UPLIFTING THE QUALITY OF TEACHING

IT used to be that teaching was looked down upon as a lowly profession. Not anymore.

Gone are the days when teachers had to have “sidelines” – selling beauty products, processed meat, and other goods – to augment their income. What teachers are in this day and age are unsung heroes who are responsible for the delivery of education to their students.

Rumor has it (or are they just really rumors?) that teachers from private schools find themselves transferring to the public school system for want of higher pay. So then, if much is expected of us teachers, when we must also uplift our quality of teaching – not just the delivery of knowledge.

Teachers who have poor teaching performance will affect their students, who in turn will not get the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are detrimental in their life-long learning.

What many do not realize is that the quality of education rests on the teacher’s performance inside the classroom.

The question is, what brings about a teacher’s poor performance? Is it the many challenges of teaching in public schools?

This may be a result of various aspects such as lack of motivation, hostile working environment, poor working relationships, personal problems. There is even the possibility of lack of quality of new teachers who graduated from teacher education institutions.

There is a need address this growing predicament. There is also a need to ensure the readiness of teachers, with emphasis on opportunities that will guide them towards the development of required professional attitudes and instructional competence.