My Job: a Summary.
on Tara's Ethiopian Adventure (Ethiopia), 15/Apr/2010 05:12, 34 days ago
I realise that I have hardly mentioned my job since being here and it is probably about time I gave an update. My job this year is to train‘teacher educators’ in more student centred teaching methods including active learning and continuous assessment. The year-long course (the Higher Diploma Programme) gives provides them with a nationally recognised qualification in teacher education. The idea is that they‘role model’ excellent teaching and also support and inspire the future generation of teachers to be excellent teachers. It was introduced in 2003 but this is the first year that Ambo University has run the programme. It is hoped that in the near future all teacher educators in the country will have this qualification. Currently in Ethiopia (although this will change next year) students study for 3 years to be a teacher in a particular subject. At Ambo University the subjects they train in are; Afan Oromo, English, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths and soon Physical Education. In their subject areas they are taught the undergraduate subject matter (but not how to teach) and then the teaching methodology is taught by the‘education department’. The education department also teaches some common course for other courses such as‘planning and management’,‘action research’ and‘psychology’. As a result I have a very mixed group of candidates; 7 from education, 4 from English; 2 each from Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Afan Oromo and 1 from PE. My candidates themselves have to deal with a range of students. For example, in the English department, they might teach common courses for all students on‘General English Writing Skills’ as well as BEd students in English and BA students in English.Something that surprised me when I first arrived was that when education students go on‘practicum’ (school placement to practice teaching) they are mentored by their‘subject’ teacher rather than an education specialist. As a result, feedback of lesson from their mentor tends to focus more on subject matter rather than teaching skills and the education staff (who teach the teaching skills) do not have any up to date experience of teaching in High School (some have never taught in High Schools themselves!) nor do they have a chance to encourage their students to put into practice the teaching‘theory’ they have learnt. As a result I think many students regard the theory as just that and don’t recognise opportunities for practical application!The fact that all my candidates have such varied experiences of being‘teacher educators’ (some with lots of experience mentoring student teachers in High Schools but no pedagogical background and others with next to no practical experience teaching in High School or mentoring students but excellent knowledge of pedagogical theory) can make planning lessons to meet all their needs quite a challenge. Also, although the focus of the role is improving their ability as a‘teacher educator’, the fact that they also teach‘non education’ students means that sometimes the focus drifts from where it should be. The Higher Diploma Programme has been developed over number of years as a result comes with a series of well defined objectives, assignments and assessment guidelines as well as a clear lesson by lesson guide for what should be covered. This helps to ensure there is a uniformity in delivery from university to university. It has also meant I have benefited from being able to learn from the expertise of others and use many tried and tested resources. It has also reduced the stress involved in planning. On the down side there has been much less opportunity for me to be creative and develop my own resources and lesson ideas. This is definitely something I really miss.As the Higher Diploma Leader at this university I am expected to teach the course 4 hours a week (although this often turns into many more as I have to provide catch up sessions to ensure 80% attendance), observe my candidates 4 times each over the year, mentor them throughout the course and guide them through the various assignments include Action Research Projects. I am also expected to train up some of the candidates to lead the course next year. At the moment we have 4 lined up to take over the running of the course next year and the plan is that I will then take on a more advisory role as they iron out the difficulties of leading this course themselves. The following year they will then be expected to run the course without any further support.This is the theory at least! When you try to summarise your job in a few paragraphs it suddenly seems quite simple. The reality is somewhat more challenging but I’ll share that another time!