6.1.3 Beliefs about the learner’s role
The student's picture of the teacher seems to be rather dispiriting. However, this
does not seem to be true if we consider their whole concept of the teacher∕student
relationship. At the beginning of their discussion, the students' opening statements seem
to be very straightforward and blunt:
A: There are several ways to leam, but we Ieam in a traditional way, and it works
K: Generally, students are conformist. Few are enthusiastic and eager.
Most remain silent.
This seems to be the stereotype of student that the participants had. However,
when they had the opportunity to analyse and discuss this first stereotype, that is to say,
when they start working in their second order systems, delving into the beliefs of their
beliefs, different things arose.
First of all, they become aware that what they are first stating is not exactly their
actual beliefs but the beliefs that they have about the beliefs of their teachers, that is,
their teachers' expectations about the students beliefs on teachers. This was stated by E in
a very direct way:
E: The teacher wanted us to feel that he was the knower, and have mercy on the
student who doesn’t know!
Or in subtler ways, where the participant states a belief but adds something to make clear
that the belief is not actually hers, that she doesn't believe in it:
X: the teacher knows everything, he solves your doubts and you take what he is giving.
You don't have the right to give your own opinion
where the last statement gives an element of incredulity and irony to the whole comment.
From this point, the participants start realising that they actually do not believe in
everything that the teachers want them to believe. They expressed this in two ways,
either emphasising the students' awareness:
X: Students are not stupid. We realise when a teacher is a teacher. From
the very first day. Sometimes the student pretends, because it is convenient
for him. 'Great, I've got a maestro barco' But the teacher cannot deceive his students.
160
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