Private Schooling and the Extravagant Nation of PakistanBottom of FormProliferation of private schools in Pakistan has harmed the state owned schools alarmingly. Education in public schools has extinct and they have turned into ghost schools. The route cause is not the administration or teachers but the mindset of public that a paid item is always high in quality, has been developed for last two decades.If parents are alive, make a living and are not oblivious of childrens future, it is considered their parental obligation to send their children to any but at least private school. any denotes the quality of not necessarily being qualitative but quantitative in terms of fees structure. This attitude is same as customers attitude towards products which have high price tags are believed to be qualitative.After denationalization in 1990s the rapid increase of 69% in the number of private schools in 1999-2008. The private sector was catering to the educational needs of about 6 million and then 12 million children in 2000 and 2007-08 respectively, the number of teachers also doubled. But it did not keep pace with Pakistans literacy rate 43.9 percent in 1998, 57 percent in 2009, 58 percent in 2012, and according to UNESCO it is still 55 percent in 2015 for which it stands at 160thin the world.It will not of course keep pace because it does not offer education for all but actually education under the hammer, and being professed the quality education, which needs to be vetted.Curriculum is well designed but it is not well implemented. Courses are in English and as it is not first language and not spoken widely here, therefore rot learning is practiced. Extra/co-curricular activities do serve as eye candies and then just euphoria for the children and result in lavishing and sometimes lasciviousness.The teachers appointment is claimed to be on merit, as opposed to government schools where teachers are recruited on the basis of what they contributed in elections to the winning party and will keep on serving in polling stations in future for the party. In private schools teachers with average 13.5 years of education are appointed who never dare to bargain with masters in private school. Why do such schools compromise on teachers qualification? Purpose is to exploit their ordeal which made them opt for a job with less than minimum wage rate Rs.13000 instead of continuing education.Being too much merit conscious not only do the schools interview the candidate but parents must also prove to be well-educated & well-mannered in interview. Are we going back to Middle Ages when in Europe the only children that were able to attend school were the sons of wealthy, aristocrat families before 1852?The merit, private schools purport does not reflect in evaluation and assessment; Taking admission in private school is not only means to end but the parents have to access the tutor who would make a difference in childrens results as well. Tutors assist the student (whom they tutor) in the same way as a printed guide in govt. schools exam, I have seen my friend forging a students answer sheet and giving him good grades in assessing the schools exam copies, and making a difference. In this way education is being sold.Concept of stick fear and drill has been replaced by motivation and recapitulation, but motivational techniques actually motivate for not to be motivated in acquiring knowledge and embolden them in enjoying the bought life and obtain a degree.Mostly the teacher in private school is not even allowed to scold or punish the pupil as it will discourage him (from the mischief he has been doing), you find heads offices bulging with parents; mothers teach the teaching staff the recent vogue with teamed up dresses, shoes and accessories, grumbling about teachers attitudeso meticulous about the money they spend! The person at helm of affairs frowns and admonishes the teacher and with the nightmare of again standing guilty at trial s/he makes the pupil apple of his/her eye that s/he has ever been reckless at treatment.Having profit making a goal private schools focus is customer satisfaction and they never condone the laborer who displease or repulse the customer.Both, parents and students are well versed that one who is compelled to work on a meager salary should never dare turn harsh on the payers (students).Eventually brats succeed in buying degree and being waited on gone were the days when teachers were waited on in exchange of the knowledge they imparted; knowledge was priceless those days.Instead of being extravagant heed could be taken in the prosperous era of government schools. If parents had scrutinized the teachers behavior, curriculum, evaluation and assessment, the government schools would not be devoid of teachers and education in Pakistan.ReferencesInstitute of Social and Policy Sciences. (2010).Private Sector Education in Pakistan, Mapping and Musing.Retrieved from http://www.aserpakistan.orghttp://www.dawn.com/2011/10/09/private-schools-profit-making-machineshttp://www.siasat.pk/forum/showthread.php?241706-Literacy-Rates-in-Pakistan-1947-2014&s=e8d9e4eb1af25e46909d566585cfa48fhttps://www.google.com/search?q=literacy+rate+of+pakistan&cad=b&biw=1425&bih=608&dpr=0.9&client=opera&cad=cbv&sei=BWC_VfTtOKjvywOjhYJw#https://www.pkrevenue.com/budget.../sindh-budget-20152016-government-em...Sumber http://www.edarticle.com/article/2016/private-schooling-and-extravagant-nation-pakistan.php
Importance Of Test And Examination At College LevelBottom of FormExaminations play a crucial role at the entry or exit level of college life. Many may feel it is prudent to skip it but the fact remains that it is a bad idea. Some of the top notch colleges are saying goodbye to final exams. As far as educational theory goes the concept of exams are supposed to benefit the students hugely. It offers the last opportunity of going through the study materials and filling in any gap present in understanding the concept. Forming the big picture after gleaning information from the courses over the year becomes easier and helps in learning the knowledge more thoroughly.
