all will be able to read and write their names, ballot papers and
traffic signs to understand oral directions, to count money, to be able to sign.
Some societal pressures are more complicated e. g. physicians are expected to
continue their study independently in order to keep in touch with latest advances
in medical research.
3. Learning process and curriculum: This third criterion call he understood in
better way by going through the following charts:

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4. The Curriculum is continuously evolving.
• It evolved from one period to another, to the present.
• For a curriculum to be effective, it must have continuous monitoring and
evaluation.
• Curriculum must adapt its educational activities and services to meet the needs
of a modern and dynamic community.
5. The Curriculum is based on the needs of the people.
• A good curriculum reflects the needs of the individual and the society as a
whole.
• The curriculum is in proper shape in order to meet the challenges of times and
make education more responsive to the clientele it serves.

6. The Curriculum is democratically conceived.

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 • A good curriculum is developed through the efforts of a group of individuals
from different sectors in the society who are knowledgeable about the interests,
needs and resources of the learner and the society as a whole.
• The curriculum is the product of many minds and energies.
7. The Curriculum is the result of a long-term effort.
• A good curriculum is a product of long and tedious process.
• It takes a long period of time in the planning, management, evaluation and
development of a good curriculum.

8. The Curriculum is a complex of details.

• A good curriculum provides the proper instructional equipment and meeting
places that are often most conducive to learning.
• It includes the student-teacher relationship, guidance and counseling program,
health services, school and community projects, library and laboratories, and
other school- related work experiences.
9. The Curriculum provides for the logical sequence of subject matter.
• Learning is developmental.
• Classes and activities should be planned.
• A good curriculum provides continuity of experiences.
10. The Curriculum complements and cooperates with other programs of the
community.
• The curriculum is responsive to the needs of the community.

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 • The school offers its assistance in the improvement and realization of ongoing
programs of the community.
• There is cooperative effort between the school and the community towards
greater productivity.
11. The Curriculum has educational quality.
• Quality education comes through the situation of the individuals intellectual and
creative capacities for social welfare and development.
• The curriculum helps the learner to become the best that he can possibly be.
• The curriculum support system is secured to augment existing sources for its
efficient and effective implementation.
12. The Curriculum has administrative flexibility.
• A good curriculum must be ready to incorporate changes whenever necessary.
• The curriculum is open to revision and development to meet the demands of
globalization and the digital age.

Integration of guidance and curriculum

In the light of learning experiences in the classroom, the guidance centers/bureaus, etc.
the administrative programme, the extra-curricular activities, the home and the
community, it becomes obvious that guidance should be an integral part of curriculum.
Let us now consider further the rationale for an integration between guidance and
curriculum.

1. Similarity of goals: The focal functioning center in both fields is the students.
Curriculum has moved from a "subject-matter-centered " approach to a "student
centered" approach. Since the student is with the teacher most of the time in school, an
important goal for both fields becomes "helping the teacher" to help the student to learn,
to adjust and to be competent.

2. Similarity of function:

Some of the important similarities in function are:

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 a) Needs of the whole person: This function is to see that the needs of the
"whole person" - physical, emotional, social as well as legal are met. The ongoing,
active behaviour of students in such action settings as (he play grounds, the extra-
curricular activities, and the halls/corridors between classes is important to observe.
Both, the teacher and the guidance counsellor should not be content with merely a
knowledge of the student's background data and with his/her classroom performance.

b) Identification of student needs and problems: If guidance counsellor,

curriculum specialists and teachers combine their work, using their own particular skills,
insights and specialization, a more successful result will be accomplished in identifying
the needs of young people.

3. Similarity in content and educational resource materials: Practically the whole

content of the guidance programme has potential as curricular experiences for students.
The topics such as Vocational and Occupational Guidance, Home and Family, Health
and Physical Development, getting along with others, could be made curricular
experiences.

4. Similar methodology and techniques of working with students: Guidance

techniques (the case study, the interview, anecdotal records, socio-metrics, socio-
drama and simple projective techniques such as autobiography, picture projection, story
making etc.) are practiced in many classrooms at the present time. Teachers have
always carried on interviews and given various kinds of educational and occupational
information to students. However, it has been observed that sometimes teachers use
these techniques without realizing their full potentialities. The guidance staff can give
them a thorough understanding of How to administer, use and interpret their methods
more effectively.

