What makes a good teacher?

Source: the Advocacy Project

Just as we should have high expectations for all learners, we should also have high expectations for teachers. These two are closely interlinked. High-quality teachers are essential to providing quality education and thus improving learning achievements. In general, studies have concluded that “effective teachers are capable of inspiring significantly greater learning gains in their students when compared with their weaker colleagues”.

However, recruiting and retaining quality teachers is still a major challenge in many parts of the world, despite the efforts of many ministries/departments of education. Moreover, it is often in schools, neighbourhoods and regions where quality teachers are most needed that they are lacking the most. In many countries, low-performing schools, poorer neighbourhoods and rural areas experience the greatest shortage of teachers, let alone quality teachers.

What are the characteristics of a quality teacher? In 1996, UNESCO published a book entitled “What makes a Good Teacher?”. Over 500 children aged 8-12 from some 50 countries shared their opinions.

Yuventius, from Indonesia, said “a great teacher interacts with the child (physically, and mentally)”. Sheeba, from Saudi Arabia, said a good teacher “should be patient and kind, resourceful, tolerant and open minded with a good sense of humour. Enthusiastic and enjoys teaching. Should be honest, imaginative and creative. Efficient. Self-disciplined. Helpful. Humble and modest…”.

Marie, from the USA, shares the following attributes:

• “A good teacher makes herself available to all students, however, knows which students need extra assistance.
• A good teacher is an effective communicator, however, who knows when she needs to change her communicating techniques to be sure students can grasp instructional concepts.
• A good teacher allows students to ask questions, however, does not answer questions without drawing from other students’ learning experience first.
• A good teacher has classroom rules and procedures which help students know what is expected from them and how the students can help themselves.
• A good teacher encourages cooperation and sets an example with other students and faculty.
• A good teacher is flexible and able to change lessons “spur of the moment” in order to accommodate the needs of her students.
• A good teacher respects all students and encourages good performance.”

It is important to hold teachers accountable to deliver on these high expectations, and likewise teachers also need the support, resources and incentives to meet these expectations. Everyone has an important role to play to make quality education a reality for all learners.

For more opinions on ‘what makes a good teacher’, check out the following links:

• UNESCO – “What Makes a Good Teacher? Opinions from around the world”
• UNESCO – “What makes a good teacher? Children speak their minds”
• Education Week – “Teacher Quality”
• Economic Policy Institute – “Teacher Quality: Understanding the Effectiveness of Teacher Attributes”
• National Council on Teacher Quality website

What are some important characteristics of quality teachers? Let us know what you think in the comments.

Addressing the gender gap in the teaching profession

Source: Amanda Lasik, 2011 Peace Fellow for BERDO

Teaching has historically been viewed as a “woman’s job” – a perception that still dominates the profession today. This ‘feminization’  has resulted in a significant, and growing, gender gap in the teaching profession. Data from the UNESCO Institute of Statistics (UIS) indicates that the proportion of women in the teaching profession has grown globally, from 56% to 62% since 1990. This widening gap is a global issue, afflicting developed countries as much as developing countries.

But these statistics only show a global picture and leave out many details; different gender issues affect different levels of education, as well as different countries and regions. The gender gap usually refers to a lack of male teachers, which is predominantly the case in early childhood and primary education due to the historical perception that women are the primary caregivers. However, it’s interesting to note that in many developing countries, there is a shortage of female teachers, particularly at secondary and tertiary levels and in subjects such as science and maths. For example, in sub-Saharan Africa, only 42% of teachers are women (UIS). A shortage of female teachers is more often the case in societies that are more conservative about women’s rights (e.g. in the Middle East). A shortage of female teachers in particular subjects can be explained by the historical perception of these (e.g. science, math, etc) as ‘male subjects’.

One would expect that because the profession is largely dominated by women, the system would be in their favour. However, gender inequality remains a critical issue in many areas, particularly concerning pay equity, benefits, opportunities, violence against teachers and discrimination. Even if measures to ensure gender equality are enshrined into the policies and constitutions of many states, for millions of female teachers, the goals remain unfulfilled.

Why is a gender-balanced teaching staff necessary? One reason is because it’s important for learners to have both male and female role models to look up to. But the challenge is more than one of numbers. The quality of teachers and teaching is also essential to good learning outcomes. This implies an education system that attracts and retains a well-trained, motivated, effective and gender-balanced teaching staff.

And how is the UN involved in this issue? For example, UNESCO works to support gender equity in education, in terms of access and achievement, through:

• partnership with key organizations;
• research; and
• production of guidelines and policy briefs (e.g.: The ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers).

Capacity development and awareness-raising are also essential to empower both men and women teachers to be both effective practitioners and gender advocates. Another example is that UNESCO uses World Teachers’ Day on October 5th to raise awareness about issues that face the teaching profession, such as gender equality.

To learn more about the gender gap in the teaching profession, check out the following resources:

• Global Education Digest 2010 – Focus on Gender
• Teachers and Educational Quality: Monitoring Global Needs for 2015
• Percentage of Female Teachers
• Speaking out about the teacher shortage and what to do about it in Africa (radio)

Do you, or did you, have primarily female teachers or male teachers? What kind of impact do you think this has/had on your education? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Happy World Teachers’ Day!

It’s World Teachers’ Day! To read our post about this event, click here.

Feel free to share your ideas and experiences in the comments!

How the United Nations contributes to raising teachers’ status

Source: Ramadian Bachtiar/CIFOR

Teaching has long been, and still remains today, a primarily female-dominated profession. This can be linked to two main reasons:

1. in most traditional societies, caring for, educating and raising children, has usually been the responsibility of the mother, resulting in the feminization of the teaching profession;
2. the teaching profession has been, and is sometimes still, associated with a lower status, which can be linked to low salaries, poor working conditions and many other issues.

