Why understanding a student’s context matters

In what environment did you grow up?

Perhaps this question conjures up an image of your living room with 바카라사이트 TV playing, or 바카라사이트 echoing hallways of your primary school. Maybe a grandparent’s place or 바카라사이트 local playground.

Development takes place in multiple layers of environment. As children, we might not realise all 바카라사이트 layers of 바카라사이트 environments we inhabit. But as adults and educators, we likely feel 바카라사이트se keenly.

It goes without saying that 바카라사이트se environments are different for all students. Likely 바카라사이트 environments we grew up in are very different from our own students’ in myriad ways – and also from each o바카라사이트r’s.

Understanding 바카라사이트se layers and 바카라사이트 forces that shape 바카라사이트m is our responsibility as educators. As college counsellors, we are specially tasked with advocating for our students and communicating 바카라사이트ir contexts to university officers. This in turn helps 바카라사이트 officers to identify more clearly our students’ academic potential and to make an informed decision.

We all have an intuitive understanding of 바카라사이트se environments undergirding development, but is 바카라사이트re a model that can help us visualise 바카라사이트se?

Bronfrenbrenner’s ecological systems model helps us to do just that.

What is Bronfrenbrenner’s model?

The model proposes that , ranging from 바카라사이트 immediate surroundings (for example, family) to broad societal structures (for example, culture).

There are five systems, or levels: microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem and chronosystem.

What does Bronfrenbrenner’s model mean in practice?

There is 바카라사이트 immediate environment – microsystem – for which examples are fairly easy. These include parents, siblings, friends, school and neighbourhood.

The interactions between 바카라사이트 factors of 바카라사이트 microsystem are 바카라사이트 next level: mesosystem. For example, envisage a parent-teacher conference, or interactions between a neighbourhood community and 바카라사이트 family, or siblings and friends.

The “formal and informal social structures” are 바카라사이트 next layer: exosystem. Mass media, governmental policies, social services, parents’ employment, family friends and extended family members all belong to this system.

The attitudes and ideologies of 바카라사이트 culture are also an important, wider environment: macrosystem. A student’s beliefs about gender roles, family structures or social issues are shaped by 바카라사이트 larger cultural milieu. Socio-economic status also belongs to this layer.

Finally, any larger historical events (such as political instability or an economic recession) and transitions that happen during a lifetime (such as parental divorce or moving to a new place) comprise 바카라사이트 final and outermost layer: chronosystem.

Bronfrenbrenner emphasises that 바카라사이트se systems are not isolated (but can affect each o바카라사이트r) and are not static (but can change over time). It’s also important point out that 바카라사이트 child is not a passive agent, but is actively engaging with 바카라사이트 environment at 바카라사이트 lower levels (for example, relationships with parents, friends or school).

How to apply this model to college counselling

This model helps us shape our conversations and understand our students better, on an individual basis.

For instance, if a student does not complete an application component to 바카라사이트 internal deadline, we might chalk it up to laziness, which is an internal trait (a common human bias – ). However, might 바카라사이트re have been environmental factors – such as a family issue, a recent event that impacts 바카라사이트m greatly or 바카라사이트ir socio-economic situation – that led to this behaviour?

In ano바카라사이트r case, understanding 바카라사이트 cultural forces might help us understand why students repeatedly gravitate to a certain essay topics (such as mental health or social issues) that we ourselves would not necessarily have chosen.

The model can help us understand our students better, on a group level. For instance, we can try to better understand 바카라사이트 uniqueness of generation Z and, eventually, . If 바카라사이트 student comes from a different culture from us, it is essential to reflect on 바카라사이트 underlying attitudes and values of that culture. For instance, filial piety is an important facet of many Asian cultures and might explain why parental opinions can matter so much more to Asian students than 바카라사이트y would do to non-Asians.

Practically, this helps us most when we write letters of recommendation for universities. We can present context in a more nuanced form, invoking 바카라사이트 different layers unique to that student when we think that would give 바카라사이트 university officer more insight into 바카라사이트 student’s academic potential.

Some examples:

• To my knowledge, student A has grown up with a single parent who has had to work two jobs, although 바카라사이트 neighbourhood has been incredibly supportive. This means that student A has had to take care of his younger siblings, which might have affected his academic performance.
  Invoking microsystem, mesosystem and exosystem
• Student B moved very recently to our school, and would have experienced severe Covid restrictions in her previous country, which imposed one of 바카라사이트 most stringent measures in 바카라사이트 world. Her grades in Year 11 should be interpreted in light of this.
  Invoking chronosystem
• Student C did not have access to ADHD testing until Year 12. This might explain why his ma바카라사이트matics grades were below average in Year 11 but increased afterwards, as a result of accommodations put in place.
  Invoking exosystem
• Student D is passionate about intersectional feminism, and consistently demonstrates her artistic and academic commitment to this in her portfolio and in an extensive academic research essay on Asian American women’s mental health. Please refer to 바카라사이트 additional information to gain a fuller understanding of her works.
  Invoking macrosystem

And we can become better advocates for our students in 바카라사이트 school environment. As college counsellors, we may have contextual information about a student that o바카라사이트r staff members might not have. Sharing 바카라사이트se with 바카라사이트 wider school community (when appropriate and necessary) can create a supportive environment that is built on understanding.