Welwitchia Education Initiative CC

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The Namibian Princess by Ndaponah Shikangalah... a true inspirational Namibian story of an adventurous "Princess" who beats all odds to realise her dream... this is a "must-read" book and every pre-primary to junior secondary school should have a copy of this Namibian adventure story book... an excellent book for Namibian school children and every day reading in English... an excellent 10/10...

The Mystery of Good Teaching: What makes a good teacher?

Most people will definitely affirm EXPERIENCE, when posed with the question to what makes a good teacher. Others will pin-point HIGH GRADES on the teacher exams or external exam, QUALIFICATION, good PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT and ADVANCED STUDIES.

These are all quantifiable—that is, researchers can measure these elements and at least roughly connect them to student outcomes. And indeed, each contributes to increased student achievement to some degree.

But seasoned teachers will usually say something more. They will say that high-quality teaching is really defined by something less quantifiable: what happens inside the classroom between teacher and learner. They suspect that there is an art to teaching, even a bit of mystery to it, but that this unquantifiable element makes a big difference.

But what can teachers do? All students have the potential to work consistently, all year, to demanding standards. They also have the potential to sit mindlessly in the back of the room, disrupting the class and doing the absolute minimum, as teachers know all too well.

While teachers have little control over school or subject policy, they can make a difference in their classroom climate. But what is it, exactly, that they can do?

In a distant Teachers Conference for Omuthiya Circuit (Oshivelo Region), during his speech as the Omuthiya Circuit Inspector, Mr. Fillemon Nangolo described "an ideal educational setup" as a "three-legged-pot". The school with teachers makes up one leg, the second leg the parents and community, while the third represents the government holding the LEARNER/CHILD stable. While I believe in the same set up, but with a different format. I thus suggest an "instructional tripod" with course content as one leg, pedagogy (how the content is presented) as a second leg and "relationships" as the equally important third leg holding the structure together.

That relationship leg is critical and is strengthened by what I termed teacher "encouragement." Encouragement makes a difference in how students respond to instruction and can weaken the link between past and future performance, boosting children’s accomplishments beyond what was expected of them—beyond even what they themselves believed they were capable of.

Encouragement is not just a statement. It is not just mouthing "all children can learn" while praying for the day to end. Teacher encouragement consists of assuring all learners that the teacher truly believes they can succeed; letting learners know the teacher is available to help in whatever way the learners need; and letting learners know that it matters to the teacher’s very sense of self that his/her learners succeed.

"Encouragement is really close to caring, it tells learners that I will do things for you that I don’t have to do and that I won’t let you give up."

Finally, the classroom environment should be right. It is important to build a classroom environment by establishing five principles to balance "perfectionism" and "help":
(1) There should be a place of mutual support (establishing caring and trust);
(2) There should be order (balancing of learner autonomy and teacher control);
(3) There should be very high goals set (communicating high expectations);
(4) State the difficulties (setting conditions for student persistence);
(5) Demonstrating faith in students’ abilities.

With all these set, you are destined for greatness!

Josef Essberger, a well-experienced ESL educator and founder of the www.englishclub.com website, has developed what he calls the "7 Secrets for ESL Learners" as new ways to improve spoken English for ESL learners.

These special secrets are guaranteed to help ESL learners (and teachers..!) to speak excellent English, as these are the most valuable keys for learning English.

Please see comments for the 7 secrets!

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10 Common Mistakes New Teachers Make

Think of mistakes as opportunities to learn. Many of the mistakes you will make will be unavoidable. However, there are some mistakes, common to beginning teachers, that are avoidable. What follows is a list of the mistakes that new teachers tend to make most often. Keep these in mind as you begin your new career.

Mistake #1: You want your students to like you and therefore hesitate to discipline students accordingly. This is probably the most common mistake new teachers make. Believe it or not, students want boundaries. Let students know immediately what your rules or guidelines are and what the consequences are. Then, enforce them fairly, firmly, and consistently.

Mistake #2: You avoid asking for help. Teaching can be an isolating experience. You enter your room, shut your door, and you are on your own—or so many new teachers think. Remember: Your best resources for help and advice are in the classrooms next door or down the hall. If your school does not provide you with a mentor-teacher, seek one out yourself. Beginning teachers need and deserve support and guidance.

Mistake #3: You are constantly bringing school work home so that you have no leisure time at all. The first year of teaching is usually the hardest. Indeed, some veteran teachers say it was the hardest year of their lives. You feel unprepared, you have a mound of papers to grade, units to plan, parents to talk to . . . the list is endless. It is vital, however, to schedule time for yourself and your family. Take time to decompress occasionally.

Mistake #4: You act in a less-than-professional manner in an attempt to relate to your students. Remember that you can be friendly with your students without being their "friend." Always keep in mind that you are the adult professional and act accordingly. You can be caring and kind and still remain the professional.

Mistake #5: You become involved in school "politics." Avoid this at all costs. If your school's faculty lounge is a hotbed of controversy and gossip, stay far, far away from it.

Mistake #6: You overextend yourself by volunteering too often. Learn to say "no" in a polite way. Granted, there will be some duties that you simply cannot avoid; however, try to limit what you take on your first year. Concentrate your efforts on your classroom, your students, and yourself.

Mistake #7: Your students are not living up to your expectations and therefore you think you are a failure. This is common for beginning teachers. It is important to have high expectations and lofty goals that are realistic. Are your expectations age appropriate? If you are unsure, ask other teachers. It is also important to remember that you are not teaching in a vacuum. Students come to you with varying abilities, different socio-economic backgrounds, and parents who may or may not be supportive.

Ask yourself: Am I teaching to the best of my ability? Am I doing those things which will help my students improve? Do I have the required knowledge to teach this particular subject/lesson/activity? If your answers are yes, then continue as you have been. As time passes, you will become more proficient at teaching. If, on the other hand, you do not have the required knowledge needed, then seek help. Ask veteran teachers, do research online, take classes or workshops, read books on the topic, or visit your school district's media center to see what resources they offer.

Mistake #8: You take home all the problems of the day. Leave the problems at school. They'll be right there waiting for you when you return. You need time to refresh and rejuvinate yourself.

Mistake #9: You ignore small behavior problems in hopes they will go away. Small problems grow into big problems. Take care of the small problems immediately with an appropriate response. For example, if a student is quietly whispering while you are teaching, get the student's attention and then shake your head in a firm manner. If the student continues to misbehave, take stronger measures. Some students try to "test" the teacher to see how much they can get away with. If you fairly and consistently discipline students, this should not be a problem. Remember: You teach what you tolerate.

Mistake #10: You do not have a clear set of rules or guidelines. This should be one of your first priorities. Create (or allow your students to create) a set of classroom rules or behavior expectations. Post these in the room. At the beginning of the year, go over each rule or expectation with your students. Give students examples and non-examples of following the rules. Make sure students know what the consequences are for not following the rules. Remember to be firm, fair, and consistent when enforcing the rules.

...learn to take up one idea and make that one idea your life - think of it, dream of it, live on that idea....let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea and just leave every other idea alone...this is the way to success, that is way great spiritual giants are produced...

...THE TIME TO GET DOWN TO BRASS TACKS...may this new year bring many opportunities our way...explore every joy of life & turning all our dreams into reality & all your efforts into great achievements... Welwitchia Education Initiative CC promises to revolutionize the educational scene of Namibia to greater heights and to make schooling in Namibia a first-class experience...

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