WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN EDUCATION – THE SEQUEL

In the past post I blogged about a vital aspect of education outside the classroom: extracurricular activities. This post looks at a further key component of successful education: developing teachers.

Like most TESOL teachers abroad, I stumbled onto and into the profession (a reason, indeed, to question the relevance of that word?) without much prior training. Although I have been lucky enough to gather a growing collection of knowledge in the field, I am aware that professional development is seldom a high enough priority in TESOL, despite the fact that so many migrant English teachers have little training. This keeps TESOL practitioners in a rut, and limits the basic level of our performance. In short, we often have a bad name, and there are often few grounds to defend ourselves on. Staff development is, however, a two-way street: professionals are responsible for their own development, but employers are most certainly accountable for supporting this and, where possible, providing opportunities.

In something of a surprise move, our staff were presented with a great PD opportunity yesterday. A ministerial arrangement with the AMIDEAST organization allowed us to host a workshop by Dr Liz England of Shenandoah University (US). It was astonishing to see how hungry our teachers were for a chance like this. They all gained new insights – often from themselves and each other – and left with renewed faith in each other, restored hope and the vim to tackle the remaining half of the semester.

This led me to a great many questions regarding my own role. The position as coordinator is one that has no job description as yet, and until yesterday it seemed to me like an administrative function, which is what is ostensibly required from above and below. Yet the greater investment of my time in this job has been in setting up systems that will allow teachers to connect with each other, self-train and hopefully inspire them. What makes the work meaningful for me is not administration but leadership. Until yesterday I was questioning my own legitimacy in this focus – at the workshop I suddenly felt that it has not been great enough.

Among to the many ideas that struck me about the workshop (even though I could only attend short segments), this new questioning of my role is perhaps the most important, especially as I prepare to leave this employer. I would like to leave with a sufficient handover period, all my things in order, and not a burnt bridge in sight. But there is more than that: I would like to see what can be done with the opportunity I am presented, though I never asked for it.