This week’s reflection focused on close-to-the-classroom practices. These practices include the need to build up our teacher’s instructional capacity and the assignment of teachers, especially those with strong instructional program.
One of the most important practices is the recruitment (of part time, flexi-adjunct, and contract teachers) and assignment of teachers (full time and all others) to our classrooms. After looking at the assignment of teachers teaching across the levels and reading the staff deployment policy paper, I hope to share my thoughts and make some suggestions regarding this area. I believe in the importance of selecting and deploying of teachers who have the capabilities and disposition required to solve the challenges our school is currently facing.
The school staff deployment policy paper advocates that the deployment of teachers takes into consideration the teacher’s motivation, ability, roles and support systems that will well enable the teacher to deliver the intended student outcomes. I totally agree with this policy but, to add-on (considering the current profile of our students) I think that in order to progress further there is now a need to consider the importance of recruiting more and retaining teachers who possesses qualities such as the instructional capacity to help at risk students (normal academic, normal technical and even lower ability express) learn and secondly, an unshakable belief in the potential of all students (not just the higher ability students) to learn given the right opportunities and finally, the persistence, patience and optimism needed to create learning experiences for all students in response to initial failure (not just following the standard motion). Priority should be given to ensuring that the recruited and appointed teachers possess as many of the required qualities as possible. This is because the process is difficult and time-consuming, but the result will have a considerable impact on the success of all our programs.
Teachers with the specific skills and attitudes loomed in the minds of many leaders of the school (principal, vice-principals and heads of department). Often I would hear heads of department commented: “.. to get the appropriate teachers in the appropriate classroom.” However, this usually translates to teachers with strong instructional programs been assigned to the “more critical” upper secondary levels. Matters worsen if there are not many of these teachers. Ultimately they will always be given the same upper secondary levels year after year and at long last, they are drained of the much needed energy to help drive the students as there are no other teachers available to teach that critical level. The question is “How can that be?” considering that we are not a new school and that is a critical level. Thus, there is a need to consider how we may want to retain these groups of teachers.
One suggestion is a frequent rotation of teachers among the upper and lower secondary levels or just between the upper secondary levels as a means of improvement. Teacher buddy and professional training can be the supporting systems to help concerned teachers. Another reason getting the teacher to follow through the lower or upper secondary levels with 2 years rotation is also to ensure that the teachers have amply time to target improvements in the subject they are teaching. Once this has become a permanent school culture, many more teachers will acquire the required skill and become that “appropriate” teacher. This is made based on the assumption that teachers are more likely to put in effort with a commitment (rather than resistance) for the students whom they know will be with them for 2 years.
Your have a deep perception of this issue: staff capacity. The Deployment Policy doesn't state the obvious assumption that our teachers all belief in our pupils.
ReplyDeleteThis underlying assumption is a pre-requisite for any teacher, whichever school they are in. (This is embedded in our Values, and the recent Philosophy of Singapore Education).
You have also rightly pointed out that even if not all teachers are "appropriate" for our profile of pupils, they can be developed. And the "looping" (2-year cycle teachers) is certainly one strategy Mentoring, coaching, People Development and other strategies are also needed. We need to apply the 6-circles of influence to ensure that the change in teachers' behaviours is sustainable.