Trainer Notes: Unit 1: The Teacher
Guiding Questions
- What is your story?
- What is the purpose of education?
- What is the role of the teacher? What makes a good teacher? Why are teachers SO important?
- How can teachers create a balance between work and personal life that helps them to have the most positive effect on their students as possible?
Who are you? What is your story?
RATIONALE: Much of the success of this training will depend on the participants' comfort sharing their own experiences, opinions, and feelings. Beginning the session by giving them a chance to reflect on their life story and to share it with the group will allow the group to identify commonalities and to understand differences as well. The Life Map activity is also a great activity for teachers to use with their classes to create community - the hope is that teachers can take many of the activities in this training back to their classrooms.
What is the role of the teacher? What makes a great teacher? How does this relate to Child-Friendly Spaces?
RATIONALE: There are many purposes for education. Generating a discussion around what teachers see as the purpose of education can give the trainer a good idea of the mindsets of the teachers. As a trainer, the following will provide you with a range of research that discusses the various purposes of education and will give you an opportunity to think about your own idea of the purpose of education and how this relates to a child-friendly approach.
Before a teacher can adopt child-friendly methods it is useful to consider what he or she believes his or her role is in educating students. The research below shares the role of the teacher in creating a child-friendly environment. As a trainer, consider what teachers in your region may already do that aligns with child-friendly practices. Also, consider what teachers may do that does not align with child-friendly practices and be prepared to ask them questions about these practices and have them consider how their practices help them to better educate their students.
RESEARCH:
Education Defined:
-noun. The act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life.
Various purposes of education:
"...education...is concerned with creating a quality learning environment that promotes child-centered teaching approaches in well-managed classrooms. It includes a range of interventions such as training educators in teaching and school management, promoting the participation of parents and community members in the School Committees, providing quality learning and teaching materials, including desks, and rehabilitating classrooms in need."
(Resource 29, Mozambique Child-Friendly Schools For Africa, United Nations Children's Fund)
"Teachers play a key role in the creation of a child-friendly school. Teachers' behavior in the classroom helps to create close relationships with students. More students get to speak up in class and enjoy classroom activities. Through their work they:
- Learn interactive and student-centered teaching/learning methods
- Encourage gender-sensitive teaching and learning by providing a secure and intellectually challenging educational setting for girls and boys
- Learn how to use low-cost and fun teaching methods
- Feel motivated to teach
- Ensure all children participate actively in learning and play"
(Resource 29, Mozambique Child-Friendly Schools For Africa, United Nations Children's Fund)
Examples of teaching around the world.
Thoughts from teachers around the world here.
How can teachers create a balance between work and personal life that helps them to have the most positive effect on their students as possible?
RATIONALE: Every teacher is going to bring their own "stuff" to the training and to the classroom but as a trainer it is important to have an idea of what types of challenges may be impacting the teacher's mindset about his or her role and the control he or she has to make a difference. Trainers should also brainstorm other challenges that they are aware of in the community and be prepared to discuss these with the group AND think about how a teacher or group of teachers could overcome these challenges and why it is important to overcome these challenges.
RESEARCH:
Here the International Rescue Committee provides a thorough overview of Teacher Identity, Motivation, and Well-being:
Identity
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Teacher Identity Framework
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Definition
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Possible Positive Implications
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Possible Negative Implications
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Teacher Identity
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The personal and cultural characteristics and experiences of teachers.
Remember: Teachers are diverse men and women with varied experiences that brought them to teaching. They have their own priority needs, desires and expectations.
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Teachers may have a strong desire to learn and develop themselves.
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Teachers may have been nominated by the community, have a deep understanding of the cultural and socio-economic context and have existing positive relationships and status with parents, children and youth, and community leaders.
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Teachers may have joined the profession without a strong desire for teaching or promoting the protection and development of children and youth.
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Teachers often do not have professional identity as a teacher.
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(Resource 26 http://www.healingclassrooms.com/2/2/18.html)
Motivation
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Teacher Motivation Framework
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Definition
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Possible Positive Implications
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Possible Negative Implications
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Teacher Motivation
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The different professionally related factors within the school context that encourage or discourage teachers in their work.
+ Positive factors may help them feel happy, satisfied and proud to be a teacher. These factors may sustain them when difficulties arise.
- Negative factors make teachers feel frustrated, unmotivated, and professionally isolated and unsupported.
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Teachers may be motivated by other factors, such as a desire to help their community or to be a community leader.
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Teachers may be encouraged through participatory approaches to training and management that respect and value their skills and experience.
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Support from colleagues, an opportunity to learn and participation in decision-making on school-related matters
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Teachers may be easily discouraged by difficult working conditions. (A small or non-existent salary).
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Teachers may be discouraged by negative attitudes (“deficit model”) from trainers and managers.
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Lack of inclusion in decision-making processes on school-related issues.
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(Resource 26 http://www.healingclassrooms.com/2/3/11.html)
Well-being
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Teacher Well-Being Framework
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Definition
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Possible Positive Implications
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Possible Negative Implications
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Teacher Well-Being
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The different factors outside the school context – related more to community and family – that encourage teachers in their work, sustain them when difficulties arise and may help them feel happy, satisfied and proud to be a teacher. Teacher well–being factors can also discourage teachers and make them feel insecure, worried, etc.
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Being a teacher may be a source of satisfaction, comfort and empowerment to teachers – especially women.
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Teachers may be experiencing stress and preoccupation with their own situation, meaning that they are not able to devote the time and attention needed to meet individual student needs.
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(Resource 26 http://www.healingclassrooms.com/2/4/10.html)
Examples of various external challenges to the job of a teacher.
Training Guide - Unit 1: The Teacher
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