Regular and consistent preparationSince exams are not to be taken lightly, students put in their best so that maximum retention takes place and the knowledge gained can be utilized in future in work or business. The constant pressure of exams is something that drives you to stay ahead of the class and prepare for the semesters in advance. It acts as a motivation for most and efforts are made to memorize the lessons all through the semester. Many serious pupils detest last minute cramming which serves no real purpose. It neither improves memory nor cognitive skills. Regular practice sessions help to better grasp the concepts and ideas that help in acquiring sound knowledge. Doing away with examsNo matter how beneficial the process most students prefer not to give the cumulative exams in the final year and the decisions is wholeheartedly supported by the administration of a college because it means less work for them. Grading the students and correcting the scripts is another responsibility many would not like to take. Sometimes the final exams are made optional for students who are interested in it as a reward for the good performance in the semester. However students miss out the fact that both good and weak students stand to gain by the process. The revision work and preparation had been designed in the best interests of the students.Grades over knowledgeOften the fact that the cumulative exams dont consist of a sizeable chunk of the final exam and hence dont affect the grades makes many students immune to the pressure of preparation. It keeps them stay away from crucial preparation which can otherwise benefit them. Education has become mechanical and all that most students can think of is getting good grades. The application of acquired knowledge in daily life is important but students rarely have time for that. Examinations help not only gauge the amount of knowledge but also work out the deficiency areas and making them strong. Problems and questions help to make out the amount of knowledge gathered and how strong the base is for further studying.Work after final reviewThe process of grade submission does not allow enough time for reviewing the final exams. Students dont show enough interest in meeting with the professors following the exams and undermine the references and letters of recommendations that professors are capable of. They are simply happy with the grades and how it can help in moving into the wide job market ahead. The knowledge after the review remains incomplete and the students are too busy to pay attention to that. Exams create a stress among students which contributes to their aversion for it. The amount of knowledge gained becomes negligible in front of the stress of good grades because they are highly necessary for bagging good jobs.Running the last lapCollege life is the last lap before entering the professional one wherein perseverance, time management, determination and motivation are important qualities that you will need to show later on. Exams and the preparation before that prepare you for the challenges in life not just knowledge-wise but also in terms of behavior. Controlling situations beyond your capacity with the help of acquired knowledge is something that you learn and practice here before the actual implementation. Escape from tests saves you from hard work that aids in character building and overcoming weaknesses which paves the way for future success. Stimulation of the thought process is important and what better way than answering difficult questions based on real life applications.Sumber http://www.edarticle.com/article/2005/importance-test-and-examination-college-level.php
Effective TeachingBottom of FormA student spends most of her productive waking hours in school. Thus, teachers play a pivotal role in her life. It is very important for a teacher to assess the needs of her students. A comfortable and congenial environment is very important for effective teaching and learning. Students will feel motivated to learn only if they understand the significance of what they are learning. A teacher knows that all the knowledge imparted in school, according to the prescribed syllabus, may not directly fulfill the needs of each of her students. However, through her teaching, she can create the need, the urge to learn by connecting the theoretical with the practical i.e. interlinking the knowledge that she wants to impart with the day-to-day relevance of such knowledge. It is very important for a teacher to plan her lessons in advance. However, sticking to the plan to the core is not advisable. There should be enough scope in her lesson plan to incorporate changes that make teaching and learning more effective. A teacher, who is prepared, is confident. She comes across as someone who is sure of what she is doing and this creates a degree of trust between the students and the teacher.If I am interested in the topic that I am teaching, students will also be interested. People naturally feel drawn towards people who are sprightly. Stress is a part of everyones life these days including students. Thus, it is important for the teacher to be happy, lively and enthusiastic so that learning becomes interesting.As a human being I know that it is very difficult for me to pay attention to something that I am naturally not interested in. The same applies to students. Lessons can be made interesting by involving the students in the learning process. They shouldnt be passive listeners. Regular questioning and inviting suggestions and opinions from them, forces them to concentrate. The teacher can quote famous personalities, use examples from popular T.V. programmes, movies, books etc. Creative association between the lesson and popular media captivates the attention of students and helps in retention. The students should know that the teacher has put in a lot of effort to make her lesson interesting. Students respect teachers who do that and try their best to please them by being more efficient themselves.Students dont like it if they are expected to acquire a whole lot of new skills to understand what is being taught. While delivering her lesson, a teacher should be able to utilize the existing skills of her students to the optimum. She should understand that new skills can be acquired only gradually with a lot of hand holding. Also, children shouldnt be insulted if they dont know the things that the teacher thought they knew. