Background

I trained a group of pre-service teachers on an MA extra mural course at the University of Gdańsk. The course lasted one year; we had 56 contact hours in class devoted to methods of language teaching and good practices in language education. I also supervised their teaching practice and had 14  hours of practical workshops to work on various issues and needs resulting from their TP. The students had many comments about teacher education, so I asked them what. in their perception, a good teacher training course involved. They were also able to compare  their experience in their II MA course  with other courses they had attended on BA and MA levels. Here are their views in the original versions.

 

Wiśniewska Weronika

1. Practical approach – what teachers learn should be useful for their work with children (and generally at school).
2. Pedagogic skills – teachers should develop them throughout their professional activity. There might be new research and achievements in the field that could make teacher’s performance better. That knowledge is also crucial to conduct lessons better – both on the field of teaching and managing the class.
3. Flexibility – teacher should learn how to adjust his methods and attitude to students’ needs as every student is different.
4. The development in the field he teaches. Good teacher should be an expert, so he needs to check his own standards of knowledge too. He should stay interested in the subject and take care of the expansion of his knowledge and development of his skills.
5. Resources and ideas – teacher should collect materials and clues he finds helpful. It makes his job easier, but it also helps teacher organize interesting lessons for his students. New teachers often out of lack of experience don’t even know of many possibilities for lessons. Showing them examples and ways of creating their own base is helpful and inspirational.
6. Parents management – it is very delicate and difficult field that many teachers don’t know how to handle and that stresses them out. It is important to develop in teachers such social skills that would help them talk to problematic parents and calm down difficult situation. The art of diplomacy is very useful in this profession.
7. Handling difficult students’ behaviour – it can ruin a whole lesson or at least steal a couple of precious minutes making it impossible for teacher to fulfil his lesson plan. It is important for teachers to learn what they can do about it, what tools they have and how to use them.

 

Żaneta Milewczyk

In my view it is vital that teachers gain the necessary skills that will enable them to teach in a way that is meaningful for their students. Teachers should know the basic elements of lessons, and how to conduct them, plan them. It is extremely important that teachers observe & see how qualified teachers work – recorded lessons are highly helpful in that. Moreover, teachers should also learn how to be critical about the materials they work on, not accept everything and teach when there is no real purpose in it or the tasks are completely wrongly combined. Therefore, analysing coursebooks and looking at them with a more critical eye seems another key aspect in teacher training. Teachers should also know how and when to correct mistakes. Teachers who are in training should be equipped when it comes to various types of activities, they should know how to prepare their own, but also gain insight into how many books offer these activities, f.e. "A 1000 pictures for teachers to copy” by Andrew Wright or "Do and Understand. 50 action stories for young learners” by Günter Gerngross and Herbert Puchta. I mentioned little theory – however, teachers should have the basic notions of the ways of teaching, the techniques that there are, but what is the most important part is that they use this theory in practice instead of only learning it to forget. One should also be aware that teaching is not always easy. There might be obstacles to overcome, one might have to dedicate a lot of time to preparation or solving problems at times, but one should also remember that a teacher’s life, their family, and psychological well-being/rest are vital. I myself, feel I learned a lot during this course, I became more aware of what is crucial in teaching. I also feel that all of the above works best when one has a little bit of this "calling” to teach, as when combined with the actual want of the teacher to pass on knowledge to students, and a nice personality, the students sense the aforementioned and the process of teaching and learning becomes more pleasant for everyone.

 

Strzępek Michalina

• During teacher educatin a lot of emphasis is put on theory, however, it is important to remember that the theory should, if it is possible, come with practice, for example, students might be asked to conduct lessons during the class with using different teaching methods. It not only helps them to understand the theory, but also practice it and receive feedback from the lecturer.
• The lessns should be focused on materials, theory, methods, etc., which students might later use in their teaching at school. We should skip studying unnecessary material, but rather focus on practice and useful knowledge which might be applied by the students as teachers.
• It is als important to focus students’ attention not only on methods of teaching, but also discuss with them problems which might be encountered in the school environment. The school is filled with different students with different learning problems. The students should be prepared to be able to deal with different obstacles, so that their teaching in the future is the most effective.
• Future teachers als should be taught how to separate private life from work. Their private life should not affect the effectiveness of their teaching.

