Page 257 - Štremfel, Urška, ed., 2016. Student (Under)achievement: Perspectives, Approaches, Challenges. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut. Digital Library, Documenta 11.
P. 257
son given for this is firstly preparation for employment, or at least an aid in 257
school assessments. A positive effect which could also be expected prior to
employment, i.e. improving academic achievement (cf. Zubizarreta, 2009) or
persevering in education, is commonly overlooked.
Any adolescents’ non-formal or informal experience can provide teachers
with a starting point for discussions with them, and also for a more active ap-
proach to recording non-formal and informal knowledge. It is important for
teachers, who in this case assume the role of mentor to validate adolescents’
non-formal and informal knowledge, and to suitably draw adolescents them-
selves into doing so. This facilitates communication in comparison with what
is possible during school work as part of formal education. It also makes it eas-
ier for adolescents to associate the knowledge that is not foreign to them and
which they had fun acquiring. And they find it easier to use the knowledge
with which they are less familiar. Teachers can make good use of this and trans-
fer it to school work.
There are several other options, for instance, teachers can draw from lit-
erature on recognition of non-formal and informal knowledge in adults
(Bjørnåvold, 2000; Colardyn and Bjørnåvold, 2004; European Commission, 2011;
Kelava, 2006; Tašner, 2007) and adjust and change the methods and recom-
mendations included in this literature to suit their own needs. In doing so, it
is important that they encourage adolescents and that they are aware of the
power of non-formal and informal knowledge.
The Teachers’ Role in Improving Adolescents’ Academic
Achievement
It is not necessary for teachers in schools to opt for formalised means of re-
cording non-formal and informal knowledge. The tools used for recognition of
non-formal and informal knowledge in adults are not transferable to adoles-
cents who are still being educated. The only thing of importance is for teach-
ers to recognise the mechanisms of improving one’s self-concept through
improving performance in school. In students, whose self-concept is predom-
inantly based on their performance in extracurricular activities, teachers are
supposed to be able to transfer this to the school setting.
One of the possible solutions suggested for improving school performance
is ‘assertive mentoring’ provided for adolescents, comprising relatively relaxed
mentor sessions with much of the discussion aimed at confidence building
and reinforcing self-esteem (Younger and Warrington, 2005: 105). Such men-
toring is closely associated with the recognition of adolescents’ knowledge ac-
quired outside of the school environment.
student (formal) achievement through non-formal and informal knowledge
school assessments. A positive effect which could also be expected prior to
employment, i.e. improving academic achievement (cf. Zubizarreta, 2009) or
persevering in education, is commonly overlooked.
Any adolescents’ non-formal or informal experience can provide teachers
with a starting point for discussions with them, and also for a more active ap-
proach to recording non-formal and informal knowledge. It is important for
teachers, who in this case assume the role of mentor to validate adolescents’
non-formal and informal knowledge, and to suitably draw adolescents them-
selves into doing so. This facilitates communication in comparison with what
is possible during school work as part of formal education. It also makes it eas-
ier for adolescents to associate the knowledge that is not foreign to them and
which they had fun acquiring. And they find it easier to use the knowledge
with which they are less familiar. Teachers can make good use of this and trans-
fer it to school work.
There are several other options, for instance, teachers can draw from lit-
erature on recognition of non-formal and informal knowledge in adults
(Bjørnåvold, 2000; Colardyn and Bjørnåvold, 2004; European Commission, 2011;
Kelava, 2006; Tašner, 2007) and adjust and change the methods and recom-
mendations included in this literature to suit their own needs. In doing so, it
is important that they encourage adolescents and that they are aware of the
power of non-formal and informal knowledge.
The Teachers’ Role in Improving Adolescents’ Academic
Achievement
It is not necessary for teachers in schools to opt for formalised means of re-
cording non-formal and informal knowledge. The tools used for recognition of
non-formal and informal knowledge in adults are not transferable to adoles-
cents who are still being educated. The only thing of importance is for teach-
ers to recognise the mechanisms of improving one’s self-concept through
improving performance in school. In students, whose self-concept is predom-
inantly based on their performance in extracurricular activities, teachers are
supposed to be able to transfer this to the school setting.
One of the possible solutions suggested for improving school performance
is ‘assertive mentoring’ provided for adolescents, comprising relatively relaxed
mentor sessions with much of the discussion aimed at confidence building
and reinforcing self-esteem (Younger and Warrington, 2005: 105). Such men-
toring is closely associated with the recognition of adolescents’ knowledge ac-
quired outside of the school environment.
student (formal) achievement through non-formal and informal knowledge