In some societies, those two reasons can sometimes create a vicious cycle, e.g. where women have a perceived inferior status, and as teachers are predominantly women, the teaching profession is subjected to the same misperception as being of inferior status. Yet, in other societies, while the teaching profession is held in high esteem, it is still often seen as a ‘woman’s job’.

What does the UN have to do with this issue? Among its top priorities, UNESCO works to raise the status of teachers, specifically through the promotion and dissemination of the two UNESCO and International Labour Organization (ILO) normative instruments concerning the status of teaching personnel (1966 and 1997). The Joint ILO/UNESCO Committee of Experts on the Application of the Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers (CEART) monitors the implementation of these Recommendations. But ‘recommendations’ are all these are – they are not legally binding or enforceable.

So how can they influence change? Well, all Member States of the ILO and UNESCO, whether or not they voted for the Recommendations or approved them, are obliged to be familiar with their provisions and have been invited to apply them in their respective countries. So a Recommendation may have a persuasive effect.

In fact, some people consider that the UNESCO-ILO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers adopted in 1966 has essentially served as a “charter of rights” for teachers worldwide! This is so significant that the 5th of October, the anniversary of its signing, became the date chosen for World Teachers’ Day.

But what exactly do these organizations do? For example, UNESCO and ILO support the Recommendations by

• organizing seminars at all levels (e.g. local, regional, national, international) in which representatives of government, teachers’ organizations and private school employers agree on strategies for concrete action to improve the conditions of teachers;
• undertaking case studies and statistical studies which highlight current issues and practice; and
• providing information and technical advice to countries’ educational authorities and teachers’ organizations on changes in laws, regulations, and practices affecting teachers.

You can learn more about what UNESCO and ILO do to raise the status of teachers here:

• http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0016/001604/160495e.pdf
• http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0015/001509/150949e.pdf

But recommendations can only take us so far. While it is a foundation on which to build, all of the work the United Nations does can only take us part of the way. Change has to come from within each system, within each country.

Teachers face diverse challenges, and addressing those challenges with the appropriate support requires that the status of the teaching profession be elevated. The vital role of teachers and the teaching profession, and their potential for improving societies and individuals’ well-being must be acknowledged. That acknowledgement and understanding must then be turned into action.

Would you consider being a teacher? How would any of the issues mentioned play a role in your decision? What would you do to elevate the teaching profession to its rightful status? Share your thoughts and suggestions in the comments!

UNESCO World Teacher’s Day

Source: Charles Pieters

What does World Teacher’s Day tell us about the United Nations?

On October 5th, we’ll be celebrating World Teacher’s Day! According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), this day provides awareness, understanding and appreciation of teachers and the important work they do every day. Teachers around the world are often undervalued, underpaid and under-appreciated. Yet, teachers can play a big part in creating the kind of inclusive society we aspire to, and many deserve praise for striving for inclusion and quality in education without asking anything in return.

Did you know that over 100 countries observe World Teachers’ Day? Yet, if we ask anyone on the street today, or even on October 5th, most would not know about it unless they were somehow involved or very interested in education-related matters. After all, almost every other day is a World “something” Day or an International Day of “something”! (How many of you knew that October 2nd celebrates “International Day of Non-Violence”, October 15th is the “International Day of Rural Women”, and October 16th is “World Food Day”?)

So does it mean anything? Does it make a difference? And who actually knows about this? This is one of the main problems with the United Nations in relation to public awareness: their activities sound so broad, ‘international’ and ‘important’, and often they are! But typically, the only people who truly know what the United Nations is doing are those directly involved in, or affected by, its development and implementation. From the outside, it can look like a massive bureaucracy that loves to discuss issues but doesn’t often meet its grand, well-meaning objectives (or only very watered down versions of them). There are many reasons for this perception; for example, the large number of members and stakeholders involved, all with different opinions and very ambitious goals.

This lack of public awareness about UN activities, particularly in education, is one of the main reasons we decided to start this blog, and we aim to explore more of this. However, for now, let’s turn the focus back on Teachers, because, as mentioned, they do need to be recognized, and preferably not only once a year on October 5th!

This year, UNESCO focuses on Gender Equality, divided into two main themes:

1. the issue of gender distribution in the teaching profession (i.e. the much higher percentage of female teachers); and
2. the (very important) role of teachers in promoting gender equality in education and society.

Leading up to World Teacher’s Day, UNESCO is hosting an online forum to share experiences and good practices on these issues. Anyone can join the forum, share and read contributions and learn more about how education systems and teachers address gender equality and the gender-related issues that permeate education systems around the world.

The United Nations is a great source for exploring these issues, and there is an abundance of information and resources that can easily be accessed – if you know where to look. Today, you can start by checking out http://www.worldteachersday.org/int/ and http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/education-building-blocks/teacher-education/world-teachers-day/ to see what UNESCO does for World Teacher’s Day.

Education is a main building block for life and success and, teachers are the primary ‘builders’. They are the ones – whether consciously or unconsciously – who decide how and what knowledge, values, attitudes and skills to teach future generations. Quality inclusive teaching will have a positive impact no matter what environment or resources are available. Of course, there is no denying that the more support and resources are available, the more good a teacher can do, and the more impact quality inclusive education can have. However, gratitude does not cost anything and we can always show our appreciation for teachers.

These sites can start you off with some ideas of easy and free/affordable ways to show your gratitude, like hosting a “Thank you Breakfast” for a teacher:

• http://listplanit.com/2011/05/list-of-ways-to-show-teacher-appreciation/
• http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin/admin308.shtml

What could YOU do to show a teacher that you appreciate his/her efforts? Share your suggestions in the comments!

Happy World Teacher’s Day!