5. Similarity in approaches: The remedial and diagnostic approaches have been used
in both guidance and curriculum fields. e.g. via tests and examinations. The
developmental and therapeutic aspects have not been realized to the fullest extent e.g.
when a student fails, very few teachers would look for reasons of his failure, especially

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which the reason is not obvious. No item-by-item diagnosis is done usually. Both fields
have also neglected the full potential of the preventive approach.

Guidance

 The guidance refers to advice or information provided by a person of

experience, to solve a problem or improve something.
 The guidance refers to the process of helping individuals to discover and
develop their potential.
 Guidance facilitates people throughout their lives to manage their own
educational, training, occupational, personal, social, and life choices so that they
reach their full potential and contribute to the development of a better society.
This is the agreed definition of guidance of the National Forum on
Guidance (2004)
 In the context of lifelong learning, guidance refers to a range of activities that
enables citizens of any age and at any point in their lives to identify their
capacities, competences and interests, to make educational, training and
occupational decisions and to manage their individual life paths in learning

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GUIDANCE CURRICULUM

The guidance curriculum consists of structured activities presented

systematically through group experiences. The curriculum is organized around
the three domain goals: self knowledge, academic, and career planning. Student
competencies to be addressed in these areas are identified in part through the
use of committees and community input.

While counselors’ responsibilities include the organization and implementation of

the guidance curriculum, the cooperation and support of the entire faculty and
staff is necessary for its successful implementation. The guidance curriculum is
delivered through such strategies as classroom activities, with the counselor
facilitating, acting as a resource team teacher, or assisting in the delivery of
guidance curriculum learning activities or units. This is not limited to one or two
subjects but may be conducted in the classroom, guidance center, or other
school facilities.

Whenever possible, the units are used to enrich class content. In addition,
counselors conduct groups outside the classroom to respond to students’

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identified interests or needs. Counselors plan and lead structured activities to
increase the skills and knowledge of the students.

When Guidance and Curriculum Collaborate

The rapid development of guidance services in the elementary school indicates

the need for immediate communication between specialists concerned with
curriculum and those with guidance in the elementary school.

If the child is to be served most adequately, specialists in instruction, curriculum,

and guidance must develop a dialogue which helps them to clarify procedures for
working more effectively together. The nature of the relationship between these
workers should be characterized by one word collaboration.

Curriculum is primarily concerned with all of the learning experiences of the child
under the direction of the school.

Guidance is the specific planned effort of the school to meet individual needs and
provide for individual differences. Guidance is particularly concerned with the
child's attitudes, values, feelings, purposes, and convictions. It is directed at
providing opportunities for educational experiences which are appropriate to
each child's purposes, needs, and rate of development. It assists in making
individualized and personally meaningful instruction a reality.

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Guidance is that part of the educational program which emphasizes the
individual. The primary function of guidance is developmental. Elementary school
guidance works toward assisting each child to maximize his opportunities for
learning and personal development. It is concerned, not merely with deviates at
either extreme, but with all of the learners.

Developmental guidance concerns itself with the average youngster who,

because he presents no special problems, frequently receives minimal attention.
This type of guidance is concerned with the normal child and the problem
succinctly stated by Sachs (1966): "It is as though we were saying because you
are normally human there does not seem to be much point in interaction with you
on a personal and intimate basis." These are the children who, despite the fact
that they comprise the majority, receive the least attention. To be normal does
not appear to qualify them for the kind of educational experience which meets
unique needs.

Guidance and Curriculum

The counselor plays a significant role by being available to interpret the
emotional effect of curricular experiences on the child's concept of self and on his
relationships with others. He assists in the development of materials which are
sensitive to the needs of children. He plans with teacher’s ways by which children
may approach an understanding of the world of work.

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The counselor, while a regular member of the curriculum committee, cannot be a
specialist in methods, new developments, and content. The counselor
contributes by viewing instructional practices and curriculum in terms of his
understanding of child development and human relations. He would not advise
regarding an approach in mathematics but would contribute his understanding of
the effects of this practice on children.

