Motivation is considered one of the main factors in the decisions people make in their lives and it plays a vital role when choosing a career, specifically teaching. Sinclair (2008) created a study that helps us to get a better view of why pre-teachers are entering the field and what motivates them. It requires passion, selflessness, love for children, and a lot of patience. As a teacher, you need to be able to take your learners from the known to the unknown. As a great teacher, your focus should be to serve learners to the best of your ability and fulfill their needs to learn in terms of quality and competency. Teaching is a wonderful lifelong career but there are also various challenges facing teachers. It is very important to take into account both extrinsic and intrinsic factors as well as the challenges that may come with being a teacher.
This profession is very high in demand, as the demand for learning and training increases so does the demand for teachers. Becoming a teacher will get you the best job satisfaction that very few will experience. The best part of it is building positive relationships with the children in your class and watching them grow while they grasp new knowledge and apply it in their studies. Other than parents, teachers have the biggest impact on children's lives because they tend to apply everything they've learned in class through their teachers in their everyday lives. The results you'll see from your learners as the year progresses are guaranteed to send you home with a sense of pride and joy.
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However, as highly regarded and important as the teaching profession is, there are many active challenges still faced by teachers today. Teachers have increasingly become fearful of their lives because of the rising cases of learners who attack their teachers. They find themselves having to deal with learners from violent backgrounds and gang-based societies. Schools have inadvertently become territories prone to crime and violence and this represents a threat to the achievement of educational goals. Some of the violent incidents include stabbings, fatal shootings, assaults, bullying, and the list continues.
Moreover, learners at under-resourced schools in South Africa face significant psychosocial challenges (Spaull, 2013) that negatively affect both their wellness and that of the teachers, ultimately resulting in a lower quality of teaching and learning (Modisaotsile, 2012). According to Modisaotsile (2012), the transition from a segregated apartheid education system, where resources were inequitably allocated according to race, to an inclusive education system has been fraught with challenges. Matsitsa (2011) and Motshekga (2010) argue that South African school teachers are inadequately prepared to support learners within such contexts. Donald et al., (2010) further support the latter that the teachers only have basic concepts of educational psychology and community development as part of their preservice training.
South Africa’s history of apartheid has created vast inequalities within its society (Engelbrecht, 2006). The South African department of education has been working very hard for the last two decades since the end of Apartheid to redress the educational inequalities of the past. In terms of education, the Bill of Rights states that “all learners have a right to basic education,” (Republic of South Africa, 1996, p. 29). Teachers must bridge the gap of educational imbalances and teach to the best of their ability to deliver good quality teaching and learning while putting the learners' interests and needs in learning first. They can do so by applying different teaching methods and techniques to create a conducive classroom learning environment keeping in mind that the progression of the learner is the main priority. Great teachers do not teach for the benefit of getting rewards or recognition even though it is very important for their hard work to be recognized but because they want to see their students succeed in their studies.
More importantly, teachers need to collaborate and communicate with parents or caregivers to gather information about any difficulties or barriers learners may be experiencing as parents and caregivers to constitute a valuable source of information regarding learners and their abilities and need to be involved in any interventions (De Jager, 2013; Department of Basic Education, 2014
; Donald et al., 2006). Once a learner has been identified as having a barrier or disability it is the responsibility of the teacher to function as the case manager and ensure the learner receives the support and interventions to ensure the appropriate intervention programs are implemented to aid them.
Furthermore, there are responsibilities that the teacher needs to adhere to in their every day and according to the school protocols. Once you step into the classroom without any planning the day will be chaotic. It is crucial to make a lesson plan of all the work that you need to cover, as well as objectives for the intended lessons and the time frame should also be taken into consideration. Teachers need to come to school well planned as planning is one of the most important aspects of a teacher. Learner engagement is also important so that they can feel like part of the lesson and they are also aware of what you’re teaching about.
Co-existing with other teachers at your school is also very essential as being able to work as a team to complete certain tasks. Failure to do so can cause conflict among yourselves it will end up everyone doing what pleases them. Corporation and ethical behavior should be a priority. Controlling the learners is sometimes strenuous having to learn outlandish behavior of learners and how to maneuver them can be fraught, you have to take your time to get to know your learners. Schools have management that adheres that every teacher has needed documentation that should be compelled to record all the progress of the learners and academic marks, you need to record every progress achieved by your learners and remarks you should always be on the lookout. You should keep track of any little progress transpiring.
Teacher evaluation is the formal process a school uses to review and rate teachers' performance and effectiveness in the classroom, samples of learners work with teachers to record lesson plans hence it is salient that you plan, coordinate, and act ethically. The purpose of teacher evaluation is personal and professional growth that leads to improved performance. Remarks from them should motivate you as the teachers as you should be reporting about the learner’s academic progress should it be to the parents or the principal, you should always keep positive comportment.
References
- De Jager, T. (2013). Guidelines to assist the implementation of differentiated learning activities in South African secondary schools. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 17(1), 80-94.
- Department of Basic Education. (2014). Policy on Screening, Identification, Assessment, and Support. Department of Basic Education: Pretoria, South Africa
- Donald, D., Lazarus, S., & Lolwana, P. (2010). Educational psychology in social context: Ecosystemic applications in southern Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Oxford
- Masitsa, M. (2011). Exploring safety in township secondary schools in the Free State province. South African Journal of Education, 31(2), 163-174.Engelbrecht, P. (2006). Implementation of inclusive education in South Africa after ten years of Democracy. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 3(3), 253-246.
- Modisaotsile, B. M. (2012). The failing standard of basic education in South Africa. Africa Institute of South Africa, Policy Brief 72, (1-7)
- Motshekga, A. (2010, February). Enhancing the Culture of learning and teaching in our schools for better education outcomes. Address by the Minister of Basic Education, Mrs. Angie Motshekga, MP, to The National Council of Provinces on the occasion of the debate on the President's State of the Nation Address. Retrieved from http://www.gov.za/address-minister-basic-education-mrs-angie-motshekga-mp-national-council-provinces-occasion-debate
- Republic of South Africa (1996). Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. Pretoria: Government Printer.
- Sinclair, Catherine. 'Initial and Changing Student Teacher Motivation and Commitment To Teaching.' Asia-Pacific Journal Of Teacher Education 36.2 (2008), 79-104.
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