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect. Just because a teacher is older than her students does not authorize her to be rude and insensitive towards her students. So a teacher should try her best to be likeable and approachable. It is only when you give respect that you get respect. And If I as a teacher get respect, then, I will also feel motivated to be a good teacher.I know it is not possible to be a perfect human being. Also, it is very difficult to be around perfectionists. When a teacher acknowledges some of her shortcomings, mistakes and choices she made in life and shares her own school life experiences, children feel more comfortable with her. They feel less pressurized. So the aim of a teacher should not to be to become perfect but be someone who is human, humane and wants to make a positive difference in the lives of her students. Sumber http://www.edarticle.com/article/2004/effective-teaching.phpSignificance of identifying different types of learnersBottom of FormThere are three different types of learners - visual, auditory and kinesthetic. Visual learners have a photographic memory. They create a mental picture of everything they learn. Auditory learners are active listeners. They learn best by listening and can memorize and recall things easily. Kinesthetic learners learn by doing. They want to be active all the time. My experience of assessing the different types of learners in my classroom has indeed been an interesting one. I feel that it is very easy to classify some learners whereas it is extremely difficult to classify the others. The visual learners stare at me all the time while I am teaching. They draw flowcharts and maps in their notebooks. They enjoy watching PowerPoint presentations and short videos.The auditory learners listen to me very carefully. They are disturbed by sounds in the corridor, the playground etc. They enjoy participating in group discussions. They could memorize things very easily. The kinesthetic learners are hyper active. They dont like sitting at one place for more than five minutes. Unless they are allowed to express themselves in some way in the class, they become very restless. Some of them even start day dreaming. They like learning through games and other activities. I feel that It is easiest to find the kinesthetic learners. However, there are many students who display the learning traits of both visual and auditory learners.The auditory learners can be taught easily by using traditional teaching methodologies. They are the conventional type (Indian) of learners. The visual learners improvise the teachers lessons on their own. They make mind maps, flowcharts, web-charts and drawings in their notebooks to understand whatever the teacher says in class. But kinesthetic learners are different. My knowledge about the various types of learners has helped me in a lot of ways. Earlier I didnt know what to do with the kinesthetic learners. They seemed to be disinterested. They were easily distracted and disturbed everyone in the classroom.After assessing the types of learners in my classroom, I realized that there must be something in my lesson to facilitate learning for every kind of learner. I introduce a lesson by using PowerPoint presentations, short videos and photographs for the visual learners. I recapitulate the content shown through the audio-visual media by explanation and questioning for the auditory learners. I ask children to draw something related to the lesson and make a flow chart about the theme for the kinesthetic learners. While teaching the lesson, I allow the kinesthetic learners to express their opinions freely. I ask developing questions for the benefit of the auditory learners and I move around in the classroom for the benefit of the visual and kinesthetic learners. I also ensure that there is at least one group activity related to the lesson, so that the children learn through peer interaction. Recapitulation questions are also asked to capture the attention of the auditory and kinesthetic learners. I make optimum use of the blackboard while teaching for the visual learners. I also plan the post lesson assignments according to the needs of various types of learners. The visual learners are encouraged to get pictures related to the lessons, the auditory learners are encouraged to gather information about the central theme of the lesson and the kinesthetic learners are encouraged to interpret and analyze the lessons.My knowledge of the different types of learners has also helped me plan the seating arrangement of the class. I ensure that the auditory learners sit at a place where there is minimum noise or disturbance. The visual learners have been seated in the front rows so that they can see the teacher and the blackboard. The kinesthetic learners have been seated in places where free movement is possible. This has made the classroom environment very comfortable. I think it is very important for a teacher to assess how every child in her classroom wants to be taught. Traditional teaching methodologies need to be improvised regularly to address the needs of different types of learners. Every child is gifted. It is the job of a teacher to bring out the best in her students. Sumber http://www.edarticle.com/article/2003/significance-identifying-different-types-learners.phpBullying - A misnomer in preschool terminologyThe idea of of writing this musing is to present a case to state that the word 'bully' is not a relevant one to describe a child in an ECE environment.