The emphasis is on personalized and personally meaningful educational

experiences. It is an obligation of the school to provide each child with teachers
who will be concerned and interested in them as individuals and able to establish
meaningful interactions. We must never underestimate the importance of the
interpersonal relationship.
(Lewis, Lovell, and Jessee, 1965)

It is through the personal relationship that the child develops identification with
the educational process and becomes able to make a commitment to learning.
When guidance and curriculum collaborate we observe some of the
following results:

 Provision is made for maximum flexibility in curriculum.

 Emphasis is placed upon understanding the individual and on permitting
each pupil to progress at his own rate.
 Teaching procedures are individualized.
 Emphasis is placed upon assets and successes.
 An enriched curriculum is provided which permits each child to proceed in
terms of the greatest acceleration possible for him.
 The child is helped to realize his greatest potential, and to develop more
realistic self-concepts.
 In most instances there is provision for independent study in areas where
the child has a genuine interest.

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 The emphasis is on the ultimate goals of education, and hence on self-
discipline.
 There is genuine concern about enhancing the individual's worth

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GUIDANCE THROUGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM

Every subject offers special opportunities for guidance.

Mathematics should develop capacities for precise and logical thinking.

Social studies - history, geography and civics, government should help students make
a better adjustment to the changes that rue occurring in the world and show them what
they can do to resist demoralizing trends.

English should make a definite contribution to the development of all of the student's
communication skills and to his understanding of himself and others.

Physical education offers line opportunities for guidance in the areas of recreation and
health.

Home economics or home science should include guidance in health and in present
and future family living.

Business education or business studies, art and the various work experience
subjects have personal as well as vocational values if the teachers are guidance-
minded.

Personal and social values of all subjects: Any subjects whether an academic
Subject, art, music, business studies, education or home-science. is a learners to an
end. It should contribute to a better life for the individual and for mankind. Students

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should sec each subject in revelent to their social and personal development and to
the long-range goals of mankind.

Guidance Services Provided to Students in School 

The services are:
 Orientation Service
 Individual Inventory Service
 Information Service
 Counseling Service
 Placement Service
 Referral Service
 Remedial Service
 Follow-Up Service
 Research Service
 Evaluation Service.

Orientation Service
The orientation service is provided to the students those who are new comers and those
who go to new class or new course in the school set up. It is a well known fact that the
students those who join first time. In the school or get promotion for higher classes are
heterogeneous in nature as they are from different family backgrounds, from different
socio-economic status, from different areas, and from different abilities, interests,
aptitudes and skills.

So that the orientation service is normally meant for students to enable them to know
school courses, rules, regulations, different facilities given to the students by school and
to know the clear image of the school. On the same line school also keeps record of the
students about their bio-data including identification, socio- economic background,
capacities and abilities, interest for courses etc.

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The orientation service is highly needed due to following reasons:

(i) It assists new students to know the information’s about school, its history and
traditions, its rules and regulations, its strength and weaknesses, facilities available for
them etc.

(ii) It helps students to adjust with school situations and enables students to develop
academic standard, personal qualities, high moral values as well as ethical standards
from rich experiences of the school.

(iii) It assists students to achieve success in academic life by learning to study carefully,
developing interest in study, taking examinations and notes sincerely and utilizing time
properly.

(iv) It helps students to know the almost all useful information’s regarding physical plant,
library, hostels, class-rooms, laboratories, workshops, gardens, play grounds, different
teaching aids and other facilities.

(v) It assists students to provide remedial reading, language programme, projects and
clubs and different financial help by schools.

(vi) It assists students to develop social adjustment abilities, citizenship education, well
adjustment in different school activities and facilities, with different members of school
and finally it assists to develop an idea and feeling among students that is a self
directed, intellectually oriented experience.

The orientation courses may be offered systematically to students through certain

activities such as issuing printed material and hand book of information, conducting
orientation day, welcoming desk and entrance, arranging community tea and games,
celebrating social evening through plays, exhibitions, showing films, talks by guest
speaker and so on. However, the orientation service should be offered systematically
and organised well as a result of which new comers would be able to have good start in
school sphere.

