Tag Archives: teacher development

Keeping Ahead Of Disruptive Behavior

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One of the jobs teachers have is to foster student participation. After all, ‘class time’ is for students to practice and produce language expression and skills. I’m sure you will agree it’s not for ‘teacher talking time’ (TTT). However, if you find yourself ‘all talked out’ at the end of a lesson, it’s useful to examine whether most of your time is spent explaining things, and how much of your time and effort is spent trying to maintain discipline and interest levels.

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The Devil’s Advocate: Why Should A Lesson Be Fun?

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As an EFL teacher for the last quarter century (sounds more impressive than 25 years), I have been taught and have taught other teachers the profits, or perhaps more accurately the necessity, of providing an enjoyable lesson. I have said in my teacher training workshops that if the students are not enjoying their lesson, they will simply tune out and perhaps even become disruptive. It all sounds perfectly logical, politically correct and nurturing.

In terms of teaching students, I have often experienced, as I am sure you have too, a sense that you can actually feel the learning process taking place when you have given your students a task that interests and motivates them. The question is, however, does it always have to be like this? Also, can it always be like this? More fundamentally, is it wise, educationally speaking, to put so much emphasis on creating entertaining lessons, and at the end of the day, will our students truly benefit from adopting this kind of approach.

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Inspiration from afar from those who play guitar!

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It’s often been said that inspiration can come from the strangest of sources. Some years ago, inspiration for my teaching came in the form of a practical article on methodology titled “99 Ways to PLAY BETTER NOW”. No, it wasn’t an EFL or ESL related article. In fact, it was an article that appeared in ‘Guitar Player‘ magazine (May 2006). The piece was a compilation of tips on “tone, technique and creativity“ passed down by guitar playing idols. You see, one of my colleagues and I play together in a makeshift guitar band, so I’m always on the lookout for interesting articles which will help me be a better guitar virtuoso… not that I have any inclination of giving up my teaching career! Well, at least not yet!

While reading these musical pearls of guitar wisdom, it occurred to me, being the reflective practitioner I am, that there was even some wisdom to be gleaned and applied generally to my teaching practice. So the following, dear colleagues, are some of my abstract connections between the world of guitar playing and the world of teaching. I encourage you all to find your own sources of inspiration from interests or hobbies you enjoy, even if they, at least on the surface, have nothing to do with teaching. After all, what is professional development without personal development and vice versa? And, please remember as always that teaching, like guitar playing, is an art!

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Why Choose Teacher Development: A Personal Perspective

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Some years ago, I embarked on the arduous but professional and personally rewarding journey of undertaking the Cambridge ESOL (formerly RSA) Diploma for English Language Teachers of Adults (DELTA). When I finally received my diploma in the mail, I went back and reflected on the portfolio of work I had produced for this endeavor. Early on, I was asked to reflect on why I felt teacher development was important to me both at the general and personal level. Here is what I wrote:

I have been a teacher in a variety of contexts for a number of years now. Although I initially received some ESL specific teacher training early in my career, I have over the years, developed a sense of confidence in my teaching methodology based on my past teaching experiences, my personality and creativity, the influence of my other professional experiences as well as my desire to improve myself professionally. For sometime, I even believed that being a good teacher was something inherently within me. However, while in many ways teaching is indeed an art, I now believe that the required combination of organizational skills and talents to produce educational ‘masterpieces’ are not garnered via genetic predisposition, but rather via the result of teacher training and experience honed over time and practice.

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