How to bring the teaching profession back to the forefront

© Cathy Yeulet – 123RF.com

Teacher resignations and more so, retirements have been problematic for our education system. More than half of our current teacher professionals will reach retirement age within the next 10 year, bringing about a dire need for a strong pipeline of quality teachers into the industry. The pending crisis is also an opportunity to bring teaching back to the forefront as an option for young professionals, graduates and learners. It is also an opportunity to align the type of teachers we bring into the system, to what’s needed to prepare children for the current reality of fast paced change and technological advances.

How to bring teaching to the forefront:

• Teachers need to keep learning and growing to be well versed and adaptable professionals able to ensure an education aligned to the current reality.
  
• Children are dynamic individuals and mutual respect between teachers and children is important. Children will work harder to impress a teacher they respect and a teacher who respects their students will experience reciprocated respect from their students.
  
• Connection with children is important and required education and the form of delivery used by the teacher to be relevant to their life experiences and interests. Know how to connect with children and challenge them to create enthusiastic learners.
  
• Creating an enjoyable learning environment encourages student attendance and participation in class, as well as teacher engagement.
  
• Teachers should take a genuine interest in the wellbeing of their students.

By bringing teaching back to the forefront and ensuring the teaching profession keeps up with the times, we are allowing the youth of today to get a quality education, which in turn develops the future leaders of our country and continent. With qualified educators we will be able to empower learners to be the best.