TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT IN ELT PATHS AND PERSPECTIVES OR ‘
‘KNOWING BETTER IS DOING BETTER’ Andrew Starling
“When you KNOW better you DO better.� - Maya Angelou (American poet, memoirist, actress and important figure in the American Civil Rights Movement)
TO START US OFF
Work in small groups. Ask each other:
1. How long have you been teaching English? 2. What made you start teaching English?
2 words to describe how you feel about teaching now?
Where will you be in 5 years? •
10 years?
•
15 years?
CLOSE YOUR EYES!
HOW WILL YOU GET TO WHERE YOU WANT TO BE?
YOUR PROFESSIONAL FUTURE?
YOUR PROFESSIONAL FUTURE?
WHAT DO YOU WANT? WHICH WAY?
A BRIGHT FUTURE?
THINK ABOUT THIS
Look at the questions and mentally check the one that you ask yourself on a regular basis.
Stop at the questions you never ask.
DO YOU ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS?
Can I make it until the end of the week?
Can I really do this work day after day?
“I know what I am supposed to do, but it just doesn’t work with my students.”
HOW ABOUT THESE QUESTIONS?
How can I help a student who doesn’t seem to be learning?
“How can I change my lessons to meet needs of low ability/high achieving students?”
AND WHAT ABOUT THESE? What are some new materials, techniques, approaches, ideas, etc., that I can try in my classroom? What is the teacher in my specialization doing in the next building? Are there new ideas that have emerged since the last time I was in class?
AND THESE?
How will schools change society?
What is my role to assist in change?
What are my philosophical perspectives?
SURVIVAL
Can I make it until the end of the week? Can I really do this work day after day? “I know what I am supposed to do, but it just doesn’t work with my students.”
How can I help a student who doesn’t seem to be learning? CONSOLIDATION “How can I change my lessons to meet needs of low ability/high achieving students?”
RENEWAL
What are some new materials, techniques, approaches, ideas, etc., that I can try in my classroom? What is the teacher in my specialization doing in the next building? Are there new ideas that have emerged since the last time I was in class?
MATURITY
How will schools change society? What is my role to assist in change? What are my philosophical perspectives?
SURVIVAL STAGE
Survivors are so focused on themselves and their own needs (trying to survive) that they usually fail to see the direct relationship between what the teacher does (or doesn’t do) and what the students do. These teachers tend to react to situations rather than anticipate and prevent potential problems by using preventive management strategies. These teachers tend to be rather self-centred and do not notice learners’ individual needs. Survivors need suggestions for the specific situation and resources to help them develop and present their lessons.
CONSOLIDATION STAGE Teachers at this stage have been able to implement rules and routines for the groups and have lessons that meet the needs of the average learner in their class. ďƒ’ Though the individual needs of students are beginning to be recognized, the teacher is still struggling to find ways to meet special needs. These teachers need opportunities to share their feelings and ideas with teachers in similar stages of development. ďƒ’
RENEWAL STAGE Renewal teachers are often interested in professional development opportunities that are available through local state, or national organizations. ďƒ’ They may want to attend conferences or become members of their professional associations. They are interested in visiting other classes and having visitors to their classrooms so as to get new ideas from peers. These teachers are very selfmotivated. ďƒ’
MATURITY STAGE ďƒ’
These teachers may want to participate in conferences and seminars and to accept leadership positions in their school, community, or professional organization.
ďƒ’
They may become excellent mentors because they have experienced the needs of teachers moving through these stages.
IN THE BEGINNING
How did you start teaching?
HOW YOU FEEL WHEN YOU FINISH YOUR PRE-SERVICE COURSE……
HOW YOU FEEL WHEN YOU START TEACHING…..
BUT AFTER A WHILE……
TEACHER EDUCATION
For many teachers, their education starts and ends with their pre-service course.
When did you take your pre-service course?
How relevant and applicable is what you learned THEN to your situation NOW?
THE SOLUTION?
ďƒ’
Training and development!!
BUT…..
Training and/or development implies risk.
Stepping outside our comfort zone.
Questioning established, comfortable ‘truths’.
Affects the ‘ego’.
Requires resources….
ME?! TRAIN AND DEVELOP?!
Why bother?
“Why develop? It is easier not to?” Barduhen, S. 2002
ďƒ’
Isn’t it easier to keep doing what has worked for you over the years?
But the danger is…..
Which leads to…..
TEACHER EDUCATION Boredom Tiredness ‘Burn out’ Dissatisfaction Disillusionment Bitterness
TEACHER EDUCATION
‘Another factor to consider in analysing the need for continuing professional and personal development is that change is permanent and accelerating. The half life of any knowledge is probably 2 to 3 years. This means that there is a constant need to review what we know and be open to new ideas. Only in this way can we keep up to date with our knowledge and take into account fresh ideas and perspectives.’ From: CPD; an impossible quest or an attainable challenge? L.Sanchez with S.Brewster
ďƒ’
To be knowledgeable and principled without the appropriate skills necessary to apply this knowlegde is limiting. Skill too in the absence of knowledge is of limited value.
ďƒ’
The knowledgeable teacher who is also skillful is a powerful educator. Pettis, 2002:394
WHAT IS KNOWLEDGE?
Talk to the peope next to you and make a list of what you think consitutes knowledge.
For example, grammar rules, ‘PPP’
WHAT ARE SKILLS? ďƒ’
Talk to the peope next to you and make a list of what you think consitutes skills.
ďƒ’
For example, classroom managements, giving instructions, correcting mistakes according to needs, adpating your lesson plan, etc, etc
A DILEMMA….
THE QUESTION To train or not to train? Is THAT the question?
To develop or not to develop? Is THAT the question?
To train or to develop? That is the question!
TEACHER EDUCATION TRAINING
DEVELOPMENT
Compulsory
Voluntary
Competency based
Holistic
Short term
Long term
TEACHER EDUCATION TRAINING
DEVELOPMENT
Compulsory
Voluntary
Competency based
Holistic
Short term
Long term
TEACHER EDUCATION TRAINING
DEVELOPMENT
One-off
Ongoing
Temporary
Continual
External agenda
Internal agenda
TEACHER EDUCATION TRAINING
DEVELOPMENT
Skill/Technique/ knowledge
Awareness based
Compulsory for entry to profession
Non-compulsory
Top down
Bottom up
TEACHER EDUCATION TRAINING
DEVELOPMENT
Product weighted
Process weighted
You get a job
You stay interested in your job
Done with experts
Done with peers
TRAINING
Courses – qualifications and certification
Eg. TTC, BA, Celta, ICELT, TDC, Delta, MA, etc.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Workshops Conferences Self-monitoring Support group Teaching journal Peer observation Teaching Portfolio
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
‘My effectiveness as a teacher depends largely on my pedagogic skills…..
…..but it is the ‘me’ who operates them that mainly influences their effectiveness.’
Adrian Underhill
SO………
Training EDUCATES…..
Development CHANGES and IMPROVES….
Development DEPLOYS training
NOW WHAT?
Don’t get left behind!
MAKE A PLAN!
Your plan should include training AND development
SMART – Specific, Measurable, Accurate, Reliable, Timed
Stage your plan.
Find a T & D ‘buddy’ or group!
THE MORE YOU DO…..
THANK YOU!