I spent 3 years teaching at an international private co-ed IB school in Bogota, Colombia. I taught the humanities and geography. In this post, I would like to share 7 things I learnt through my time as a teacher, in no particular order.
1. Relationship building is key
We need to establish a relationship with the class and create a clear relationship with ourselves and the class as a whole. We also need to create relationships with each of our students. It is useful to know a few things about each student. Interests, hobbies, anecdotes. Anything. And then refer to them, so that they feel cared for and heard. And most importantly, classroom management happens when you have a relationship with the class and students.
2. Respect for different learning styles
We all have different learning styles. Some of us are social learners while others like to be alone. Some of us like to learn visually while others like to learn by reading. It is important to try to cater (as much as possible) to the different learners that are in the classroom.
3. Teachers need designated non-teaching time
Teaching is not just about teaching. It has so many administrative roles within it, that are crucial to be able to effectively do the job. Teaching involves planning lessons, grading student work, and giving feedback. All of this takes time. So, teachers need to be given appropriate amounts of designated non-teaching time to be able to really make an impact.
4. The need to decolonize curriculum
The purpose of education is to open one’s mind and develop important life skills that we can use in any context or setting. But to do this, education needs to be open, liberal and without political agenda. Often however there are political agendas that attempt to ‘colonize’ the education system. For this, we need to decolonize. And to do this, we can start by shifting narratives and curriculum to make it more representative of the realities of the 21st century.
5. Adolescence is a turbulent time
In the stage of adolescence, young people figure out who they are. They go through many changes, physical and emotional. There is a huge socio-emotional difference between a class of 12-year-olds and a class of 18-year-olds. We need to respect this and remember that there is always a reason for why a student acts the way he or she does. Once we have this in mind, we can be better educators.
6. Technology needs to be reined in
Technology is useful. It allows students to engage deeper with content through audio-visual material. It allows for students to collaborate with each other on projects. It allows for many things that were once not possible. However, it can also distract from the learning process. So, it is crucial that schools have a clear and strict policy towards technology, keeping in mind both its advantages and disadvantages that come with using it in the class.
7. To teach is to learn
Teachers, as subject matter experts, need to teach. But that is not enough. We should also be constantly learning! We live in a world that is constantly changing. And teaching practices and pedagogy needs to be constantly updated along with times. For this, professional development (that is useful) is so important.
These are only a few of the things that I learnt as the list could go on and on. The key takeaway that I have taken from my time as a high school teacher is the following: everyone should spend some time of their life teaching. It is a fulfilling profession we not only contribute to the lives of others in a positive way, but also develop our personal understandings of how people think, act, and learn.
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