 

Anna Zimna

I think that it is important to discuss different methods and approaches to teaching to make teachers be able to make conscious choices and try other possibilities if one does not work. And I think that, at least in theory, we were taught this. But didactic aspects are not the whole work, since to teach we have to know how to speak to children, and this is something that was missing. We had some psychology classes, but I do not think that the knowledge of how the brain function, or the function of ‘osłonki mielinowe’ can help me to deal with children, and unfortunately this is the only think I remember. Nobody told us how to speak to autistic, or ADHD children and such children are present at schools, even during my practice there were autistic children. I know something about spectrum because of my private experience. In the other case I would be really confuses seeing a boy throwing his book and hiding his face, because at the University nobody told me how to deal with such children, and how they can behave, and especially that this is not my fault if they behave in such a way, moreover that this is not their fault and they do not do this because they are rude or nasty. So, I believe that the most important is being exposed to such difficult situations before we can start our practice, even some videos or even discussion with people who work with the children can help.

 

Koczaj Karolina

• First of all, future teachers should have an open mind and be curious of various techniques and methods. During their education they should have a possibility to get familiar with different styles of teaching in order to be flexible in the future and be able to choose the best approach for their students.
• Teacher education should also focus on how various students can be and how to modify the lessons in order to meet students’ needs. Teachers should have the ability to recognize different types of learners (maybe organize a test or a survey that will help them define their students’ preferences).
• Future teachers should also be taught how to deal with students who have learning difficulties (e.g. dyslexia, which is a very common problem and often teachers still don’t know how to help such students)
• I think that in the process of teacher education there should be plenty of opportunities to learn from experienced teachers, to observe their lessons and also look critically at their work. Analyzing work of others can be very inspiring for young, future teachers.
• It is worth mentioning that teacher education shouldn’t stop after getting a degree. Teachers should constantly learn, stay up to date with modern methods and refresh their knowledge not only about their field of study, but also about widely understood psychology of learning, classroom environment and interpersonal communication.

 

Olga Kortas

Important aspects of teacher training:

• giving the future teachers a good idea of how the job conditions are like in the public and private sector (e.g. pay, number of students in a group on average, time management);
• giving them practical tools that they can use for conducting classes (e.g. helpful websites, books, worksheets and other resources);
• inspiring them to go beyond what they have experienced as students of English and might want to replicate (e.g. the popular in public schools grammar translation method);
• presenting an overview of a variety of approaches that they can use in the future without necessarily pointing to any of them as ‘correct’ or ‘incorrect’; giving ideas how the teacher can use them in different circumstances and for different means;
• presenting methods and techniques appropriate for different types of students with different personalities, needs, and abilities;
• showing how other, experienced teachers teach (e.g. though videos, live presentations, etc.) which can be more effective than just presenting the ‘theory’ behind their work;
• giving the future teachers many opportunities to try out their ideas, e.g. through conducing small lessons with other students.

 

Urszula Kurt

In my opinion, the most important thing in teachers’ education is practice. Future teachers should have the opportunity to learn how to teach in a real classroom with real students. Theory is important as well, however, knowing theory and teaching are completely separate things in reality.

The other crucial part in teachers’ training is psychological preparation. Teachers should have classes with psychologists at the university, but instead of talking only about the development of a child a few sessions should be devoted to the topics about how to deal with difficult situations at school with pupils and their parents, and how to separate work from private life. The latter one is extremely important, for many teachers, especially at the beginning of their work, have a huge problem with separating these two things. Unfortunately, I think that each of us had a teacher who poured out his or her frustrations on the students. These things should not happen and the school should be a safe environment for the child. It is worth to remember that the wellbeing of a teacher has a positive effect on the wellbeing of the student.

