The candid discussion between President Dr Irfaan Ali and teachers on Monday at State House is refreshing. The issue of teachers’ salaries and benefits has been a prolonged issue tangled in a web of politics. Often times in Guyana’s history, this issue has been at a stalemate as a result of the hardcore, uncompromising and confrontational approaches by representatives rather than the best interest of teachers. Globally, research has shown that education increasingly points to the role of a strong teaching workforce as a key element of a high-performing system.
One of the reoccurring topics from Monday’s discussion with President Ali was how to effectively retain our teachers while developing their lifestyles and livelihood.
It is, therefore, welcoming that the Head of State has given thought to this even before hearing from the teachers themselves. His announcement of arranging for special loans for teachers with house lots and those seeking to own their own homes is tremendous. The moment someone owns a home, the family acquires pride in home ownership, and typically sees itself as having a stake in the community. Thus, this decision by the Government to mediate in these arrangements with the banks brings not only self-satisfaction for teachers, but pride for themselves and families.
This pride must not only be extended to home ownership as education is a fluid, evolving, continually-changing landscape, and teachers have to keep in step with that process. Thus, there is critical need for ongoing professional development (PD) for teachers.
While this training must focus on the latest pedagogy, it must not ignore other factors that impact the teaching-learning dynamic. For example, the two biggest strengths of ‘awesome’ teachers are their capacity to develop emotive connections, and build trust with their students. Thus, teacher training must include emotive connection and trust-building, as well as empathetic communication, which is critical to both.
As well, PD would ensure that teachers are staying abreast with whatever schools and the system introduce at any and all times – instructional methodologies such as the workshop model, for example; differentiated instructions to ensure the needs of all students are met during instructions; types of assessments beyond standardised tests; classroom management without corporal punishment, et cetera.
In fact, it is highly recommended that all teachers do basic education courses in order to become adept with learning/teaching styles, (John Dunn), multiple intelligences (Gardner), differential cooperative group learning, curriculum- based assessment skills to continuously measure learning, especially of the slow learners, to share with parents. Teachers must not only be fluent with the cognitive taxonomy of objectives of Bloom, but also with the affective domain to effectively define instructional objectives (scientifically) according to cognitive and emotional levels of students. And there should be teacher training in violence prevention, conflict resolution, psychosocial skills (at the levels of teachers and students), social problem-solving, social and emotional learning, role-playing, supervised interactions, student-centred instruction, basic learning disabilities such as dyslexia, modelling and reinforcement exercises.
Mentoring is another critical need. Experienced teachers can allow into their classrooms as observers other teachers, especially inexperienced ones, with each such session being followed by the exemplary teacher helping the observing teachers to unpack, clarify, and seek additional details. The other side of the coin is exemplary and/or master teachers observing the classes of the other teachers, and then meeting with them to unpack, guide and mentor.
At the personal level, teachers should play a part in curriculum design, especially with respect to goal settings and standards to be met, and be paid for after-school teaching – evenings, weekends, holidays.
Consideration must also be given to teachers being provided with skills to address the various issues they come up against in the course of each working day. Thus, for example, why not provide anti-bullying training directly to teachers, perhaps using the Olweus Bullying Prevention Programme – the most researched and best-known such programme? Of course, a psychologist in each school…
Following the discussions coming out of State House on Monday, President Ali said: “Now that I have a full understanding directly from you…I am in a better position to come up with a holistic approach as to how we will deal with the welfare of students and teachers together.”
This brings a sigh of relief that our teachers are going to have not only an improved standard of life, but also an improved standard of working environment.