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Individual Inventory Service

Individual inventory service is an important type of guidance service which may be

recognized often as “pupil’s” inventory service. It is very much essential for student as it
assists to know the student “himself” at the time of taking any decisions so far his
educational courses and careers are concerned. Really the student proceeds in his
educational set-up as he has made proper choice regarding concerned subject or
courses according to his own abilities, interests, aptitudes, attitudes and skills. The
adequate and accurate data are collected for the same purpose.

Generally student’s information is highly required for the following reasons:

(i) The individual or student’s information is needed to assist the student to know the
clear picture of his abilities, interests, aptitudes, skills, personality characteristics,
achievement standard, level of aspiration and his physical health status as well as his
mental capacities.

(ii) It assists student to know himself from various point of view such as socio-economic-
status, family background, educational status of family, will of parents and students etc.

(iii) It helps student to provide a record of the academic standard and status and his
progress in this regard.

(iv) It enables guidance worker, and teacher to know about student adequately as a
result of which they would be able to suggest for further progress of the students.

Information Service

Information actually plays a vital role in each and every guidance programme.

Because it assists students to take suitable decisions in case of educational planning

and career and vocational career. At the same time it is helpful to students to adjust well
in different social situations including school situation and occupational situation.

The essential information for planning the educational and vocational career is collected
from various sources such as:

(1) Teachers

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(2) Parents

(3) School guidance personnel or Counsellor

(4) Intimate friends and mates

(5) News papers and different useful journals and

(6) Other mass media such as Radio and T.V.

The information which students get from different sources should be authentic and free
from all business and errors as a result of which student would be able to take right
decision in regards to his educational and vocational careers.

Need of Information Service:

In the present world, information service is highly needed by the students to have a
better planning for future in the context of educational and vocational career and to
adjust well in different social situations.

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GUIDANCE AND LEARNING

Nature of Learning Process

Learning is the process by which an individual acquires knowledge, attitudes and skills
that are necessary to meet the demands of life. While touching a burning candle, a child
gets burnt and he withdraws the fingers. When he faces a similar situation again he
withdraws his fingers faster. Gradually he learns to avoid not only the burning candle
but also other burning things. The behaviour of an individual is thus changed through
experiences. This change in behaviour brought about by experiences is commonly
known as learning.

Thus, Learning means change in behaviour or behaviour potential that occurs as a

result of experience. Learning can result from both vicarious and direct experiences.
Vicarious means observing someone and learning from that observation and not being
directly involved in the experience. For example, a child learns how to clap hands by
seeing someone else do it. Learning also takes place through direct experiences. For
example, a child learns to write by practicing writing. A child normally learns from his
parents, teachers and the environment.

Definitions of Learning:

1. Gardener Murphy: “The term learning covers every modification in behaviour to

meet environmental requirements.”
2. Henry P. Smith: “Learning is the acquisition of new behaviour or the strengthening or
weakening of old behaviour as the result of experience.”

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3. Crow & crow: “Learning is the acquisition of habits, knowledge & attitudes. It
involves new ways of doing things and it operates in individuals attempts to overcome
obstacles or to adjust to new situations. It represents progressive changes in behaviour.
It enables him to satisfy interests to attain goals.

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NATURE OF LEARNING

1. Learning is Universal. Every creature that lives learns. Man learns most. The
human nervous system is very complex, so are human reactions and so are
human acquisition. Positive learning vital for children’s growth and development.
2. Learning is through Experience. Learning always involves some kind of
experience, direct or indirect (vicarious).
3. Learning is from all Sides: Today learning is from all sides. Children learn from
parents, teachers, environment, nature, media etc.
4. Learning is Continuous. It denotes the lifelong nature of learning. Every day
new situations are faced and the individual has to bring essential changes in his
style of behaviour adopted to tackle them. Learning is birth to death.
5. It results in Change in Behaviour. It is a change of behaviour influenced by
previous behaviour. It is any activity that leaves a more or less permanent effect
on later activity.
6. Learning is an Adjustment. Learning helps the individual to adjust himself
adequately to the new situations. Most learning in children consists in modifying,
adapting, and developing their original nature. In later life the individuals acquire
new forms of behaviour.
7. It comes about as a result of practice. It is the basis of drill and practice. It has
been proven that students learn best and retain information longer when they
have meaningful practice and repetition. Every time practice occurs, learning
continues.

