The developments in this world and in our society demand that we make choices – to stay as we are, or move forward and make the changes needed to be leaders in the world of education.
In South Africa the quality of a school is too often judged by all the extra facilities and offerings a school has for its pupils.
BUT, a school is first and foremost a crucial educational facility on which the future of millions of young South Africans depend. At the heart of this is the quality and commitment of the teachers… anything less than the very best from teachers is unacceptable.
The teacher who is a brilliant rugby coach or hockey coach may produce great sporting results and be the toast of the school community. However, pupils let down by the poor quality of teachers and teaching in the classroom have every reason to feel cheated.
The first and foremost task of the teacher is to be an excellent, outstanding teacher!
When teachers come too school late, leave early or only come for some days in a week, the profession should not tolerate this. This is unprofessional and dishonest.
But the issue goes further. Sadly there are teachers who go from year to year with the minimum change relating to planning and performance, and our young people suffer in such situations.
As the 2015 school year dawns, it is high time that the staff at every school sit down and carefully consider what is needed to raise the level and quality of teachers and teaching.
Further, they need to carefully consider possible innovations and changes to improve the quality of teaching and learning.
Too often in primary school a teacher will teach the same grade year after year after year. Yet change could revitalise such a teacher with profound effects on the pupils. Three to five years in the same grade should generally be more than sufficient.
Sometimes, for example, a top quality, experienced teacher might need to consider moving to a class in another grade in order to change the atmosphere or the lack of motivation in that class.
One innovation which made a great difference to pupils and teacher alike was to change the Grade 7 mathematics teaching so that the class did geometry on Mondays, basic number work on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and then on Friday they did graphs. The geometry and graphs went way beyond what was required and pupils loved the variety brought into the week.
At the same time the basic number work was thoroughly done in the three days per week.
Unfortunately, there are teachers and schools who are slaves to a textbook, which can frustrate both teacher and pupils alike.
Yet another innovation is in the time assigned to written language, involving getting pupils out of the classroom and to sit alone and in silence, using their five senses. After 20 to 30 minutes they return quietly to the classroom and write their composition describing what they experienced using all five senses.
In East London the ideal place could be to sit on the beach in silence and away from each other. In Cape Town it might be sitting alone looking at Table Mountain and again, using one’s senses before going back to the class to write in silence, describing their individual experience.
This is “real” writing based on a real experience, rather than some artificial, thumb-suck “experience”.
There is no doubt that there are many, many more possibilities, ideas and initiatives that could enrich both teaching and learning. What is required is putting ideas into action!
Schools spend vast amounts of time on the head knowledge but precious little if any on the critical issue of relating to other people, children and adults. A most urgently needed innovation is a course in human relations. Even one period per week from Grade 5 to Grade 7 would be a great start to meeting a crucial need. Much of the head knowledge learnt might be forgotten when the years of schooling are over but human relationships will remain crucial.
Are there schools ready to take up the challenge?
One of the most serious accusations levelled at teachers is a lack of professional reading in their field. If you are a teacher, would you go to and trust a doctor who you discover has done no professional reading and keeping up to date in his field for the past 20 years?
It is absurd and laughable to imagine such a situation, but children are regularly exposed to teachers against whom such accusations can fairly be levelled.
Teachers like to be called “professionals” but fail to read, research and keep up to date.
Who are the losers? The children, all the time.
To return to the issue of syllabi, it is important to stop seeing this as the boundary of one’s work. Going beyond and outside the syllabi is an option as and when it is needed. Let us rather see the syllabi as the starting point, the minimum required and set our sights on higher goals.
It is a very serious matter when teachers see completing the syllabi as all that is required. Things happen during the year – shipwrecks, earthquakes, typhoons – which can be transformed into great learning experiences for pupils. Making use of these is not time wasting or digressing, but taking advantage of opportunities to provide a broadened experience for children.
The list of possible opportunities for learning beyond the syllabi abounds for teachers with a will to broaden children’s educational experiences and their own teaching without neglecting the basics.
The challenge is there. But what innovations will school staff seek to implement this year? What changes will individual teachers make to enliven and enrich their pupils?
Principals and teachers, could consider planning an afternoon workshop entitled “Innovation 2015 – making a real difference in educating our pupils” and seeing all the possibilities that may emerge.
“Professional development” is also vital and should not be some extra if time permits. Schools need to use the expertise available to provide ongoing development for all staff. There is a lot of expertise beyond the school gates with people ready to assist by bringing new ideas and approaches for staff to hear, consider and act on where they can.
The question is, will 2015 just be “more of the same” or will it be turned into a year of growth and development, innovation that will turn 2015 into a truly great year?