 

Agata Kafeman

Teacher education is very helpful because it highlights what teachers should do to improve their teaching practice. The most important things I have personally learned from this course is to:

- try to pay attention to students individually

- always be prepared and have a clear plan of the lesson

- have some games in case the group is tired and non-cooperative

- diversify the lessons

- not stick only to the course book, but find one's own materials

- search for new inspiration, so that the teacher doesn't get bored with their own lesson

- keep improving one's knowledge

- listen to students (what they already know and what must be revised or introduced)

- not to be afraid of drilling

- mark students, but also remember to encourage and praise them

- be flexible

- stay creative

- try to make learners use all their senses in the process of learning

- keep clear rules in the class (class contract)

- keep the course balanced regarding the focus on : grammar, reading, writing, listening, speaking

- highlight the purpose for learning English

- change the methods and techniques adequately to the particular class

- not be overloaded with the programme

 

Zofia Wirkus

1. Future teachers should be taught that everything can be useful in the classroom. Pictures from newspapers, articles, toys, lego, YouTube videos and many more.
2. Future teachers should be taught a proper time management (which unfortunately comes with time as well). It is important to know some basic rules though, for example: do not start a new exercise just before the bell etc.
3. Future teachers should be taught that you can learn from your mistakes and that is okey. When something does not work with one group you can always modify the exercise or the whole lesson so that it is better each time you conduct the lesson.
4. Future teachers should be taught that we can (and often should) go beyond the students’ book. We should add a lot of visuals and other resources in order to make our lessons more interesting and therefore memorable.
5. Future teachers should be taught to always ask students what is on their mind while speaking or writing. We should not “put words in their mouths”.

 

Miszczak Mariola

• Teacher’s education never actually ends, to be a good teacher one needs to constantly learn, find out about the new ways of teaching, new technologies which can support teaching, participate in seminars and various types of training sessions
• Acknowledging the need of a wide range of good practices and methods, out of which the teacher can draw what is the best in them to employ it in the teacher’s own teaching
• In teacher’s education it is mandatory to make sure the future teachers remember that their future students will be people who have life outside of school
• Practice, practice and practice. No book will teach the student-teacher how to teach as good as practicing activities with fellow students or real students during teacher training at school.
• One of the key elements in teacher’s training is underlining the importance of satisfactory level of organization and preparation for the classes. There is nothing worse than being unprepared for the classes and students noticing it
• Teacher education should make a point of acknowledging the future teachers with the fact that the line between being a teacher and a friend might be thin and it is better not to become too easy-going with the learners

 

Aleksandra Studzińska

The people who train to become a teacher and the ones who are already teachers should always remember and be reminded of the importance of constant development. They should enrich their teaching repertoire.

The coursebooks are not the script for the lesson. The teacher should modify the order of the task or even the content of the task.

Feedback for students is crucial. We as teachers should remember about the main goal of the profession which is to help other learn the foreign language. Thus, when a student expresses their difficulty with a certain aspect, we should pay attention to it and for instance provide some more examples needed to understand a grammatical structure or even change the way we present the structure.

The use of modern technology can benefit the learning process; however, the teacher must remember that it can be an integral part of the lesson sequence, but it cannot be used as an only part of the lesson at every lesson.

It is important to remember about the atmosphere in the class. The positive one facilitates the learning process and makes it an enjoyable experience. At the end of the day, learning languages should not be treated as an unbearable duty.

 

Paulina Smokowska

I have been working as an English teacher for over a year. When I first entered the Primary school I realized how much support I still needed. Even though I spent last two years studying the English philology on the University of Gdansk, I noticed that the knowledge I gained was not full enough to feel safe in a new working place. I have to admit that didactics lectures and workshops found out to be the most valuable lectures during the whole period of studying. It shaped me as an English teacher. I had a chance to prepare lessons based on the tips and guidelines of Mrs Kryszewska. I had my lessons evaluated by the Principle and I received  positive feedback and assessment. Unfortunately, there were also lectures where, the level of practical information was poor. As a teacher I expect to be taught how to deal with the real education regulations, documentation. I felt as I was taught nothing relevant to the reality. I had to learn myself how to fill in the documentation, how to deal with parents and how to support the real students. The amount of psychological documentation in school is significant and I personally think that there should also be more support in this field during the teacher’s training.

 

Aleksandra Kotlęga

Teacher education is of utmost importance for several reasons, one of them being the fact that individuals working in this profession play a crucial role in the shaping of young generations. Because of this, teacher education is a serious matter and should be treated as such. From my experience, there are several factors that are central to the education of future teachers.

Firstly, they must become acquainted with the reality of working at both a state and a private school. This should be guaranteed not only through proper didactic practice, but also by ensuring that teacher trainers have sufficient experience in working at such facilities. Secondly, the focus should not be so much on the theoretical frameworks, such as the principles of the cognitive or behavioral schools of thought, but rather on practical and applicable knowledge of how to teach. This includes preparing lesson plans, experimenting with various techniques, or learning how to work with a textbook. Thirdly, teacher trainees must learn to continuously evaluate, question and improve their teaching strategies so as to remain up to date and continue to work on their skills.

