CHILD-CENTRE CURRICULUM SHOLD BE CANVASSED

With educational dynamics changing across the world at great speed, Principal of The Bells Comprehensive Secondary Schools, Ota, Ogun State, Mrs. Tinuade Olufolabi, has stressed the need for the Federal Government to tinker with the country’s curriculum in order for it to address contemporary realities.
Additionally, she said such a development would ensure that Nigerian children are educationally prepared to lock horn equally with their international counterparts.
Speaking during a press conference as part of activities to mark the school’s 25th anniversary, she stressed that the imperativeness of a broad curriculum that was at best child-centred cannot be over emphasized, adding that education was changing globally hence the need for the change, which will in the main help Nigerian youths to maintain a balance in a competitive world.
“The Nigerian curriculum is a bit too narrow; the government should make it broader. When a child that is exposed to Nigerian curriculum is taken outside the shores of this country, it is discovered that they cannot compete favourably,” she noted.
Taking a trip down memory lane, she expressed delight that a school statrted 25 years ago with three girls has, over the years, grown to become an enviable day and boarding school.
According to her, “The initial plan of the proprietor, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, was to have a girls’ school but a wife of the proprietor’s cousin persuaded him to start a boys school and he consented. He however said the school would not be mixed, the boys will receive their teachings separately from the girls and that is how it has been till today. We are the only school in Nigeria where boys and girls are on the same campus but are being taught in different classes.”
Commenting on the school’s achievement she said, “The Bells has crossed several milestones. We have been to China, South Korea, India, United Kingdom, United States to partake in competitions and we have always come back with laurels. I express gratitude to our dedicated members of staff. In our school, we believe no child is unteachable. We also teach the students vocational skills like woodwork, electrical, paper craft, beadworks, catering among others. We prepare them for the world ahead as everything is not about academics only. We also teach the students three international languages: English, French and Chinese.
The principal, who said the school was affordable (contrary to opinion), added that it looked forward to the coming years with excitement and “we position ourselves at a vantage point, where we can make a difference in Nigeria and the world.
She maintained that in line with the school motto, which is “Learn, Live, and Lead,” the students are taught to “live what they have learnt and they go outside the world to lead. We teach them to be entrepreneurs, not job seekers.”

BETTER WAYS TO MAKE LEARNING INTERESTING

First, when posing a question to the class discourage hand raisers. Let there be an element of surprise as to which student answers- use either numbers or names off a box or Popsicle sticks or something. Keep the suspense. Give participation credit for the thought process and give everyone a turn.

Change the activity frequently. Alternate short readings with short video clips with short discussions, lab demos where possible.

Use pop up or some kind of game when reviewing where students can stretch or move or talk .

Assess frequently and meaningfully; make students responsible for assessment and give feedback as soon as possible

Alternate your presentation with students "doing" and be watching and be the coach,circulating as students perform tasks.

Understand that learning is work not play and is not fun in itself. The enjoyment of work is when you break it down and set goals and the student achieves success at each level. The work can be changed into a challenging game. Incorporate this philosophy in your lesson plan.

Most importantly, have your procedures and classroom tightly managed.

WAYS TO MAKE LEARNING INTERESTING

Sitting through 80 minute lectures several times a day can be tiring

for a student. Sometimes learning can be assisted by teachers making those

lectures a bit more fun. Below are a few suggestions.

But first, remember:

1. There will be awkward moments, things don't always work as planned,

but it is worth the try.

2. Try to turn an awkward moment around by not being embarrassed by it:

In a bad joke: "Good thing I am not in show business" In an error:

"I don't have to know how to program, I am only teaching it" And the

all time best defense: Be the first one to make fun about yourself

"Actually, I am the: worst programmer, least efficient, worse

organized, least creative, most boring, most annoying, most neurotic....."

Feel free to exaggerate.

