Calling On All Teachers

ALLOW me a space in the people’s newspaper to air my views on lack of success in our schools.

While we are at the beginning of the year, I want all teachers to pause for a while and ask themselves the questions: Why are our learners failing year after year and do we pause for a while and think about the picture we are painting of ourselves as teachers? Why do we teach the way we do? How are the learners reacting to our teaching? Do we have any evidence that our learners are learning, or are we only surprised by the grade 10 and 12 results at the end of each year? I think we need to reflect on how best we can teach in order to bring about improvement in our classroom practice. These questions should serve as our signposts this year if we want our learners to be successful in our schools.As teachers we should are also taking blame for the lack of success in our schools and I think it is high time that we take full responsibility to rectify our mistakes.We need to reflect on what has been happening in our classroom.For example, how much time do we put into allowing our learners to discuss their own ideas? Do we really take time to encourage discussion of learners’ own ideas through interactive teaching? How many times do we identify learners’ misconceptions and adjust our teaching accordingly? Do we consult recent research or do we only take teaching as a routine? As teachers we need to find answers to these questions if we really want to improve teaching and learning.It is high time that teachers should take stock of what they have been doing and start sharing with others especially those who have been successful.It is sad situation in Namibia especially in the northern part of the country where I live, that half of the teachers own cuca shops.After school, these teachers go and kill time there.Being at the cuca shops and bars after school will not improve teaching and learning, but it will only worsen them.Why can’t we start teachers’ association where we can share issues of professionalism? Maybe that way we can spend our time more productively.While we are still at the commencement of the year I am calling on all stakeholders in education to redouble their efforts to ensure that our learners benefit from going to school.Teachers should ensure that learners learn.Parents should provide a favourable learning atmosphere at home for learners to study.Youth organisations should motivate learners to stay way from bars and other destructive environments.Other players should mobilise resources to improve teaching and learning.Teachers should also stop complaining about lack of enough resources in schools.Less is more.I am also of the opinion that learning does not really take place in most of our schools, because of the high failure rate.For learning to take place, we need to plan our lessons.There is a misconception that experienced teachers do not plan their lessons.I can tell you it is through planning that good teachers are able to anticipate what their learners are likely to misunderstand.You will be able to predict some misconceptions for yourself in the place of learners.Good teachers take time to ask for advice especially from more experienced teachers.Good teachers discuss learners’ errors in their departmental meetings.This way it will help you identify yourself with others.I am therefore calling on all teachers irrespective where they are to double their efforts, especially those progressive teachers who want to see and bring about change.You must do something now and not wait for tomorrow.Forget about what you used to do.If you want change, the right moment is now.Forget about the hardship you are in today.Who knows the good things that might be on the way.Remember about the precious thing that we are entrusted with; the mind of the Namibian children, your children and my children.The nation wants results and not excuses.Be critical in your dealings.The nation wants critical thinkers.Elago Elago, Onyuulae, Oshikoto RegionThese questions should serve as our signposts this year if we want our learners to be successful in our schools.As teachers we should are also taking blame for the lack of success in our schools and I think it is high time that we take full responsibility to rectify our mistakes.We need to reflect on what has been happening in our classroom.For example, how much time do we put into allowing our learners to discuss their own ideas? Do we really take time to encourage discussion of learners’ own ideas through interactive teaching? How many times do we identify learners’ misconceptions and adjust our teaching accordingly? Do we consult recent research or do we only take teaching as a routine? As teachers we need to find answers to these questions if we really want to improve teaching and learning.It is high time that teachers should take stock of what they have been doing and start sharing with others especially those who have been successful.It is sad situation in Namibia especially in the northern part of the country where I live, that half of the teachers own cuca shops.After school, these teachers go and kill time there.Being at the cuca shops and bars after school will not improve teaching and learning, but it will only worsen them.Why can’t we start teachers’ association where we can share issues of professionalism? Maybe that way we can spend our time more productively.While we are still at the commencement of the year I am calling on all stakeholders in education to redouble their efforts to ensure that our learners benefit from going to school.Teachers should ensure that learners learn.Parents should provide a favourable learning atmosphere at home for learners to study.Youth organisations should motivate learners to stay way from bars and other destructive environments.Other players should mobilise resources to improve teaching and learning.Teachers should also stop complaining about lack of enough resources in schools.Less is more.I am also of the opinion that learning does not really take place in most of our schools, because of the high failure rate.For learning to take place, we need to plan our lessons.There is a misconception that experienced teachers do not plan their lessons.I can tell you it is through planning that good teachers are able to anticipate what their learners are likely to misunderstand.You will be able to predict some misconceptions for yourself in the place of learners.Good teachers take time to ask for advice especially from more experienced teachers.Good teachers discuss learners’ errors in their departmental meetings.This way it will help you identify yourself with others.I am therefore calling on all teachers irrespective where they are to double their efforts, especially those progressive teachers who want to see and bring about change.You must do something now and not wait for tomorrow.Forget about what you used to do.If you want change, the right moment is now.Forget about the hardship you are in today.Who knows the good things that might be on the way.Remember about the precious thing that we are entrusted with; the mind of the Namibian children, your children and my children.The nation wants results and not excuses.Be critical in your dealings.The nation wants critical thinkers.Elago Elago, Onyuulae, Oshikoto Region