What is a thing that you are able to do now and wasn't able to do it a year ago!
Self improvement: A better version of yourself!
During my first year of teaching, I used to be the only active part in the classroom as my teachers used to do. All I wanted was to finish the lessons in lesser number of sessions as much as possible and cover the book. I used to explain the concept or idea, solve exercises in front of the class, and ask them to memorize and solve similar exercises in the same way I've done. Little had been the students who participated or asked questions in the class. So, kind of it was a very direct and passive, teacher-centred approach that was followed and this had made my sessions boring.
It was up until I've done a 4 months training the following academic year about teaching strategies and started to follow the inquiry-based method where I introduce a question about the topic and relate it to the students' life experiences, use visuals and animations, present PowerPoints with videos, do easy experiments in class or at home when materials are available. They started to figure out the answer themselves through relating ideas together, analysing, making discussions in class guided by me, and hence reaching final conclusions. I realized that engaging students in the learning process rendered learning fun and meaningful for both of us, their participation in asking or solving questions and giving them the chance to discover the concept allowed them to better retain the required information and do better in assessments. Now, they truly enjoy the sessions, not shy to ask or express their thoughts, and always wait for more.
It was not easy at all. I was left to work on my own without having any experience and without any supervision or guidance. To make that move is one of the things that I feel so proud about. My desire to seek the best for the learners and make my sessions much more interesting and engaging was more than enough to think twice about the strategies I use in the class. There is always one thing that should come into our minds while preparing a lesson: If you and the students didn't enjoy the learning process and the activities done, then you are not teaching appropriately. It is such an amazing feeling when you and your students are working genuinely, all your senses are involved, all your thoughts are organized and focused to reach and master the required outcomes and hence the ultimate goal of enjoying learning and always waiting for the next session. Improving my educator self on a daily basis is what I always seek which in turn makes me feel that I belong here and I can make a difference as long as I am trying and welling to give more, and learn more!
