Practices to Achieve Teachers’ Expectations

Last week, I reflected on the setting of teachers’ expectations. This week, I will attempt to speak on the practices which I believe may help teachers achieve their expectations.

There is this saying “knowing your followers’ needs and raising them to more mature levels ….” One way is by the use of delegation to provide the teacher opportunity to self-actualize and to attain higher standards of development. In my opinion, this delegation must be a behavior which should communicates respect for the teacher, as well as show concerns about the teachers’ feelings and needs. Delegation should not be just passing on of responsibilities from the leader! Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

To me, the practice of this sort needs to include task orientation such as the actual responsibility and consideration for people namely their ability, their aspiration, their potential. In addition, there is a need to “support” and “recognize and reward” teachers as well. With these practices, I hope to build the confidence, resilience and persistence of teachers to face the challenges of ICT implementation – is really the goal I intend to achieve.

I believe that providing professional support and encouragement for teachers’ personal growth such be done, even for teachers who face immediate challenges of their classrooms or instructions (sometimes there are questions from others why “a particular teacher” is allowed to go for this, that training while he/she is already facing difficulties in this, that…). Instead, as leaders we need to monitor teachers on a more regular basis and provide them with supports through one-to-one meetings, and more importantly be able to give them advice for improvements. Monitoring alone is not the way. I urged for more time to be set aside for leaders (some are over-bagged) to lend support and encourage their teachers (that is why the leader also need to be competent first) to raise their self-esteem and self-image, and to influence their belief in their professional ability. By and large, these indicate that school leaders are more facilitators, mentors and coaches.

Evidences from last Friday’s management meeting showed questions been raised about relating instruction practices with theory. Literature reviews showed contributing forces on the role of theory, especially those emerged from the observation of students at work can play on instructional practices. These theories will help shed light on learning difficulties which students had. Leaders already involved in such practices would best use the collaborative session such as our PLC, the department meeting to address the teachers’ individual concerns about their instruction and what student improvement the theory will serve. Otherwise, leaders could also seek advice from consultants from recognized institutions.

However, I personally feel that teachers often find it more effective to get help from their colleagues with whom they are now collaborating in teams and through regular department meetings where theoretical based instructions could be emphasized than through external sources. Thus, there is a need to highlight the role of the leader in creating such collaboration within the department (Again, leaders need the competence). When teachers grew more comfortable collaborating with colleagues, consultations among teachers becomes a natural approach to any problem solving in school Luckily, this is a culture the school is slowing building.