As a teacher, I have always thought it inappropriate to label children in this age group with a negative connotation. This has long term effects on a child as he could very easily grow out of a particular behaviour with guidance at this stage of development. These are the years for children to develop their social skills, and comprehend the foundation for socially acceptable behaviour. I feel that the word 'bully' has a very negative connotation for any young child before they even comprehend the concept. Let me reason why I believe 'bullies' do not exist in early childhood settings and why we should not label them so. Behaviour management is an important area for us as teachers to keep reflecting on. We need to keep working on strategies depending on the type of behaviour of the individual child that we are addressing. I consider the development of social skills for children as the key factor for teachers to address and promote in the environment.
Farrell (1999) states that, "A range of authors concurs that bullying is repeated, intentional, gendered oppression, of a physical or psychological nature, of a less powerful person by a more powerful person or group of persons and exclusion from the social group" (p. 40). Now think of any child in your early childhood establishment and decide for yourself if any of them fit that description. These are adult perceptions of people with intentional behaviour that is repeated and I suggest that bullying is different from aggression. Tepetas et al. (2010) cites Olweus (1993) who states that, "There is a general agreement that for a behavior to be considered bullying, it must have three elements: It must be intended to harm, it must be repetitive, and a difference of power--physical, social, or other--must exist between the bully and the victim" (p. 1675). With current teacher-child ratios in an early childhood environment I cannot fathom how this adult perception of the word could even have a place. Teachers as a team are aware of a child's patterns of behaviour and address them through positive guidance. Farrell (1999) reiterates this point as she states that, "In early childhood education, however, we note a relative paucity of research into bullying using the nomenclature of the bully and the bullied or victim. Perhaps a different lexicon is used by early childhood teachers to provide descriptors of the deleterious attitudes and behaviours which others may describe as bullying" (p. 43).
Drewery & Bird (2007) suggest that bullies are,"people who intentionally harm another person, are not fully developed in social role-taking, that they do not realise how extremely harmful their actions are to another person" (p. 195). I would consider this to be the case during post preschool development, otherwise, we would be labeling a child who bites, snatches toys, pushes, or not being able to keep his hands to himself, as a bully. Intent is the key word for me in that definition and I do not think that children in their early years have yet developed that cognitive function to that particular level. Aggression is a different issue and we all have to deal with it in some form or another during our working day. Strategies that we use to deal with inappropriate behaviour need to be consistently applied by a teaching team. Boundaries are then automatically established and a social awareness around those boundaries begin to develop. That is why ongoing PD is also vital to keep up the momentum of our own reflective practice. A programme like 'The Incredible Years' is one such behaviour management programme that I can think of offhand that offers strategies for us to take back to our own environment, and to apply them as we see fit. The foundation before applying any strategies is to build a strong relationship with the child in question for these strategies to be effective.
Not enough research has surfaced around bullying in preschools in comparison to what has been established in this topic regarding older children. Alsaker & Ngele (2008) have conducted studies that suggest bullying does occur in preschools and offer examples of day care centres in Norway, Switzerland, and United States. They also state that,"we still need more precise knowledge concerning the similarities in bullying between younger and older children, the impact that bullying and victimization has on younger children's well-being, and the stability of the roles before and during the transition to elementary school" (p. 230). Once again we are getting into lexical semantics around the word bullying. The demarcation for me between aggression in preschool and bullying at school is a more developed social mindset during the school stage when there is intent to victimize. I do feel that this intent is beyond the cognitive capability of preschool children and once again state that social skills and understanding are still in a developmental stage. The behaviour in preschool could be the precursor to bullying that sets in with intent at a later stage, but that doesn't mean that we label a child a 'bully' right from preschool. This is where we as preschool teachers play such a defining role in our behaviour management strategies. Offering positive guidance based on a centre's policy, as well as one's own pedagogical beliefs, further strengthens my stance of a necessity to have 100% qualified staff at a centre that cover acceptable ratios.
