Abraham Ohene-Djan PGCE Reflections

 Learning is a constantly evolving field of study. New teaching ideas and trends are constantly emerging from schools, governments, theorists, exam boards, neuroscience, and psychology. The perception of my subject area ‘Media Studies’ has been subject to many changes over the years due to its perception of being a soft subject. I believe the straight-jacketed media studies curriculum can be delivered in a fun and engaging manner to inspire young people to think critically about their media consumption and creativity. Relevant cultural material, often overlooked in traditional education, can be a powerful tool for engaging students from diverse backgrounds and providing them with equal opportunities for understanding and self-expression. As a teacher, it is not only my duty to teach students the ability to memorise and recall for exam grades but also to light the flame of wonder that leads to a life of curiosity, wonder, and creativity.  

  But That's Just Good Teaching! The Case for Culturally Relevant Pedagogy Author(s): Gloria Ladson-Billings Reviewed work(s): Source: Theory into Practice, Vol. 34, No. 3, Culturally Relevant Teaching (Summer, 1995), pp. 159-165 Published by: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1476635 Binks, L. and Anjola Akinduro (2021) Whose Curriculum is It Anyway? Decolonising the Literature Curriculum at Townley. available here: NATE_TE_Issue 23_Summer_2020_p41–47_BINKS_ET_AL.pdf (1).pdf Both documents suggest that there is a distinct difference between teaching and what is taught to students. Pedagogy is the science of teaching, the scaffolding that one climbs to learn. This is a universal idea. It has no cultural or political influence. It is purely the engineering behind teaching. However, what is taught to students (the materials and texts used) must be culturally relevant to them, particularly to students of diverse backgrounds. For example, on a bas...

 On the surface, The Bone Sparrow is a story about migrant life told from the perspective of a young boy born in an Australian refugee camp. The story revolves around our central character, Subhi, and his interactions and adventures with other key characters in the book. About the characters: Subhi, a boy of about 10 or 11, measures his height with the diamond-designed wire fencing surrounding their camp. His resilience in the face of adversity, his unwavering hope, and his determination to find joy in the small things are truly inspiring. Subhi is accompanied by his talking Shakespeare duck. (his imaginary friend or subconscious) Subhi’s mother used to tell him stories about life in their home back in Myanmar (Burma) and his father (Bar). Subhi's mother slowly withdraws and hardly speaks as we go through the story. (Subi’s mum’s character signifies the loss of hope in the camp over the book's narrative. Queeny, Subhi’s older sister, slowly has to take over the responsi...

 Media Studies, often dismissed as a 'soft' subject, actually plays a crucial role in shaping our world. To fully grasp its value, we should consider rebranding it as 'Media Science' and treat it with the same seriousness as STEM subjects. By placing a strong emphasis on its practical application, we can better equip students to confidently navigate the constantly evolving media landscape. David Buckingham’s essay, "The Strangulation of Media Studies," critically examines recent UK government reforms to Media Studies GCSE and A-Level qualifications. These reforms, initiated in 2014, were part of a broader effort to overhaul secondary school education and became particularly threatening to subjects like Media Studies. Although the subject survived, Buckingham argues that the changes have compromised its integrity.   Buckingham places these reforms in the larger context of UK educational policy, which has been a tug-of-war between centralized control and m...

  Until I began my recent studies, I had not fully grasped the magnitude of the role teachers play in shaping our society and future generations. Teachers are the vessels through which knowledge is transferred from one generation to the next. They are not merely educators but also the architects of the future, equipping young minds with the tools needed to succeed. Any generation's creativity, productivity, and innovation are deeply rooted in the quality of its education system. And the foundation of this system is teachers. Our society thrives on learning and sharing that knowledge with the next generation. This continual transfer ensures that each generation can build a better future for themselves and society. With its transformative power, education is the bedrock of societal advancement, capable of turning lives and communities around. However, if a nation fails to prioritise education, particularly in training quality teachers, it risks becoming unproductive and dysfunction...