Suggestions on making lectures fun:

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- General Tip: the goal is not to make them laugh, but to break the

monotony the fact that you are making an effort is always appreciated

- Start class with a two-minute fun activity: read a story from a

newspaper, comment on news, on last night's game, talk about a

restaurant in Riverside or a fun activity in Riverside, show a

short video.

* Consider starting with the Lame Joke of the Week: read aloud

from a book, choose lame jokes (or not), and tell students that

your goal is to find the lamest joke of all, and measure their boos

as a sign of lameness.

* If you use a laptop: start with a cartoon, or a cool picture

and talk about it (or not), show something you are passionate about

- Do something goofy: wear a funny hat, bring a teddy bear and introduce

   him in the class and say its name will be in the quiz

- Break the monotony: set your watch, and take a 1' break in the middle,

and stop whatever you do, sit down, change tone, and ask them something

or go at the back of the room and sit next to a student and chat

* Make this a habit, something that students will anticipate

- Do random selection of student, and give them something (chocolate bar)

or have them introduce themselves to you or to the class, or say what

they hate most about the class so far

- Use quotes from books or movies or songs, that you think they will like

or that simply you like

- Take polls on various related or not things (usually that they care

or can relate about)

* It shows you care about their opinion

* It breaks the monotony

Ex. what is cool: faded jeans, pink hair

what music is in, most popular song of the week (have two songs handy)

best movie of the week

are movies better than the book version or not?

how many emails do they get per day: <30, 30<x<100, 100<

what topic in the class has been most interesting, least interesting

how many hours a week do they play video games

- Look for opportunities to use demonstrations that make a point

Ex. teach that skills require practice -- throw a football across the

room, explain that throwing doesn't come from equations. At same

time, launching a rocket to the moon requires equations. Need both.

- Have contests, give out prizes.

Ex. Have students write program to calculate cost/in^2 of pizza. Include

extra credit to find best pizza deal -- winner gets a small prize

(candy bar, tiny toy from kids meal, whatever).

Ex. Give prize to whoever finds best solution to an optimization problem,

or to whoever wrote the neatest cost, etc.

- For smaller classes, break class into groups, have them get to know

one another, and then have them work on problems together and present

their solutions to the class

- Occassionally use a game-show format (like Jeopardy) to introduce material

or to review material.

Establishing a Relationship

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The idea: students should not feel that you are against them.

- Tell them what you want them to believe about you and the class

over and over and over:

* I love you guys

* I love teaching

* I want all of you to get As.

* Help me to help you. (get better grades, learn better, be interactive)

* Learning is more fun than work (except for the money)

- Tell them little things about yourself (avoid long and winding stories though)

so that they will se you are human and you trust them enough to share

* home country: where, what, how

* your experience with learning the stuff you teach

* worst class ever, best class ever, worst teacher, worst exam etc

- Acknowledge the difficulty they are facing:

* "This is tricky"

* "Networks are hard"

* "Debugging sucks"

- Acknowledge the fact that learning is hard work

* "I know you 'd rather go out and party, but trust me this is important to learn..."

* "I know this is tricky, but try..."

* "Programming can be frustrating, but you have to do it"

- Praise them: collectively, in general: show that you believe in them

* young generations are better

* you will probably learn more than I ever learned

* you have the potential, you can do great things in your life, if you want to

* to be here, you are already a special person

* Repeat all the time: "You are clever people, you know what you have to do"

(even after you just finished giving them advice that they desperately needed)

- Regarding grading and hard work: 

* You feel for them, but it has to be done

* "Trust me, I don't enjoy marking, or putting together tests

It's my job though."

* I have to be fair in grading.

- Bring cookies, or candy: the edible sign that you care!!!

- Set the tone on the very first day -- pull everything out of your bag

of tricks. They'll know off the bat that you realize lectures can be

boring and you want to change that -- that you understand their perspective.

