Learning is best practiced by
doing. As learning facilitator, the teacher does not only teach but guide
learners to explore their learning experiences how it will be connected to the
new world where they are living in.
There are schools that lack
seating facilities and chalkboards. These are not the dominant factors that
contribute much to the deteriorating quality instruction. 45 to 55 students per
classroom are the standard size. The main target of the teacher is not to make
them sit properly before the chalkboard and remain good listeners until the
50-minute period of nomenclatures like English, Science, Math and many other
learning areas. Similarly, teacher should not act lecturer for that whole
period.
What is the difference between
teachers on the first day of seminars, trainings, orientation and workshops and
those students on the first day of classes? There is no significant difference
in terms of gaining or aiming for new knowledge, skills and capabilities. In
seminars, teachers use tables and chairs. Learning facilitator uses projector
for brief lecture and instruction what to do. The facilitator is surrounded
with many materials ready for participants’ collaborative works and
presentation of their outputs. The participants enjoy the whole day session
though they are far away from their homes. Thus, teachers in the seminar learn
a lot because the learning session is enjoyable, interesting, challenging and
there is sense of belongingness. Grouping of participants breaks the big crowd
into smaller one. The session hall seems empty of teacher in front where
learner is afraid of committing mistake during sharing, participation,
interaction and discussion during the activity. In that smaller group, poor or
weak participant is assisted by co-members in the group. Every member is
unknowingly encouraged and motivated to practice what strong one does. Everyone
comes to realize that each of them is entitled to any opinion. A little idea
being shared is very significant to form the whole idea to represent the group
outputs.
Seating facilities could hardly
suit for children but for adult. Children are always restless. Unlike adult,
they remain steady. A child is fond of moving here and there. They are fond of
making friends and groups for creativity and interesting works. They can manage
themselves even without adult and act upon what they agree with one another.
They can present themselves in front of their fellow children with shyness and
hesitation. It is because they love their created works.
I wonder why teachers coming home
from seminars can hardly adopt the learning situation they experienced in their
respective classroom. They cannot utilize the four walls of the classroom for
hanging and posting of learners’ outputs as a product of learning gained from
the quality instruction facilitated by the teacher. It is only the wall where
the chalkboard is attached that may be used for posting and presentation of
learning outputs.
Lucky indeed are those classrooms
lack of seating facilities and chalkboard. It is not truly congested for the
group activities of learning. Learning facilitators and students have enough
space for the preparation of collaborative works, sharing, brainstorming and
posting, presentation and reporting of their shared-efforts. Grouping of
learners is very effective to entice poor and weak learners work with others.
It should always be remembered that everyone is to participate and interact
with others in a smaller than in a bigger group.
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