The above, although they make up only a fraction of what it takes to properly train a future teacher, are in my opinion extremely significant in teacher education.

 

Weronika Lipowska

Nowadays, with the overload of digital teaching resources and being able to share your ideas, materials and ways of working everywhere, young teachers tend to be overwhelmed with all of the information. That is why I think it’s vital to note that most important in teacher education are THE BASICS, like simple ways of teaching grammar, speaking etc. What’s the use of introducing various games on interactive board, board games, card games and other colourful materials when we do not know the basics of teaching grammar and do not know how to introduce given tense structure? I think it’s also important to know how to deal with your students- how to work in a way that each one of your students is satisfied, and most importantly THE TEACHER is satisfied. That is why I would love to expand my knowledge about how to conduct classes effectively and how to maintain discipline in the classroom. Essential part of teacher training is also lesson planning- young teachers should be aware that effective lesson planning is the key and that you cannot conduct a successful lesson without a plan. I believe that teacher training should also focus on how to react to and correct mistakes.

PS All of the above has been discussed on our teacher training course, for which I am deeply grateful. I have learned so much during our course and I have put this knowledge to a good use during my ESL classes. If there is a way to keep track of your teacher trainings, publications, webinars etc.- please let me know, I would love to attend one of your courses in the future 

 

Krzysztof Misiuta

1. Managing the classroom. Often neglected in teacher training. Even if you have all the didactical knowledge in the world it will not work if your class behaves poorly. Set clear rules to keep the class in line.
2. Treat students as your equals. They feel when you show your respect and in the long run it will pay off in both results and the overall mood during the classes.
3. Educate yourself. World goes on and so go the methods and approaches in language teaching. Once every couple of years take an extra course or regularly read teachers’ magazines for inspiration (it did really well on me!)
4. Pay attention to bureaucracy. It is not something you may like but it is teachers’ duty to keep up with it. Especially when those papers aren’t only for internal use but go students next school or even university. Don’t let your students down.
5. Learn from the more experienced. Teachers are often left alone with though decisions. Often most of your doubts have been gone through by some of your more experienced colleagues. It may not be really visible but most of them are really willing to help so done be ashamed, go ask them and solve your problems.

 

Paulina Smokowska

I have been working as an English teacher for over a year. When I first entered the Primary school I realized how much support I still needed. Even though I spent last two years studying the English philology on the University of Gdansk, I noticed that the knowledge I gained was not full enough to feel safe in a new working place. I have to admit that didactics lectures and workshops found out to be the most valuable lectures during the whole period of studying. It shaped me as an English teacher. I had a chance to prepare lessons based on the tips and guidelines of Mrs Kryszewska. I had my lessons evaluated by the Principle and I received  positive feedback and assessment. Unfortunately, there were also lectures where, the level of practical information was poor. As a teacher I expect to be taught how to deal with the real education regulations, documentation. I felt as I was taught nothing relevant to the reality. I had to learn myself how to fill in the documentation, how to deal with parents and how to support the real students. The amount of psychological documentation in school is significant and I personally think that there should also be more support in this field during the teacher’s training.

 

Daria Sikora

Comments about teacher education:

• I have learnt a lot about different teaching resources, which I think is very useful in lesson planning because now I feel that I have a broad repertoire of activities to use in the classroom.
• I have  learnt how to create good lesson plans depending on what skills the lesson will cover (reading, listening, writing, speaking).
• I appreciated learning about classroom management, which is crucial in delivering an effective lesson.
• I really enjoyed learning about different methods and techniques of teaching English, such as teaching grammar without the use of metalanguage.
• There is not enough information in teacher education about the school documentation one has to deal with on a daily basis in school work.
• During the MA program we had information technology classes, but the focus was more on different applications which we can use during the lesson and I think it would also be useful to familiarise the students with such basic aspects as using interactive whiteboard or with showing us how to navigate electronic class register.
• I think that teacher education should include a more practical approach to pedagogy and psychology as we had quite a lot of theory, but not enough problem solving tasks and there are more and more learners who require individual approach.

 

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