Misc Tips

-----------

- Make sure they can hear you: loud, slow

(we all get excited and start slurring and hurrying)

- Randomly stop and get a nod: or just give them a chance to think

- Pause time is not bad or embarrassing: you don't have to fill every second

thinking or mental breaks are good

- Try to smile: if you smile, you force yourself to switch moods

(I am often in a good mood, but come across as stern)

- Try to look at them and establish eye contact

- Move around, walk, go at the back of the room, even while you are speaking

- Sit down next to them, talk to the person next to you

- If possible, big if, try to learn their names. At least ask them their names,

even if you forget, "Nice meeting you Mary"

- Try to visualize teaching as a conversation: use your conversation voice and

mannerisms

-

* You feel for them, but it has to be done

* "Trust me, I don't enjoy marking, or putting together tests

It's my job though."

* I have to be fair in grading.

- Bring cookies, or candy: the edible sign that you care!!!

- Set the tone on the very first day -- pull everything out of your bag

of tricks. They'll know off the bat that you realize lectures can be

boring and you want to change that -- that you understand their perspective.

Misc Tips

-----------

- Make sure they can hear you: loud, slow

(we all get excited and start slurring and hurrying)

- Randomly stop and get a nod: or just give them a chance to think

- Pause time is not bad or embarrassing: you don't have to fill every second

thinking or mental breaks are good

- Try to smile: if you smile, you force yourself to switch moods

(I am often in a good mood, but come across as stern)

- Try to look at them and establish eye contact

- Move around, walk, go at the back of the room, even while you are speaking

- Sit down next to them, talk to the person next to you

- If possible, big if, try to learn their names. At least ask them their names,

even if you forget, "Nice meeting you Mary"

- Try to visualize teaching as a conversation: use your conversation voice and

mannerisms

- Don't just show them how to do things -- give them a problem in class,

and then tell them to solve it. Wait a couple minutes, and THEN show them

the solution. This keeps them involved, and helps them learn by doing,

with quick feedback when they see your solution.

