Literature teachers’ symposium after examinations
THANK you all dear Literature teachers who express satisfaction with this education column. It has been a long time of these flattering remarks but beyond that many have engaged me with very difficult questions. Many more teachers have requested a symposium of sorts to share experiences, knowledge and wisdom around this learning area that is fascinating but not the easiest to teach.
Literature is really not an area where one can claim to be the best. The best literature teacher or learner is one who hears and understands other people’s observations, reflections, imaginations and judgments before you agree with them or assert your own.
There is obviously need for teachers of English Literature and Literature in English to be coordinated.
We are better together than not. Inexperienced teachers in particular will benefit from experienced teachers and resource gurus in the area.
Even experts too need to understand the challenges on the ground. They too learn in the process.
They too need space to meaningfully engage.
Now, this is what is happening! Courtesy of this column and Diamond FM Radio-Education, we are organising a full day Literature symposium scheduled for the last Friday of November 2019.
The theme of the symposium will be ‘The Power of Literature in Shaping Real Lives.’
The symposium shall look at both the Cambridge and ZimSec syllabi and the differences in expectations and standards.
Some of the questions the symposium will answer are:
1.What is a good Literature teacher? 2. What is the role of Literature in the schemes of life of the learners? 3. What is Practical Criticism? How does it develop critical thinking? 4. Why is Literature failed dismally annually? Is it really the Physics of the Arts as some call it? 5. Why are teachers and learners afraid of Shakespeare? 6. What power is there in the novel?
Main facilitators shall be The Manica Post guest education materials writer and columnist, also Diamond FM Radio teacher, Morris Mtisi and Mr Moses Mukoyi, St Faith’s High School head and Manicaland title holder of best Literature teacher award.
The symposium shall be addressed by several other selected teachers and like in every other symposium every teacher shall contribute knowledge and ideas in distilling wisdom around the teaching and learning of Literature.
Registration to participate either as individuals or school commences immediately. Information about how to register is available on the following cell phone numbers: 0773 883 293 and 0772 496 400