The traditional way of teaching is to pour knowledge from the teacher to
the students. In fact, teaching is much more than that because this
means of teaching can only give students knowledge of what they are
learning. In reality, a teacher is responsible, if one thinks
himself/herself as a real teacher, not only for students getting
knowledge of the subject, but also for the total and all-round
development of the skills in students. The responsibility of a teacher,
therefore, is not limited to pouring of knowledge to students. In
additional to that, other things such as the development of competency,
the improvement of performances, and the appropriate use of language,
are the parts of a teacher's responsibility. As the saying goes, teacher
is everything.
Therefore, to able to fulfill these responsibilities as a teacher, in turn, he or she needs to be always reflecting teaching, finding strengths and weaknesses of the approach used and modifying it to be more and more effective. To do so, a teacher needs to gather information about his or her teaching and it can gain via many ways. In this module of week 5, some useful ways are described both in reading and in video lesson. These means of getting information are very effective for a teacher to reflect his or her teaching.
Here, I would like to express about the situation in Myanmar. I am very lucky that I can apply all the means described in reading. However, most of the language teachers in State schools cannot apply all these means. All teachers can write Teacher diary, but it takes time. Although it is a very good habit, according to my experience, most teachers in Myanmar cannot do so because of the time constraint. I think, teachers in Myanmar are the ones who spend most of the time in teaching all over the world. As the salary of a teacher in Myanmar is very low, they have to go privately teaching classes to earn extra money even after their official teaching in their respective schools. But, even if, they cannot write Teacher Diary, they think about their teaching of the day at night, and they reflect it for tomorrow's teaching. I am the one among them.
What most of the teachers including me can do and always do is Peer Observation. Whenever we get chances, we gather with other colleagues in a place such as dining table or tea shop and we talk about our experiences in teaching and other peer teachers give comments and suggestions. By doing so, we reflect our teaching.
The other means which is Recording lessons cannot be done most of teacher in Myanmar cannot be done. Although I can do it if I want to do so, I have never done such a kind of means for collecting information about my teaching. This means however is also a good one for the reflective teaching.
Student Feedback, I think, is the most important one for the teachers If they want to reflect their teaching because students are the only directly engaged ones in teaching. So, feedback from students are the valuable information for a teacher to evaluate how effective and to reflect his or her teaching. As well as other teachers, I always do this kind of gathering information and I always encourage my students to give feedback and open criticism to me.
Therefore, to able to fulfill these responsibilities as a teacher, in turn, he or she needs to be always reflecting teaching, finding strengths and weaknesses of the approach used and modifying it to be more and more effective. To do so, a teacher needs to gather information about his or her teaching and it can gain via many ways. In this module of week 5, some useful ways are described both in reading and in video lesson. These means of getting information are very effective for a teacher to reflect his or her teaching.
Here, I would like to express about the situation in Myanmar. I am very lucky that I can apply all the means described in reading. However, most of the language teachers in State schools cannot apply all these means. All teachers can write Teacher diary, but it takes time. Although it is a very good habit, according to my experience, most teachers in Myanmar cannot do so because of the time constraint. I think, teachers in Myanmar are the ones who spend most of the time in teaching all over the world. As the salary of a teacher in Myanmar is very low, they have to go privately teaching classes to earn extra money even after their official teaching in their respective schools. But, even if, they cannot write Teacher Diary, they think about their teaching of the day at night, and they reflect it for tomorrow's teaching. I am the one among them.
What most of the teachers including me can do and always do is Peer Observation. Whenever we get chances, we gather with other colleagues in a place such as dining table or tea shop and we talk about our experiences in teaching and other peer teachers give comments and suggestions. By doing so, we reflect our teaching.
The other means which is Recording lessons cannot be done most of teacher in Myanmar cannot be done. Although I can do it if I want to do so, I have never done such a kind of means for collecting information about my teaching. This means however is also a good one for the reflective teaching.
Student Feedback, I think, is the most important one for the teachers If they want to reflect their teaching because students are the only directly engaged ones in teaching. So, feedback from students are the valuable information for a teacher to evaluate how effective and to reflect his or her teaching. As well as other teachers, I always do this kind of gathering information and I always encourage my students to give feedback and open criticism to me.
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