‘Psychology key to teaching today’s kids’
There is no doubt that today’s children are developing differently from children in the past. They are more exposed and argumentative. As such, educators need to change their approach to meet changing classroom practices.
KUCHING: Teachers have been encouraged to develop their skills and knowledge according to the needs of changing times, including taking up studies in psychology to improve their children’s outcome.
Local Government Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian emphasised that teachers needed to expand their pedagogical horizons in knowledge and skills transfer to respond to and manage the children of today.
“There is no doubt that today’s children are developing differently from children in the past. They are more exposed and argumentative. As such, educators need to change their approach to meet changing classroom practices,” he said.
Dr Sim was addressing the closing ceremony of the NationalLevel Enhancing Pedagogy of Secondary School Chinese Language Teachers Course held at a hotel here yesterday.
The course was jointly
Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, Local Government Minister
organised by Taiwan Education Centre Malaysia and Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman ( UTAR).
Some 160 Chinese language teachers throughout Malaysia attended the three- day course to enhance the teaching profession so as to strengthen the teaching and learning process besides providing an in- depth understanding of the values and wisdom of Chinese culture and traditions that have influenced Chinese education.
“The job of teachers is increasingly challenging today and it demands change and new ways of approaching our work. To manage today’s children, knowledge of psychology will go a long way,” he added.
The Chinese language, he pointed out, will continue to be an important subject in education, more so with Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem and many other leaders recognising that the language has the same degree of importance as English and Bahasa Malaysia.
“There is 27 per cent of Bumiputera children studying in Chinese- medium schools in Sarawak and this shows how significant Chinese education is,” he said.
“Chinese education is doing great in Malaysia and it is due to the struggle and perseverance of past leaders. Chinese education will definitely see a brighter future 20 years down the road,” he added.
More importantly, Bumiputera children who learnt Chinese language gain more than just being literate but also have better understanding of Chinese values and wisdom. Teachers, he continued, are the main builders of this nation as they help to transfer and instil knowledge and skills in children who will go on to bring progress to this nation.
“Teaching is a most important profession because passing down the knowledge ensures continuity in progress and growth of humankind and the country,” Dr Sim said.
Also present were State Education Department assistant director (Chinese language) Liew Jew Kiong, Taiwan Education Centre in Malaysia chief executive officer Beh Chew Nam and UTAR associate professor and Dean of Institute of Chinese Studies Dr Chong Siou Wei.