TEACHERS CORNER: TEACHING METHODS BY KINGSLEY OHAERI

 

 

First and foremost, I do wish to begin this treatise by informing and or reminding us that teaching is a transformative tool. Just ponder for a few seconds: what is that thing that transformed a little child of yesterday into a doctor today? How did the boys and girls I taught and saw through SSCE some years ago... how come they are now lawyers, engineers, bankers, etc?  The answer is teaching. Do not despise teaching. It has the ability to transform the learner. Little wonder teachers are today called different names, such as coach, instructor, moulder, trainer, pedagogue, and I must add, transformer.

Our focus in this treatise is the various methods used by transformers (sorry, I mean teachers) to transmit knowledge and skills to learners.

1. The first method is what I will christen the orthodox or traditional method: This is the well-known ubiquitos method whereby the teacher stands before the trainers and explains the topic. The trainers sit quietly for 45 or 90 minutes listening to a monologue, with questions in between or at the end of the long talk.

This method is very popular with teachers as it has come a long way and is used in many schools. The demerits of the orthodox method is that it can be boring, especially for the children of this generation who are hyperactive and fun seeking. Come to think of it, even as an adult, have you not been caught sleeping in church during a long sermon? Or in a seminar? So, If you are an apologist of this method of teaching, expect your learners to sleep on you! But there is a solution: when your students start sleeping, just throw a joke or a question. The class will become lively again

2. The second method is the Interactive Method: This is a modified version of the orthodox method of teaching because the teacher also stands, facing the seated learners; but this time around he does not monopolize the talking---he allows the leaners to contribute.

This method will be effective if learners have been given a note or a hand-out previously, to study and prepare for the next class. If you have an active or studious class, you will enjoy this method as a teacher, but if your class is dull, mediocre or indifferent, you will lose steam. Here, there is no dull moment. Also, the Interactive Method is not without its challenges. One of the challenges is that it tasks  the ability of the teacher to moderate the diverse contributions of learners and prevent the class from degenerating into a market place. Also, intelligent introverts and average students will not participate.

3. The third method is the teaching practice method. In this method, the teacher appoints some students to teach the class and sits down like a student to watch each student teach the rest. Before the period ends, the teacher will summarize the topic(s), pointing out errors, salient points, etc

What are the merits of this method?  It compels learners to read as they will not want to be disgraced before their colleagues. Also, It avails the teachers the opportunity of sitting down instead of standing for so long. Furthermore, it has been said that the best way to learn a topic is to teach it. This is a paradox of studying. However, one or more students slated to teach the class might not come to school owing to stage fright, inferiority complex or unpreparedness.

4, Another method we will talk about here is what I will call the visual method. This entails showing learners videos, pictures, samples or real places pertaining to the topic being discussed. A projector is a veritable tool used to achieve this; thus, we strongly appeal to school owners to buy  projectors. Do you know that it is better to see something once than to talk about it a thousand times?

Apart from the projector, study visits are invaluable. A class or a department could, for instance, undertake a study tour of the stock exchange, house of assembly, industry, etc to see, first hand, how something is done. Note that this study visit is different from the excursion visits carried out by all the students.

Teaching aids are blood relatives of the visual method. As much as possible, a teacher is mandated to use them. Don't just talk and describe in abstract.  Do you know that many students of Government have not set their eyes on a constitution, mace, ballot paper, etc? This i found out with indignation! Besides, when officials from the Lagos State Ministry of Education Quality Assurance visit your school, they will scold or even sanction your school, if you do not use teaching aids.

Permit me to round it off here for want of space, but I will be greatly fulfilled if you get the message I have laboured so far to pass across to us. There are many teaching methods at the disposal of a trainer and none of them is bad, but it will be more rewarding if we combine or alternate the methods.