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 8. Learning is a relatively Permanent Change. After a rat wake up from his nap
he still remembers the path to the food. Even if you have been on a bicycle for
years, in just a few minutes practice you can be quite proficient again.
9. Learning as Growth and Development. It is never ending growth and
development. At reach stage the learner acquires new visions of his future
growth and news ideals of achievement in the direction of his effort. According to
Woodworth, “All activity can be called learning so far as it develops the
individual.”
10. Learning is not directly observable. The only way to study learning is through
some observable behaviour. Actually, we cannot observe learning; we see only
what precedes performance, the performance itself, and the consequences of
performance.

In a Guidance-based Curriculum, the nature of the Learning process, the Learner,

the learning situation, the roles of the teacher and of the guidance counsellor are
vital factors.The teacher and counsellor must have knowledge of how children and
young people learn.

Early in our educational and psychological history, memory was empasised as

important in the learning process. Now, it has been recognized that learning is a
matter of acquiring changes in behaviour patterns through "experience" rather than
the acquisition of knowledge primarily through memory.

IMPORTANCE OF LEARNING MATERIAL AND TEACHER

Learning is dependent not only upon the learner's efforts, but as well upon the
organized presentation of that which is to be learned. In other words, the teacher has an
important role in the learning process.

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Guidance programmes in the past have tended to neglect the role of the teacher.
However it has now become evident that specialists alone cannot operate the guidance
programme in the school. It is the teacher who arranges the subject matter, directs the
course of learning and interprets the goals which have been set up for her.

1. Need for organized procedures:

An "ordered" arrangement of classroom procedure is necessary if the desired learning

is to take place. Therefore, from the seeming class which confronts the beginner, the
teacher has to select those kinds of experiences which are designed to educate the
student e.g. after deciding which topic to teach, the teacher can first present an
overview of the entire chapter in a summarized form and then begin with the
introduction part.

2. Learning and effective work habits:

What happens to the student after he has departed from the classroom? That is outside
the classroom also, the students have a real need related lo learning; the establishment
of effective work habits.

The well-adjusted human being is our goal hut students need also Lo be taught that
learning is not just a game. It needs concentrated effort, mastery of subject-matter
through hard work, interest and a definite schedule for studying at home. 'The problem
is that of a proper balance 01' interest and discipline in learning, which is our next topic.

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 3. Suggestions for classroom discipline:

The most effective means of evaluating the discipline which is maintained in the
classroom comes through the students themselves.

IMPORTANCE OF LEARNER

A fundamental problem which education must face is found in the guidance of students
who for one reason or another, vary from accepted norms. Thus, the teacher needs
always to bear in mind that children respond in their own unique fashion.

The successful teacher will have to employ her skills and understanding in drawing up a
procedure ample enough to include varying needs in individuals. A crippled student may
appear to act differently from his more fortunate fellows, but his basic attitudes are likely
to be the same. On the other hand, two apparently normal children may vary extremely
in their outlook on life. When the teacher has recognized that specialized help is needed
she can refer such students to the professional counsellor.

Children enjoy talking about themselves, their homes, their friends and the interests.
Many of them consider the teacher as a kind of second parent to whom they can entrust
their confidences. Even during ordinary conversations with children, the teacher can get
to know more about them and their attitudes.

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GUIDELINES FOR TEACHERS AND COUNSELLORS

 Expect the best of each student:

Most students can do more than adults expect of them. Teachers should not do things
for the students that he can do for himself.

e.g. if the teacher has taught the formula for solving the sums of an exercise with
examples, then she should not do the exercise on the blackboard.

 Encourage each student:

Encouragement is not the same as reward and praise. The latter can be overdone e.g. if
a teacher writes 'good' on every notebook that has all the sums of homework correct,
this praise will lose its value. On the other-hand, if she writes 'good' on only a few
selected notebooks with a comment on what was good about it (say "very organized
work" or "neatly done"), such praise would be more encouraging.

 Listen more:

Many teachers talk too much. That is by some children become "teacher-deaf'. How
much time teachers waste explaining things, the students already know: How much time
they waste scolding the class! One youngster said, "My Hindi teacher spends so much
time scolding us, she doesn't have time to teach us".

