☰ Mr Ashton's Approach to Learning

Mr Ashton's Approach to Learning

Posted on: September 23rd 2021

Mr Ashton’s Approach to Learning

When I first entered the teaching profession (a few years ago), I was mindful of what I brought to the classroom. The teacher I became over a period of time was moulded on three key principles of learning that were and are still today personal to me.

Firstly I believe that if a child is happy and content in a classroom then they will learn because they are pleased to be in the room therefore in that lesson. A child who is miserable will not have the same level of desire to learn as one who is happy and ready to learn because he or she wants to be there. This is the basic premise that if the child is present then they will absorb what is taught.

Sadly, when I was 12 years old my father died suddenly and left a gaping hole in my life at what was an important time in educational terms. I have always held dear the principle of being a positive male role model to boys and girls. This is certainly true today because of the way men are perceived in the media and in elements of society, children need a male teacher who is kind, caring and takes an interest in them as children.

My passion for my subject of Maths comes from my own experience of it in childhood. I can recall teachers not being interested in taking the time to explain how the number system worked and how multiplication and division were interlinked. This style of learning prevented me from progressing and that has been the maths byword for me: ‘progress’. I believe that each child needs to feel a sense of progress in their understanding of Maths and how it can assist them in their daily lives. 

Finally, I ask myself how many hats we wear as teachers. The answer is many. Educator, child analyst, therapist, diplomat between children and sometimes parents. At the end of each teaching year it is the sentence from a child ‘’Thanks, Mr Ashton’’ that makes the job over the year worthwhile. It is still a vocation, a calling, but certainly a worthwhile calling because it is an influence on each child’s life.

Rob Ashton

← All news stories

Request a Prospectus E-Newsletter Photo Gallery


Back to the top