Pair teaching will benefit students

PAIR teaching or team teaching for critical subjects should be encouraged in primary and even secondary schools.

If we have enough teachers, two should teach the same class.

Pair teaching or team teaching involves a group of instructors working together purposefully, regularly, and cooperatively to teach a group of children in a classroom.

They can set the course goals and content together, design the scheme of work and lesson plan, select common materials such as texts and films, and develop tests and evaluate final examinations.

Young and new teachers can be paired off with senior teachers in schools. Both can learn from one another for the mutual benefit of the children, especially in classes that have more than 30 pupils.

Having two teachers in a class would be an effective teaching and learning technique that should be considered by the education authorities.

Also, two can deal more effectively with children who are at different levels of competency and proficiency.

The ‘No Child Left Behind’ policy in the national education blueprint can be realised through the pair teaching approach. Discipline problems can also be greatly reduced with the presence of two teachers in the classroom. Critical subjects like English language, Science and Mathematics can be considered for pair teaching.

For a start, we could begin with schools that have a few classes for each Year.

Teaching periods can be scheduled side by side or simultaneously for pair teaching and teachers can address different study skills and learning techniques.

Pair teaching may not be the answer to all problems plaguing teachers but breaking out of the taken-for-granted single-subject and single-teacher pattern could encourage innovation and transformation in the classroom.

Pair teaching requires planning, an open mind, creativity, humility and a willingness to risk change and even failure.

Teachers complement one another through pair teaching. They learn new perspectives and techniques from watching one another.

Pair teaching cuts teaching burdens and boosts morale. The presence of another teacher reduces children-teacher personality problems.

In an emergency one team member can attend to the problem while the class goes on.

However pair or team teaching can make more demands on the time and energy of teachers. Teachers must arrange mutually agreeable times for planning and evaluation.

Also, discussions can be draining and some may dislike the other teacher in the team.

Pair or team teaching is an innovative technique that needs to be considered seriously for effective teaching and learning in the classroom in the future.

SAMUEL YESUIAH Seremban