Last week, I reflected on the setting and helping teachers achieve expectations. This week, I will attempt to speak on how I hope to improve such conditions for improved teaching and learning.
In my opinion, the condition here should refer to the knowledge and skills of teachers about curriculum, instruction and learning for the students. And exercising a positive influence on these variables calls on me to know the technical core of schooling, extend my problem solving capacities and review my knowledge of effective instruction.
And since a considerable amount of evidence is available in literature about the effects on student learning stemming from such conditions, it is my responsibility to help prioritize those known conditions to have the greatest chance of improving students’ learning. Already our school on classroom level had focus on assessment for learning (AfL) and the use of ICT as two long term strategic thrusts in our improvement efforts where, for example, on the extent to which teachers are providing students with immediate and formative feedback and pedagogical technology instructions
Simply knowing which conditions hold the greatest promise for improving student learning may not be enough. But it serves as a starting point where every one of us leaders discovers the core conditions for ourselves. After that it still leaves me with the problem of figuring out how to improve the actual status of those conditions in the school. So the key question following discovery and selecting of core variables for action is “What do I do?”
From my past reflections, I had emphasized that as educators, we must place teaching and learning at the heart of improvement efforts and so our relentless pursue ways is to improve the instructional core. Building instructional capacity of teachers requires shifting beliefs and cultures, adopting views that all students regarding of streams can learning, and coupling the need of high expectations. But in order to build up such capacity, I must first understand the definition of quality instruction and pedagogy. After which it is important to be able to strategically implement a plan that addresses capability building among teachers within our departments while other building trust. Investment in teachers’ continuous professional development can increase student achievement. However, such importance should be emphasized by placing a premium on teachers’ professional development as a route to improving instructional outcomes. Professional development should not be just a teacher attending a course and reflecting. The “learned-teacher” should be encouraged to form professional leaning communities to support inquiry and development of pedagogical practices.
I like your concept of the learned-teacher.
ReplyDeleteYes, we need to be informed about our practices through researched theories, collaborations with fellow practitioners and consultants. Having the knowledge is the first important step (where are we going), then we need to also be clear about what will it look like when we are using the practices (where are we now) and as you punted out it is important to know what to do (how to close the gaps).
There is always the challenge for leader's to balance the needs of the deparent and those of the individual. You have witnessed this struggle and these will continue to be challenging us.
You have the capacity to face these struggles with clarity of purpose.