 Try to understand what a child's behaviour means to him:

What is he trying to get by his behaviour? What satisfaction is it giving him? If he wants
to be accepted by the group, he may make silly remarks, defy the teacher or insist on
talking; this is his way of getting attention, being recognized, feeling that he is playing a
part in the group, however unhelpful or even negative it may be.

 Try to gain knowledge of following three things:

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  The child himself- his aptitudes, values, goals, personality, previous education, I
general experience and physical condition.
 The task itself- its interest; difficulty and usefulness.
 The situation- he child's interaction with his classmates and his relation to the
teacher; the attitudes and morale of the group; the motivation, anxiety or stress
inherent in the situation; the immediate work environment - lighting, ventilation,
distractions

PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS IN CLASSROOM LEARNING AND GUIDANCE

Learning about the students and helping him to learn about himself forms the basis of
guidance. There are certain principles which have proved helpful in providing the setting
in actual classroom situations to facilitate classroom learning.

 Motivation: Learning has been found to proceed more effectively and to have
more chance to become permanent when the learner is made to feel part of the
activity, e.g. the individual who desires to become an engineer will do all he can
to acquire such information as relates to his ambition. This motivation is all to the
good and to be encouraged - provided there exists some aptitudes in this area.
 Adjustment to level of maturation: When a student is to learn a new skill, such
as throwing a baseball, or new steps of a classical dance, he must be sufficiently
mature for the task. The student himself needs to recognize his limitations as well
as his capacity. Inherent in this principle are two concepts: (1) The teacher
should be careful not too tax the student to far beyond his ability, (Over
concentration), (2) Learning occurs most effectively when there is an intelligent
distribution of work and rest in the activity (or activities) presented to the student.
(Too long a work period). Both over concentration and too long a work period
tend to impair learning.
 Pattern learning: The more clearly the pattern of an objective is understood the
more permanent the learning tends to become. The student who hopes one day
1.0 become an advocate tends Lo look at his various subjects in terms of their
meaning In this respect e.g. debating and civics are more interesting to him than

34
 they might be to others. Similarly, tenses rind punctuation has little or no
meaning unless their Use is understood in everyday language.
 Evaluation of progress: Students are concerned with success (or lack of it) in
their school activities. Hence, learning is made more effective when the learner is
kept appraised of his progress, a learner needs to know whether he should go
ahead or slow down. Evaluation can and should be a positive form of guidance.
Very few students will not respond to knowledge of success or failure.
 Broad integrated development: Every aspect of education enters into the
development of the learner. More proficiency in school work will not make the
citizen of the future a mature personality. The student who acquire skills and
abilities tends to increase in sell'-confidence, social poise and competence to
face difficulties with firmness and without fear. It should be recognized that the
development of an integrated personality during his formative years will go far
towards making the student a more mature individual.

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GUIDANCE AND DISCIPLINE

Granted that teachers will inevitably fail without discipline, paradoxically, it seems to be
something that we are more aware of when it is missing than when it is present. We
know that teaching without discipline is exhausting, frustrating, demoralizing and
impossible. But what is this elusive quality that some teachers (the lucky ones) almost
seem to take for granted'?

Let us see how some teachers have defined discipline:

 It is training to develop self- control and orderly conduct,

 It is acceptance of, or submission to, authority and control or
 It is treatment that corrects or punishes.

But there is something missing in above definitions of discipline. What is missing is the
educational and guidance component of discipline. For discipline to be applicable to the
classroom setting, it must be linked with the purposes of education and guidance.

36
Discipline is not an end in itself; it is a means to make our students to understand that
what one seeks and how one behaves are related. Hence, we do not want our students
to submit to authority just out of fear. We want their actions to be based on principles,
ideal and a feeling for others.

CLASSROOM DISCIPLINE AND GUIDANCE METHODS

Effective teachers know that classroom discipline is something more fundamental than
administering restraints. It can be either democratic or autocratic in method and the
entire teaching staff must share the responsibility for maintaining discipline.

The class teacher in particular is most concerned about what is best for the student.
This means that she has to play a judgment role in deciding what is good or bat1 for her
students. To maintain a good learning climate, she must enforce the rules of the school
and limit the activities of those who cannot discipline themselves.

The best working atmosphere exists in a classroom when the teacher helps his students
become acquainted with school rules and regulations, tells them why such rules are
made, and helps them learn how to assume personal responsibility for enforcing them.