DEARTH OF QUALIFIED TEACHERS LOOMING

Considering the disinterest shown in the teaching profession by contemporary Nigerian youths, can the education sector ever experience a dearth of qualified teachers anytime soon?
The education sector is already experiencing a decline in the availability of effective qualified teachers, which is an indication that the sector can indeed experience a dearth of qualified teachers if remedial steps are not taken urgently. Obtaining a degree in education for most is usually as a last resort in getting a university qualification, borne out of not being admitted into other lucrative courses, rather than a deliberate intention to become a teacher. Very few youths voluntarily study education, because it is neither seen as a reputable nor dignifying profession.
It has also been observed unfortunately that, some trained and qualified teachers run away from the profession as soon as they are opportuned to secure employment in any organisation that offers higher salary.
However with the new administration in place there is the renewed hope that their stated policy thrust, which include the reinvention of teacher education amongst other things will be implemented – what is required is the political will and continuity to make this happen. This presupposes that attention will be paid to teacher education irrespective of the current economic situation. If this is actualised, the disinterest referred to here will only be short-lived as government will pay attention to curbing the situation.
If we however, fail to deliberately redress the situation then the education sector will very soon experience a dearth of qualified teachers to the detriment of our national development.
Is there a relationship between the way teachers are treated in the larger Nigerian society, and the lack of interest shown by youths in the profession?
Yes I believe so. There is a general belief that those who are in the teaching profession are there because they couldn’t get anything else and are therefore treated as second rated professionals. The old adage, those who can, do: those who can’t, teach: is something that the wider Nigerian society appears to believe is true.
Also, the population of teachers is more than that of any professionals in the society; they are seen everywhere and thus, teachers are commonised and disrespected.
An attribute of most teachers is that they possess a great sense of humility, which is a good virtue, but is being misconstrued by the society as lack of self-esteem thus leading to a display of disrespect for teachers. However we must remember how incredibly important teachers are. As Henry Adams put it, ‘A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.’
Sometimes it seems that we value education without valuing those that are charged with providing the education. I, however, do not think it is all gloomy or that this feeling is peculiar to Nigeria. We have had numerous instances where former students have come back many years after to thank and acknowledge the teachers for the impact they have had on them. This is an indication that once teachers impart positive lifelong values on their students there is no reason for students, parents and the larger community to denigrate them.
Although it is disturbing that in our society today, people generally place higher value on material possession than any other attributes, we still have many Nigerians that are role models for our youths and some notable ones amongst these role models are teachers who are held in high esteem by their students and their parents for life.
It may not be possible for governments at different tiers to pay teachers very attractive or competitive salaries. So, what in your opinion can governments at different levels do to reawaken youths’ interest in the teaching profession?
Once again, we are equating services of teachers with financial benefits commensurate with their services. It is not possible to provide materially for a teacher’s service for all that he/she has contributed in the overall development of the child. Suffice to say that teachers must earn sufficiently well to be able to take care of their families and, of course, live honourably in the society. Furthermore just like other employees of government, once the basic needs of teachers are met, the appropriate thing for government to do is to promote values of integrity, excellence, respect, service, patriotism amongst others and reward teachers accordingly. We therefore need to come up with ways of projecting a positive image for the teaching profession possibly through a media campaign – showcasing the importance of teachers to the future of Nigeria. We need to understand that teachers are incredibly powerful and the future of our nation is in their hands.
In addition, our government need to embark on an aggressive training of teachers all over the country on self-confidence, self-esteem and self-actualisation. Teachers need to have a conscious mental orientation that they are important, relevant and respected. Helen Caaldicott said, ‘Teachers, I believe, are the most responsible and important members of society because their professional efforts affect the fate of the earth.’
Another way of raising the profile of teachers is through the giving of bursaries to support initiatives such as the training of ICT teachers at university level. The government could provide scholarships or partial scholarships for people to take other relevant courses in education. This would also help to raise the profile of an education degree and make young people realise that the government values their contributions to the society.
It is important to note that the lack of respect for teachers is not only peculiar to our nation – it is indeed a universal issue. Some nations like Singapore and Norway employ the best brains as teachers in schools and remunerate them adequately; this will surely elevate the profile of teachers and also produce desired results in such societies. This is therefore a path we could emulate as a nation. Parents should also train and encourage their children as a matter of responsibility to respect and value their teachers.
The government should make sure that teachers are trained and re-trained on a regular basis, reward and commend them and expose them to best practices.
Teachers should be offered soft loans by the government to own landed property, buy cars etc; this will invariably raise their morale and prestige.
How are private schools like yours treating teachers to get the best from them?
At Greensprings Schools, teachers are regarded as worthy partners; they are the driving force, the engine of growth and development. We work hard to ensure that everyone in the community understands and appreciates the importance of teachers and the role of education to both the individual child and also larger society. Our teachers are treated like the professionals they are. We ensure that teacher’s efforts are valued and the environment in which they work is comparable or better, than that which is found in other industries. Teachers are rewarded and recognised for their service e.g. Long Service Award and Outstanding Teacher of the Year award. Our PTA is also very active in supporting the staff and appreciating them.
Professional development is perhaps the singular most important value added opportunity for our teachers. We invest heavily in professional development support staff in their own development and many are undergoing online or distance, masters’ degrees or other programmes. Our teachers have abundant resources to work with. Professionalism is identified, respected and rewarded here and they are given higher responsibilities and promoted to position such as year level heads, heads of department, heads of year, subject coordinators etc, all these in an effort to raise their morale and professional integrity.
We are also working towards extending the reach of our training by establishing the Greensprings’ Teacher Training College, through which our teachers can acquire professional training and international certification. It is worthy of note that we have just been accredited by Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) to offer professional development qualifications such as certificate and Diploma in Teaching and Learning as well as Educational Leadership. We are the first school in Nigeria to be so accredited.