Faniry on teacher motivation for IT and foreign language class

09.10.2023

"On the first day of computer and english language class I asked the teachers what is their motivation for joining the class. Like; why would they be interested? Is just it because headmaster Noro sais so? 

It turns out they all have different reasons and motivation:

Most of the teachers say they wish to be able to talk directly to the school's guest. Without having to wait for me to interpret to communicate between them. For the sports teacher - when Norwegian practical training students comes to school and joins sports class, if I am busy in the library, the kids make fun of him because he doesn't understand what the Norwegians are trying to say. It makes him feel ashamed and sad about himself. 

The teachers who work at Kanaan need English to be able to read and decode and understand more the manuals for the machines we use there. The manual for fixing the soil-tilling machine when it breaks down is in English. If they understand what they read, they don't have to ask for help anymore. 

Yet other teachers are just interested in learning, so they just have the curiosity to develop their language skill. And actually I combine it with French. The librarian also needs it for her work.

This is how I organize class: They stay at school 1h during lunch break for the computer skills' development with IT teacher Fenohasina on Mondays and Tuesdays. 

They really need the computer skills for their work, like for the scoresheet, doing research and also for the teachers to keep track with how their students advance with the new technology. 

They would feel ashamed that their students are getting pretty advanced and that they know nothing themselves. The language classes takes place every Wednesday after work from 4:30-5:30 and Saturdays from 11-12:30. 

So far I just tested their level, and we just had speaking for now, but I want to develop all skills when time goes on. I can say they are all motivated and since we play and learn at the same time, it's a kind of break from work for everyone, and an opportunity to learn more about each other as well. 

I see it as a kind of professional development as well since they can observe directly how to maintain a class active while learning. Most of the time our training is limited to the theoretical side without much observation so now that I do each activity I can immediately give them the rationale behind it and explain how they can adapt it to teach any kind of subject even scientific ones. 

I intend to follow up their teaching in the classroom starting in January and see how they actually conduct it and see together with the teachers how they can improve their teaching so that we get a better result."