In conclusion, I request my fellow colleagues in the ECE profession to not get too caught up with semantics by applying the word 'bully' with reference to a child in the early years. Let them learn their social skills through trial and error, as well as role modeling and guidance from us. This will enable them to build on their foundation towards a greater social awareness in their school years. Sure, some may turn out to be bullies in the future, but to stigmatise them from the start does not offer them any positive guidance towards a better social understanding.Sumber http://www.edarticle.com/article/1999/bullying-misnomer-preschool-terminology.php
Men in early childhood educationA brief personal perspective from New ZealandA number of years ago when I was teaching English to students of other languages in Hong Kong, I did some work for an international kindergarten. My job was to create a programme to promote language for children who were about to leave for primary school. Having taught children of all ages at primary and secondary levels, I particularly enjoyed my time with the kindergarten group and decided to pursue a career as an early childhood teacher.I can still remember the day I walked into my first class as a student at AUT in Auckland. Initially I thought that it was the wrong class and actually walked out and asked someone if it was the midwifery section. When I walked in again I did feel a touch out of place but sat down and took a deep breath. It turned out that I was one of two men in a class of over a hundred women. The only reason I didn't recognise the other guy was because he had long hair and got a bit lost in the crowd. As I settled into life in the campus as a male ECE student I got to know most of the women in my class and have to say that they were extremely welcoming. After a while I didn't feel awkward or out of place at all and didn't think of myself as anyone different.What helped me a lot was having an excellent Associate Teacher during my very first practicum. To continiue in this profession it was important for me to generally feel accepted as a team member and this teacher was extremely supportive and encouraging. What also helped as far as I was concerned was the support that I received from a number of lecturers at AUT and at the end of Year One I finally felt that I was on my way and would continue to pursue a career in early childhood education. I was also introduced to a group of men in the profession who are part of a support network for male teachers in New Zealand, known as EC-MENz. I did find it comforting to know that I could discuss any apprehensions with other men in the profession.Another aspect that I had to get used to was a constant enquiry by people to whom I was introduced as to why I wanted to be an early childhood teacher. Although a number of them offered a positive response some couldn't resist reminding me of an old and questionable case of child abuse by an early childhood teacher many years ago. With that mindset it is no wonder that a number of men are apprehensive about entering this profession that is still balanced in favour of women. I do, however, feel that the social mindset has improved with regard to men entering the early childhood profession. To quote the Chief Executive of the Early Childhood Council, Peter Reynolds who refers to ECE teaching as one of the most gender segregated, "Such segregation would not be tolerated in law or medicine. It is ridiculous that it exists in a sector that has the fundamentally important job of nurturing our youngest of children" (Early Childhood Council).I have often wondered why more men, especially young men setting out to find a career in life, do not consider becoming an early childhood teacher. To some extent one can say it's because of the nurturing aspect that is associated with young children which has historically been looked upon as a female role. As a preference some parents possibly look upon caregivers as female and don't make that connection if a male is involved in nurturing their child in an early childhood environment. Nevertheless, I often wonder why the government has never promoted its support for male early childhood teachers as they have for women in the police force. Based on her own research Dr Sarah Farquhar of ChildForum initiated invitation awards and scholarships for men training to become a fully qualified ECE teacher. Further details of this incentive can beviewed here.In a New Zealand survey based on 834 responses conducted by Dr Sarah Farquhar ofChildForumin August 2012, 64% of respondents thought that the government should take some form of action to increase male teachers in early childhood education. A majority of respondents also felt that men in an early childhood environment would help better staff relationships and team dynamics. I can personally vouch for this from my own personal experience as I work in a centre that strongly supports men in the environment and I have often had discussions around this issue with my colleagues who see the benefits of gender balance not only for themselves but for the children as well. To view the findings of this survey by Dr Sarah Farquhar you candownload this PDF file.So what differences do I think men offer as a part of a team in an early childhood centre? I do feel that along with benefitting the teaching team by offering a male perspective, it also benefits a number of children who possibly don't have male role models in their lives. This exposure to male and female teachers at a centre offers children the exposure to different body language, perceptions, and activities. In an earlier