This is one of the ‘7 billion dollar question’ in the current times – the knowledge revolution fast enwrapping all aspects of life and living, across the world, has stamped a lethal question mark on the practice of teaching! Let’s dissect the broad components of what’s known as teaching, starting with its goal(s).
For starter, we need to be clear about how to define good teaching, what’s the goal(s) of teachers as professionals. As is true for all professions, there are two ways to define the goals(s) – based on efficiency logic or the effectiveness logic (though both must be secured at a level). The efficiency logic evaluates goal(s) achievement with respect to the way the inputs are used; the effectiveness logic evaluates goal(s) achievement in terms of the outcomes.
The overwhelming public (government) nature of schools pushes efficiency logic to the fore – teacher evaluations are too centered around the way teachers conduct the multitude of tasks to a semblance of order. The effectiveness of such tasks, the outcomes – the learning gains of students – is almost ignored in the way society and institutions evaluate teachers. Expectedly, what’s not monitored – outcomes – is generally not focused upon.
However, there’s still an unresolved question – why even highly efficient teachers aren’t necessarily effective? A brief and critical analysis of why effectiveness eludes most sincere teachers follows.
A teacher creates a learning environment to facilitate learning, but that creation rarely translate into ‘good teaching’ for all students – keeping the class in order, motivating children, using teaching aids, demonstrating, explaining are all part of the environment that is a must for learning possible. Obviously, they are necessary but not sufficient to ensure learning.
If concept learning is the expected product, and all the examples, descriptions, explanations, procedures are to scaffold concepts, then time spent on all of these are part of the environment building and do not constitute teaching.
Imagine teaching as sharing of the journey the teacher herself (as a learner) had through the concept map. From her own experience of difficulties she faced, from her knowledge of her students’ abilities and previous experience, she is better able to navigate the children through the forest. Teaching is thus a field trip and the critical understanding the teacher possesses of how she ‘learnt’ is the single most important factor in effective teaching.
The immersion of the student in the learning environment she achieves enhances the chances of sharing of her experience of learning and the student ends up as excited, as sure of oneself as the teacher herself is.
Like a sports coach ought to be a master sportsperson and a music coach ought to be a master musician, a learning coach ought to be a master learner. What is being taught/shared, therefore, is the joy of learning, the product of learning is incidental to the process, but sure to ensue.
May be the most sincere teachers are also not the role-model learners, they are good at several other things!
This blog has substantial inputs from a dear friend – Raja Ram Sharma.
