Meaningful involvement of my learners. Hmmm… Good cause. You
mean, not like this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhiCFdWeQfA.
Nope. More like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2GBVzoVNbE.
The last thing I would liked to be remembered for as a
teacher is that I was boring and that I disgraced my subject by presenting it
in a drab and monochrome way. So what is the plan? Here goes:
·
First thing first. Be excellent as a teacher.
Know my game. Get to know the curriculum ASAP. And note to self: CAPS is just
the empty colouring book. Get out those crayons and make it beautiful. Read,
read and read again to keep on educating myself. Make sure I am an expert at my
subject. Lifelong student. Practice what you preach.
·
ALWAYS be passionate about my subject. If I’m
not, why should they be?
·
Make the content relevant. That is why I’m
absolutely bananas about Economics and Business Studies. Daily it’s all over
the newspapers. Live feed of relevant information: printed or digital. No
excuses.
·
Care. What a powerful concept! It was Theodore
Roosevelt, the USA’s 26th president from 1901 to 1909, who said the
following iconic words “People
don't care how much you know until they know how much you care”. I will thus
set out to make my care, love and concern for my learners a tangible reality in
my class.
·
Freedom of speech. Not exactly like Article 16
of the Bill of Rights, but almost. Like in “I have the freedom to share my
contribution in class, knowing that the class is a safe space to do so and
because I feel valuable, my contribution will also be.” I will NOT tolerate any
mockery of anyone’s contribution. Period.
·
Open communication channels with my learners and
the experienced reality that I am accessible for them. Not just for their
studies, but also for life. Because life happens.
·
Use multimedia. Kids crave anything on a screen.
YouTube is my favourite. Weave it into my lessons. Use humour. Use touching and
inspiring clips. One picture is worth a thousand words…
·
Use groupwork, like Vygotsky taught us. Properly
planned. To engage everyone. Fishbowl. Panel discussions. Role plays. Blah blah
blah…
·
Make sure my physical class invoke impressions
of the Knysna Forest and not the Central Karoo, ie make it beautiful (not that
the Karoo is not beautiful, but I am sure you get the idea).
Now the proof of the pudding is in the eating of it. Now at
least I’ve got a plan. Hopefully this plan will come together, like Hannibal of
The A-Team always used to say: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPQlXNH36mI
Hasta la vista!
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