Guidance methods for handling discipline problems

Guidance methods can be used effectively in working with discipline problems. Perhaps
the most important contribution of guidance to discipline is the use of child study

37
techniques. All who work with a discipline problem should become acquainted with the
child's needs and interests, his home background and the information on various
aspects of his school performance, which can be obtained from the cumulative record
and from case conferences. Knowing those factors which have shaped the child's
attitudes towards life and those around him makes the teacher's task easier and more
fruitful.

A guide for handling discipline problems

As the teacher/the counsellor- answers the questions, he becomes better acquainted

with himself as well as the child and is able to identify the causes of the child's
unacceptable behavior.

BEHAVIOUR AND MISBEHAVIOUR

Since teachers and guidance workers have different training and different
responsibilities, they view the behaviour of student differently. Teachers seem to be
more concerned about violations of school rules, teachers rules and moral standards.
Teachers appear to believe these violations to be more serious than the students
personal problems.

Whereas, Guidance workers and counsellors are much more accepting of children's
aggressive behaviour than teachers. But both are concerned about such behaviour as
unsocialness, cruelty, stealing and fearfulness.

What makes children misbehave?

A child's misbehaviour in the class or outside the classroom is caused by something or

somebody outside her/his control.

38
Following are the possible contributors to classroom misbehaviors:

1. Ignorance: Ignorance of the rules is certainly one of the reasons for a student
becoming a deviant. Even if a student is presented with a neatly organized set of
rules he never really knows which rules are operational and which are just on
paper. So, they have a very practical way of solving this problem. They simply
proceed to “try out" the teacher to see what they can "get away with".

2. Conflicting rules: When the behaviours that brought results at home (made
parents happy) are deemed improper or immoral at school a student faces a
conflicting situation e.g. a neighborhood kid knocked him down and he hit back
for revenge. When he came home bleeding, the parents treated his injuries and
never said a negative word. The child repeated the same behaviour at school
and was in for a great surprise which the teacher punished him.

It is obvious that a number of students break discipline, merely because they

have failed to discriminate between the rules of the home and school situations

3. Frustration: Problems in maintaining classroom discipline have often shown that

aggression in students’ increases significantly after they have experienced

39
 failure. There are at least three sources of frustration In a cIassroorn that may
influence any student:
 The teacher
 His/her classmates
 The activities
4. Displacement: Inappropriate feelings are often displaced upon the people and
objects in the school e.g. Mary was quite open about the fact that she could not
stand Miss Ruby or her Physics class. She never answered to any of the
teacher's question. Miss Ruby had rarely heard her voice in the class.

During practical periods also she would ask fellow students to explain an experiment
than ask the teacher. Miss Ruby never thought of this as unusual, but one day she
happened to be passing the corridor where Mary's classroom was and was surprised to
hear her loud voice reciting poem in the class.

Next day Miss Ruby deliberately passed that corridor several times in the day and found
to her surprise that Mary was actively participating in all the subject classes except
physics.

After talking with Mary's parents, it came out that Ruby was also the name of Mary's I
step-sister with whom she did not get along and so the unusual behaviour MISS Ruby 'c
class.

40
NEW WAYS IN DISCIPLINE

When a teacher/counsellor finds it necessary to discipline a deviant student, it affects

other students as well who are witness to this alteration. This is called the "ripple"
effect. The following factors influence the ripple effect:

1. Clarity: A 'clear control' technique is one that specifies the deviant, the deviancy
and the preferred alternative behaviour. The teacher who bears a disturbance in
the back of the room and yells, "Hey, you boys, stop talking", has used a control
technique with no clarity at all. In addition to interrupting every other student
within earshot, not even the deviants are sure that the reprimand was meant for
them.

The same teacher might have moved back towards the noisy group and said,
"Amarjeet, Rajesh and Joan, slop talking and get those algebra problems finished!" The
clarity of this command is very high and call be expected to have two beneficial effects
on the audience students:

 They will be less likely to become deviant themselves

 Their learning behaviour is less likely to become disrupted than would be true for
an unclear technique like the first one.

