Teacher Development: Don't Get Left Behind
In today's world where standards of education as well as the skill content of students are increasing, teacher's development becomes an issue of utmost important. The main focus should be on teacher's intellectual progress which is central to student's learning. The stress should not only be put on individual teacher's development or collegian development but also on organizational development. It involves nurturing of the intellectual and leadership quality if teachers, principals as well as other in school community. This in implies that attention should be paid to the research and practice in fields of learning and teaching. Consequently, teacher's development schemes such as workshops, governmental strategies and programs lead development of expertise amongst the teachers in their particular subject content. Not just that, it helps them to develop new teaching methods and strategies as well as makes them at ease with usage of new technological implements such as slide shows, seminars and group discussions which leads to the classroom sessions becoming more and more interesting to the students. Question arises, how can teachers development be ensured which is quintessential for students development? This is possible through various teacher workshops and new teaching programs made available to the teachers for the enhancement of their skills, knowledge and intellect. The workshops enable the teachers to improve their teaching methods so as to promote the students to attend classes along with upgrading the standard of education The teachers also some to know in these workshops how to develop an interactive approach in the classroom so as to make the classes more interesting and appealing to students. They are taught how to make their teaching methods more realistic by helping them to relate the text material with real world examples. Another way of ensuring teacher's development is to give them proper incentives. This does not only mean better remuneration or attractive bonuses, though this is also equally important. What is more important is some of award given to those who excel in the field of teaching. This is being applied in the United States brilliantly. Every year, the U.S. Department of Education honors one exceptional classroom teacher from each state and the District of Columbia. Nominations are started from mid-January to early-April and the American Star recipients are declared in the following fall. This kind of appreciation drives the teachers to go in for developmental programs and workshops. In fact there are many online Teacher-to-Teacher Workshops which have come up. These include a batch of educators which provide online technical assistance to teachers to ensure their development. They provide various instructional strategies as well so as to help the teachers to improve their teaching standards. Hence teachers interested in development have many options, what is needed is the proper incentive and drive. |