musing on 'A workshop on boys in ECE' I mentioned that giving boys the opportunities to take risks are important which can be linked to the four year old testosterone boost. In this context, perceptions can differ between male and female teachers as to what is considered risky and what is considered dangerous and as such, not encouraged. This could also include aspects of rough and tumble play and setting guidelines to determine what forms of play are acceptable in the environment. The benefits of rough and tumble play are briefly reflected on in my short 'Musings on rough and tumble play'.Being a male early childhood teacher also offers whnau a gender choice to approach for discussions that they may want to have with regard to their child. A father may on occasion feel more comfortable to approach a male teacher as a personal preference and that choice is available with male teachers present in the team. I have noticed this preference personally, particularly from a cultural perspective and reflect on a father from the Middle East who appeared more comfortable addressing me when discussing his son. Offering gender balance as a teaching team in an early childhood centre can also be looked upon as a marketing tool when families visit centres with male teachers which I'm sure will generally be looked upon in a positive light.As part of an effort to demonstrate that early childhood education is not just babysitting which is often perceived by men as a woman's role, I started these musings to reflect on what we do as teachers in this profession to try and encourage more men to look at this profession as a career choice. To offer a quality education system for young children I firmly believe that all teachers need to be fully qualified through an educational institution to analyse, document, and reflect on children's learning and development. This can only be done after study, just as a lawyer studies to be a lawyer, and a doctor a doctor. In my mind there is no doubt that we need more men as early childhood teachers to bridge the gender gap. This can only happen if the profession is made to look attractive in terms of job satisfaction, salary, postive social recognition of male role models for children, and a warm welcome by women who dominate the workforce in ECE. Gender balance not only benefits children with the presence of male teachers in the mix, but also offers different perspectives for the teaching team as a whole.Sumber http://www.edarticle.com/article/1989/men-early-childhood-education.phpWhy Teachers Need Smart and Effective Administration ToolBottom of FormIn many schools and colleges across the world, teachers have been facing a lot of inconveniences which is directly affecting student productivity. In order to get rid of that problem, academic institutes have started to feel the need for a smart and effective administration tool. Everyone at a school including, admin, students, teachers and even parents are interconnected with each other. If one of these are not satisfied, it will ultimately affect the overall student productivity.After years of research and personal experiences, one thing has become obvious that it is almost impossible to a run a school efficiently without an appropriate school management strategy. This is where cloud-based technology comes into picture. One thing is for sure that a teacher cannot put 100% focus on his/her students until or unless the working environment is up to the mark. That can only be possible if and when a school tries using newer and smarter methods of administration preferably an online school management system.
How Does a Web-Based System Work As A Helping Tool for Teachers?Teachers in many schools and colleges across the world do not just have to teach the pupils, in fact, they are also responsible for organizing most of the important paperwork such as student appraisal reports, class schedules, attendance and so on. In some academic institutes, such procedures are being completed via the pen and paper approach. Every single report has to be hand written and student attendance is marked via traditional methods.Such procedures do not just waste time, but always have a greater margin of errors and mistakes. Cloud-based technology automates most of the procedures for a teacher and makes it easy for him/her to manage time. Attendance can now be marked via smartphones. Student appraisal reports can be printed in bulk or sent via the internet to parents or students. Teachers dont have to calculate exams manually; thearchivistschool management programis there to do that with complete accuracy.Teachers with busy schedules dont have time to meet parents of a hundred students and this is where the internet portal comes into play. Teachers can share student result cards and reports via the internet and also discuss about the weaknesses and strong areas of each student. Teachers dont have to sit after school to complete various time consuming tasks because the digital system has finished most of their work already..Teachers and students are connected with each other throughout the academic years. If one of them fails to generate positive results, there is a greater chance students will perform badly. Therefore, it is important for the teaching staff to put their 100% efforts on each and every student or else they will not be able to perform well in class. The digital system is helping teachers to enjoy a well-managed and organized class ambiance resulting in outstanding student productivity throughout the academic years. Sumber http://www.edarticle.com/article/1985/why-teachers-need-smart-and-effective-administration-tool.php
