[أبو إيناس]

Experimenting with Methodology

People who are new to the ******** teaching profession often overlook one of its essential characteristics. ******** itself is dynamic, infinite and ever-changing. The best ******** teachers are generally dynamic themselves, in terms of the way they develop, add-to and experiment with their teaching methodology. Methodology should not be seen as an indoctrinated set of "standardized" and/or "acceptable" techniques - a sort of "teaching bible" if you will. Still, I constantly meet new teachers who become frustrated when they realize that I am not about to hand over to them a neat, step-by-step, packaged approach to what is involved in running and managing a ******** learning classroom. Others seem perfectly willing to slip into a "groove" based on what they see colleagues doing and what they perceive their employing institution sees as acceptable. Sadly, teaching methodology to many is a simple matter of following various steps (like putting together a lego model), and this ignores fundamental characteristics of what ******** is and does, and often the ******** learners themselves.

You should see teaching methodology as your own personal domain, certainly open to outside influences and examples, but yours to experiment with and develop. Decide what your ******** learning principles are and select techniques from various "methods" that appear to match them. Try adapting/experimenting with those techniques before you prematurely discard them after one attempt. Try using various techniques in a variety of combinations. Observe your learners closely, and invite them into the process by eliciting their feedback on the range of techniques you use. Try not to misinterpret what the role of a ******** teacher is - you are not some "authority" given a mandate to tell learners how they should think. You are a facilitator and a guide, and an ongoing "learner" yourself.

In terms of experimenting with ******** teaching methodology, some of the general considerations most experts emphasize about our learners are also directly applicable to us as ******** teachers:

-> Be a risk-taker and see errors as an essential, positive part of the learning process;
-> See peers (ie, your fellow teachers) as sources of learning, who may or may not be "right";
-> See learning as a cooperative and collaberative exercise, not a competitive one;
-> Try to take responsibility for your own learning, set your own goals and develop strategies to achieve them.

It is a good idea to keep your own teaching "journal", listing the techniques you try and how effective they were in application to various learners and ******** items. This in fact equates to classroom Action Research.