How do we raise teaching standards?
When the GCE O/L examination results were released, due recognition was given to those students who excelled. Praise was also offered towards the principals and the teachers who were involved. The main reason for success was reported to be the commitment not only of the students but also the teachers. In this background, it is apt to reflect on the significance of the role of the teacher and seek ways to upgrade the quality of teaching knowing the influence that the teacher has in the formation of the character of the future generation.
The principal of a leading school in Kandy invited me to make a presentation on the benefits of using mathematical apparatus, to their senior students. Having arrived early I was walking about observing the activities in the school, when a young man approached me and asked whether I could remember him. He introduced himself and said that I had taught him mathematicswhen he was in his O’L classes. Thereafter he had opted to offer bio-science for his advanced level classes and became a chemistry teacher.
He took me to the chemistry lab and told me how sorry he is about its poor state and explained his ideas for upgrading with the help of the funding by the Old Boys Association. As I was leaving, he paid his homage to me, as his teacher, by kneeling down and touching my feet. I was highly moved as it happened in the presence of some of his students.
In the past the respect and affection for the teacher was not confined to the school or the period of schooling but was lifelong. Teaching was considered to be a noble profession and many teachers were good role models for the students. Teacher absences were minimal and if one was absent it meant a serious illness or an accident. It was rare to see teachers leaving at the closing bell as many of them were involved in after school activities such as sports, literary or such associations or remedial lessons for students.
A few other teachers would spend time preparing for future lessons or going over student work. The teachers were involved in the formation of the personality of the child being involved in the total curriculum rather than confining themselves to the academic arena. Schools hiring coaches for various sports activities were unheard of as there were enough talented teachers who would offer their services voluntarily. It was Aristotle who said “Those who educate children well are more to be honoured than they who produce them; for these only gave them life, those the art of living well.” If so, what has gone wrong in the modern era?
Nowadays we see teachers rushing to get out of the school when the classes end. Perhaps, they cannot be blamed solely as they too have to survive and make ends meet. Many have a second employment as tutors in various academic institutions that have come up recently. Thus they have very little time for lesson preparation or assisting in the extra-curricular activities of the school. The knowledge of any subject is not a closed set. It is continuously expanding. As such, not only students but teachers too should be lifelong learners. It is important to keep updated not only on the subject matter but also on current educational trends and modern teaching strategies as we are living in era of rapid technological advancement. However, a large proportion of teachers are unable to find time to keep up with this expansion of knowledge due to the extra work undertaken in addition to the teaching post.
It is a fact that the teacher is the pivot of education in a school. The success or failure in the imparting of the knowledge rests mainly on the teacher. The commitment and the ability of the teacher are vital for success. Therefore a thorough screening process is needed not only at the stage of selection as a teacher but also while on the job, as future generations are at stake. The imaginative and creative power of the students are developed through visionary teachers but unfortunately the system has become so rigid today that there is not much flexibility for talented and capable teachers and principals to try out innovative projects. The best teachers teach from the heart, not from the book.
What can be done to bring back the nobility of the teaching profession? There has to be a political will by the leaders of the country to systematically upgrade the quality of teaching and make it truly a vocation. To begin with, the salary structures have to be revisited to enable the teachers to be able to manage with dignity without being forced to look for further employment due to financial constraints. The role of the teacher has to be recognised as teaching is the profession that teaches all other professions and therefore teachers are the real nation builders. Funds must be allocated to provide resources for visionary teaching and it should be considered as an investment and not an extra expenditure. All teachers should be equipped with a decent medical insurance so that they will be able to perform their duties without having to bother about other pressing issues. A scheme can also be formulated to compensate teachers for unutilised leave.
When the above matters are attended to, the teachers will have more time to devote to be involved in the extra-curricular activities of the school and in fact this can be made compulsory. The best results are achieved when teachers are involved in the growth of the whole child for which the teacher-student interaction has to take place outside of class too. An appraisal system free of any political or such pressures should be introduced to maintain standards. Students too can be involved in such a system as they can be good judges and can provide helpful comments for effective changes. Generally the principal of the school knows best about the needs of the school in the context of its location and student community and they need to be fully involved in this evaluation process. In fact, there should be flexibility to enable the principals to make modifications according to the requirements of each individual school. The difficult role of the Principal has to be recognised and they should be treated with the dignity that they deserve.
The Department of Education can do more to provide training for teachers on modern trends in education, use of technology, innovative teaching methods etc., through seminars, conferences and workshops. Subject specific seminars too are needed for the teachers to update their knowledge on the changes that have taken place in their subject areas.
Let us hope that we will be able to raise the quality of the teacher and teaching so that they in turn can earn the respect and love of the nation. The potential of the people in a nation depends on the teachers. As William Arthur Ward said “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.”
(The writer has nearly forty years of teaching experience in Sri Lanka and Hong Kong and is currently at the Overseas School of Colombo).