Working with teachers

I am an educational consultant in Nigeria.  I specialize in working with teachers of terminal classes to prepare students for terminal secondary and primary school certificate examinations.

I struggle with a lot of teachers trying to convince them that they aren’t doing enough to help today’s students learn better.

Teachers organization is very poor, and they do things traditionally. Most times and places, I ended up been labelled as ‘Mr Too Tough’ as I eventually have to force my method through them to excel.

Indeed, we do get the desired result but with a soiled relationship.

How do I make things work better in subsequent similar task I get?

Answer

So, what you are saying is that you and your teachers achieve the desired results for the students, but the teachers do not appreciate your people management techniques.

Congratulations on achieving the desired results for the students, because it is most important that is achieved, so that the students get the chance to make the best of their careers. But you’re right, it would be better to do it amicably, and perhaps then the teachers will carry on achieving without you, once you have shown them what to do. And future classes will benefit too.

So then, what is it that you get the teachers to do “to help today’s students learn better”? What is your method? Can you take anything from that and apply it to teaching the teachers?

You say their organisation is poor -can you help them see how to organise themselves better?

You say they work traditionally – how would you like them to work?

You obviously know the theory and are able to put it into practice. You just need a more measured, less pressured approach to managing the teachers, that is not driven by the urgency of the impending exams.

I hesitate to say this to an educational consultant but the old adage of; –
“Tell them what you are going to teach them
Teach them
Tell them what you just taught them”
May apply here.

I appreciate every teacher is different, therefore the mentoring you will offer them will be different, but perhaps you could devise a general route map for them to follow, and indicate to them which points apply to them.

List the behaviours and processes which make up your method, with examples of the perfect process. Then with each teacher you could go through the method and highlight where they need to give some attention.

Then when they understand your method and what you require of them, they will be able to work with you to achieve the desired results amicably.