2018-07-18Staff Report 2 There are various factors to be considered when one is contemplating the standard of education in our beloved motherland. However, if you concentrate long enough, then you will see that it all boils down to two pillars: the teacher and the student. Students do not know how to think about a subject matter in such a way that they really understand it, and teachers lack the quality needed in order to attract the attention of the students. I go from school to school and teach students how to learn in the most natural way possible and I reveal to teachers how to open the minds and hearts of pupils. How can we expect learners to understand a subject, if their hearts and minds are closed? These articles contain exercises designed to give teachers a certain “extra touch”. What is the extra touch? It is that invisible bond between the learner and the teacher, which accelerates the learning process. That invisible bond is rooted in the personality of a teacher. These exercises will enrich your personality. We do not entertain cloudy theories. These are concrete tools shaped by real classroom experience. The previous exercise helped you to understand the connection between your personality, and your student’s level of engagement in the learning process. It is true that learners understand much more, when they feel a connection with the teacher. Many teachers do not know how to become one with their students and sometimes, the attitude of these teachers makes the students want to close their noses, because a personality is like a fragrance; it can be unpleasant. The next tool in our Teacher’s Personality Tool-Kit is the attitude of peace. My grandmother whispered to me once: Alushe-alushe, kala una ombili ngeenge u li mokati kovanhu. (Always have peace when you are amongst people.) That advice led me to a careful study of what peace really is and how it can apply to learning. What is the significance of peace? Peace makes a teacher look more beautiful and handsome. This is not a joke. Your appearance plays a big role in the learning process. Peace makes your pupils feel welcomed and it allows you to hear their questions. Peace is not just an idea. It is a powerful tool. Exercise Remember a time in your life when you were really at peace with yourself and your environment. Remember how that peace felt like. Did you notice that everything was just flowing? Did you notice how much you were in sync with other people? Now, concentrate on the feeling and carry that feeling whenever you enter the classroom. Do it and you will begin to notice a change in the atmosphere in your lessons. Add peace to your personality. Seek first the peace within you and God will bless your interaction with your learners. * Shapumba ya Shapumba is the founder of Natural Learning Education Consultancy. He teaches how to obtain a+ in any subject (students) and the secret to extraordinary teaching. For booking:shapumbashapumba@yahoo.com or 0812786925 2018-07-18Staff Report 2
