The following were the views of the students who formed part of a panel during one of the plenary sessions for foundations.Characteristics of a good teacher:-
Respectful Use different teaching styles Demonstrate fairness-treat each student the same Recognize students as individuals and do not compare them Get to know students, it is easier to teach them if you understand them Reliable Care for students Good communication skills Characteristics of a poor teacher:- Does not correct homework given to students-feedback is important Does not teach consistent with the syllabus Is not knowledgeable about the textbooks and other resources |
Professional IdentityTeacher development involves the development of the person and not merely training of the individual by equipping them with skills. The teacher must become actively aware and responsible of the need for his/her development. Professional identity is a self actualization model. It involves agency on the part of the teacher. It emphasizes the emotional, intellectual and the physical. It is a continuous process. It is dynamic. The little things that you do in the classroom are influenced by something bigger-your philosophy. In light of the fact that primary institutions are failing, the onus is on the school to play a more significant role in the socialization of individuals.
Personal DevelopmentEach term we would have professorial development as a staff. This term the topic was "Change Management and Transition". The workshop was very relevant not only because of the change in administration which we would be experiencing as a staff but more so because of my whole DipEd journey and the change that I have been going through as a teacher in trying to adopt a more student-oriented approach to learning.
The goal of the workshop was to help staff mange change. It is often said that change is inevitable and that the only constant is change. Change also signifies growth. It takes time to adapt to and it makes life interesting. It is said that there are three reactions to change:- resistance, reception and resilience. As I reflect on my DipEd journey I believe that I experience those three reactions in consecutive stages. There was a level of resistance to try some of the "new" instructional strategies that I learnt about, but as the anticipation diminished I decided to confront the reality that the needs of my learners are not the same as those ten years ago. As more time elapsed I accepted that this change was not only beneficial to my students but to me as an individual as well. I believe that I am well on my way to enlightenment. The self assessment below indicated to me the areas where my strengths were and those in which I was weak. With this knowledge I can go on to developing myself to become a more reflective practitioner.
Awareness of selfI believe that it was within the first few weeks of the programme that we did a number of assessments to determine the type of learner that we were.
The results from the learning style assessment were Audio 15%; Visual 60% and Tactile 25%. I was not surprised by the results because it has always been easier for me to remember something that I read as opposed to something that I would have heard. Even when attending seminars and lectures I must take notes in order to remember and better understand what is being shared. For me it's true a picture paints a thousand words because I vividly remember images as opposed to songs. The results from the teaching style survey were as follows:- Expert - high (4.0) Formal authority - high (3.75) Personal model -high (3.62) Facilitator - moderate (3.62) Delegator - high (2.87) A detailed analysis of the results was obtained as indicated below. It is only when one understand one's self that he/she can be all that he/she wants to become. It is only then too that one can have a better understanding of others. Intelligence Score (5.0 is highest) Description 4.43 Logic/math:You enjoy exploring how things are related, and you like to understand how things work. You like mathematical concepts, puzzles and manipulative games. You are good at critical thinking. Here are ways to work with this intelligence in your lessons: Arrange cartoons and other pictures in a logical sequence. Sort, categorize, and characterize word lists. While reading a story, stop before you've finished and predict what will happen next. Explore the origins of words. Play games that require critical thinking. For example, pick the one word that doesn't fit: chair, table, paper clip, sofa. Explain why it doesn't fit. Work with scrambled sentences. Talk about what happens when the order is changed. After finishing a story, mind map some of the main ideas and details. Write the directions for completing a simple job like starting a car or tying a shoe. Make outlines of what you are going to write or of the material you've already read. Look for patterns in words. What's the relationship between heal, health, and healthier?Look at advertisements critically. What are they using to get you to buy their product? 4.14 Self: You have a very good sense of self. You like to spend time by yourself and think things over. You will often take in information from another person, mull it over by yourself, and come back to that person later to discuss it. You like working on projects on your own. You often prefer to learn by trial and error. Effective techniques to enhance your learning include keeping a journal and giving yourself time to reflect on new ideas and information. More ideas: Go on "guided imagery" tours. Set aside time to reflect on new ideas and information. Encourage journal writing. Work on the computer. Practice breathing for relaxation. Use brainstorming methods before reading. Listen to and read "how to" tapes and books. Read cookbooks. 3.57 Language: You enjoy enjoy saying, hearing, and seeing words. You like telling stories. You are motivated by books, records, dramas, opportunities for writing. Effective techniques of enhancing your learning using your language intelligence include reading aloud, especially plays and poetry. Another idea is to write down reflections on what you've read. You may also enjoy exploring and developing your love of words, i.e., meanings of words, origin of words and idioms, names. Use different kinds of dictionaries. Other ideas: Keep a journal Use a tape recorder to tape stories and write them down Read together, i.e., choral reading Read a section, then explain what you've read Read a piece with different emotional tones or viewpoints — one angry, one happy, etc. Trade tall tales, attend story-telling events and workshops Research your name The scores for your other five intelligences: Nature social. Spatial. Bodily Musical 3.57 3.14 2.86 2.57 1.29 Just because these five are not in your top three doesn’t mean you’re not strong in them. If your average score for any intelligence is above three, you’re probably using that intelligence quite often to help you learn. Take a look at the Practice section to see how to engage all your intelligences. |