Learning-oriented Teachers

Irish M. Bacani, EdD

“Teaching is continuous learning.”

To teach learners of today seems challenging since the clientele continuously transforms due to various developments. The way things were carried out before may be far different from how they are now. This proves that there is a need for school people to constantly advance themselves to respond to the call of this generation. Everything changes.

Creating a learning-oriented environment is making all school people realize that “everybody learns.” Having this mentality, they see value in learning new things, they seek out new challenges and possibilities and they perceive learning a key to growth and success. They are not afraid of new things presented to them because of their positive mindset.

A school is described to have learning culture when there is a community of workers inculcated with a “growth mindset.” They naturally and productively involved themselves in learning. They are exposed to different school-related works as they find these useful in helping them in their professional growth. Learning by working ensures that these teachers acting as learners are discovering and absorbing something relevant.

Teachers who are learning-oriented are responsive to changing atmospheres as they creatively and innovatively think on how to approach challenges. Due to the improvement that takes place, learners learn different ways from how learners learned years ago. This demands teachers to update and upgrade the way they make learners learn. Through attending seminars, enrolling in graduate studies, conducting peer coaching and mentoring, they become better in their field.

This health crisis that brought sudden shift to the teaching and learning setup necessitate teachers to modify their practice. The traditional way of board and chalk with the students in the four corners of the classroom has dramatically reformed to distance learning.

This is a modality which makes use of different strategies to continue the delivery of education while learners are at home. Through modular learning, online learning and TVbased or radio-based instruction, there is continuity in the education access. Apparently, it is not an overnight adjustment. To ensure quality service, teachers have undergone a variety of webinars and responded to different surveys too. Until now, they are still in the process of learning new things.

If during the old normal in education, teachers prepared for acivities that were learnercentered, now, they themselves should have learning-oreinted mentality who are willing to accept challenges and ready to plunge themselves to any educational advancement.

--oOo-The author is Head Teacher III at DMMHS