41
 2. Firmness: A ‘firm control' technique has an "I mean business" quality about it.
This may be accomplished by the teacher's tone of voice, facial expression, or
gestures. It may also be accomplished by "follow-through", meaning some way of
seeing to it that your disciplinary prescription is carried out.
e.g. Punit was playing with a pen by hitting it on his desk again and again.
His action had got the attention of most of his classmates and the teacher's
working on the blackboard was going unnoticed. She stopped abruptly and
commanded in a stern voice, "Punit, put that pencil in your bag and pay
attention".

Focusing her whole attention upon Punit, the teacher followed his action of opening his
bag-pocket, putting his pencil inside and closing the bag and only after he looked at the
teacher again did she resume her work.

3. Focus: Two 'focus control' techniques are approval-focused and 'task focused'
control techniques. An approval-focused technique depends for its effect upon
the relationship between the teacher and the deviant while a task-focused
technique "makes connections" between the teacher's demand and the work to
be accomplished.

Examples of teacher's use of focus-control techniques:

I. Approval-focused: "I am very disappointed that you talked when I asked you
not to1. I thought you had more respect for me than that".
II. Task-focused: You must be quite during my class or else you will not be able to
answer my questions afterwards. I won't repeat this class".

Evidence has shown that task-focused control techniques have more desirable ripple
effect then do approval-focused methods.

III. Signal interference: Without using any words, angry 01- otherwise the teacher
conveys to the indisciplined students that she knows about them and their
misbehaviour. For instance using an angry stare at them, going to stand near
their seats etc.

42
 IV. Physical proximity: While managing a class, the principle of proximity is also
very useful. That is by making the offenders sit nearer to the teacher's chair. She
is able to put a control over heir mischief.
V. Motivational recharging: Sometimes, students misbehave in the class for the
simple reason that they are bored with the routine. Some change in the teaching
methods is preferable at this stage. For example, the teacher, in the beginning
or at the end of the period, may play some short game with them to recharge
their motivation. e.g. quiz, Role-play, etc.
VI. Comic relief: This is another method to control students when they misbehave
out of boredom. Here, the teacher makes some witty remarks and encourages
the students to do the same.
VII. Post-mal.tem session: When teacher finds a student misbehaving in the class,
she does not say anything at that time other than saying in general "Behave
yourselves". But after the class, she takes that the student out of the classroom
to have a discussion regarding his misbehaviour in the class

CONCLUSION

The guidance programme should make a contribution to the school by

a) assisting in curriculum development;

b) providing better learning experiences in the classroom; and
c) Suggesting ways to deal with classroom disciple problems.

The curriculum was viewed as being all the planned learning experiences that the
school provides for its students. It should satisfy both the common and specific needs of
students, as well as the recurring demands of the social order. An adequate curriculum
must also take into account what is known about the learning process. Guidance
through school subjects was also discussed with emphasis on value development.

Learning was recognised as changes in behaviour through experience. Learning

process requires both inteIlectual and physical aspects of one's personality. To facilitate
classroom learning, certain psychological factors, such as motivation and needs, must
also be considered.

43
 Anybody who has been given a class, the class teacher, the subject-teacher, the
counsellor or a visiting personality would know how easy it becomes to teach when the
class is disciplined. Indiscipline occurs because of ignorance of rules/conflicting rules,
frustration in the child or because of displaced feelings as was obvious in the case of
Mary. Clarity, firmness and focus are some of the techniques by which discipline can be
maintained ill the classroom.

44
REFERENCES
 http://www.khayma.com/muhannad/Dr%20Amer%20lectures/curiculum
%20lectures%20en/curriculum%20concepts%20nature%20and%20purposes.pdf
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curriculum#:~:text=For%20a%20curriculum%20to%20be,have%20continuous
%20monitoring%20and%20evaluation.&text=Curriculum%20must%20adapt
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 https://www.ncge.ie/ncge/faq/what-guidance
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ab&ved=0ahUKEwjvhfCehrfuAhVjxzgGHZUSCBcQ4dUDCA0&uact=5
 http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/journals/ed_lead/el_196802_dinkmeyer.pdf
 https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/india-2/education-india-2/guidance-services-
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 https://johnparankimalil.wordpress.com/2014/11/18/meaning-and-nature-of-
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 https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/archived/teaching/insights/learning_styl
es.htm

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