Dr Ken Alston is an East London based educationist
Innovation vital for both learners and teachers
In South Africa the quality of a school is too often judged by all the extra facilities and offerings a school has for its pupils.
BUT, a school is first and foremost a crucial educational facility on which the future of millions of young South Africans depend. At the heart of this is the quality and commitment of the teachers… anything less than the very best from teachers is unacceptable.
The teacher who is a brilliant rugby coach or hockey coach may produce great sporting results and be the toast of the school community. However, pupils let down by the poor quality of teachers and teaching in the classroom have every reason to feel cheated.
The first and foremost task of the teacher is to be an excellent, outstanding teacher!
When teachers come too school late, leave early or only come for some days in a week, the profession should not tolerate this. This is unprofessional and dishonest.
But the issue goes further. Sadly there are teachers who go from year to year with the minimum change relating to planning and performance, and our young people suffer in such situations.
As the 2015 school year dawns, it is high time that the staff at every school sit down and carefully consider what is needed to raise the level and quality of teachers and teaching.
Further, they need to carefully consider possible innovations and changes to improve the quality of teaching and learning.
Too often in primary school a teacher will teach the same grade year after year after year. Yet change could revitalise such a teacher with profound effects on the pupils. Three to five years in the same grade should generally be more than sufficient.
Sometimes, for example, a top quality, experienced teacher might need to consider moving to a class in another grade in order to change the atmosphere or the lack of motivation in that class.
One innovation which made a great difference to pupils and teacher alike was to change the Grade 7 mathematics teaching so that the class did geometry on Mondays, basic number work on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and then on Friday they did graphs. The geometry and graphs went way beyond what was required and pupils loved the variety brought into the week.
At the same time the basic number work was thoroughly done in the three days per week.
Unfortunately, there are teachers and schools who are slaves to a textbook, which can frustrate both teacher and pupils alike.
Yet another innovation is in the time assigned to written language, involving getting pupils out of the classroom and to sit alone and in silence, using their five senses. After 20 to 30 minutes they return quietly to the classroom and write their composition describing what they experienced using all five senses.
In East London the ideal place could be to sit on the beach in silence and away from each other. In Cape Town it might be sitting alone looking at Table Mountain and again, using one’s senses before going back to the class to write in silence, describing their individual experience.
This is “real” writing based on a real experience, rather than some artificial, thumb-suck “experience”.
There is no doubt that there are many, many more possibilities, ideas and initiatives that could enrich both teaching and learning. What is required is putting ideas into action!
Schools spend vast amounts of time on the head knowledge but precious little if any on the critical issue of relating to other people, children and adults. A most urgently needed innovation is a course in human relations. Even one period per week from Grade 5 to Grade 7 would be a great start to meeting a crucial need. Much of the head knowledge learnt might be forgotten when the years of schooling are over but human relationships will remain crucial.
Are there schools ready to take up the challenge?
One of the most serious accusations levelled at teachers is a lack of professional reading in their field. If you are a teacher, would you go to and trust a doctor who you discover has done no professional reading and keeping up to date in his field for the past 20 years?
It is absurd and laughable to imagine such a situation, but children are regularly exposed to teachers against whom such accusations can fairly be levelled.
Teachers like to be called “professionals” but fail to read, research and keep up to date.
Who are the losers? The children, all the time.
To return to the issue of syllabi, it is important to stop seeing this as the boundary of one’s work. Going beyond and outside the syllabi is an option as and when it is needed. Let us rather see the syllabi as the starting point, the minimum required and set our sights on higher goals.
It is a very serious matter when teachers see completing the syllabi as all that is required. Things happen during the year – shipwrecks, earthquakes, typhoons – which can be transformed into great learning experiences for pupils. Making use of these is not time wasting or digressing, but taking advantage of opportunities to provide a broadened experience for children.
The list of possible opportunities for learning beyond the syllabi abounds for teachers with a will to broaden children’s educational experiences and their own teaching without neglecting the basics.
The challenge is there. But what innovations will school staff seek to implement this year? What changes will individual teachers make to enliven and enrich their pupils?
Principals and teachers, could consider planning an afternoon workshop entitled “Innovation 2015 – making a real difference in educating our pupils” and seeing all the possibilities that may emerge.
“Professional development” is also vital and should not be some extra if time permits. Schools need to use the expertise available to provide ongoing development for all staff. There is a lot of expertise beyond the school gates with people ready to assist by bringing new ideas and approaches for staff to hear, consider and act on where they can.
The question is, will 2015 just be “more of the same” or will it be turned into a year of growth and development, innovation that will turn 2015 into a truly great year?
Dr Ken Alston is an East London based educationist
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