For teaching to be effective, six components must be present. These are;
a. the teacher- who plays a variety of roles in imparting knowledge and skills to the pupils
b. the learner, the clientele in the teaching-learning process
c. the classroom and facilities being utilized in every learning situation
d. instructional materials
e. curriculum where the objectives and subject matter is based
f. administration
Learner, being in the heart of the educational process, is given much emphasis. Teachers assure the mastery of knowledge and skills of the learners while acquiring proper attitude and habits. To ensure this, there are several things that teachers must know about their pupils. These are:
1. Ability- pupils may be categorized as fast, mediocre or slow learners. Teachers ‘knowledge of their abilities will help her determine the method and style of teaching to be used.
2. Needs- Pupils need attention. The level or kind of attention that the teacher extends to her pupils depends on their need for it. Aside from attention, pupils may have special needs like when they have disabilities. The key towards giving proper attention to individual’s needs is being concerned with them.
3. Behavior- teachers must observe the behavior shown by pupils inside the classroom.
4. Problems- There is problem children and children with problem. Problem children are those who go out of their teacher’s way and create chaos, problem or distraction in the classroom. Children with problems are those who behave differently inside the classroom due to personal problems. In both cases, the teacher shows empathy and understanding of their behavior and helps them deal with their problems.
5. Interest- Howard Gardner has theorized about multiple intelligences. He states that there is no dull person. Every person has intelligence, but the intelligence will only come out if he has interest with what he is learning. So teachers must deal with the interest of the pupils and use them to produce meaningful experiences, and thus, learning.
6. Goals of the pupils. Every child has a dream. The teacher must be familiar with this so that she can encourage her pupils towards the realization of his goals; one way is by studying hard.
7. Psychological and social environment of the child. The teacher must be conscious of the people surrounding the each pupil and how each pupil is treated in his immediate environment, that is, his home. This treatment influences his thinking, words and action. Just like the saying, “Children Learn what they Live.” So a child who lives surrounded by love will find it easy to give love to others.
8. Cultural environment of the child. Aside from the social environment of the child, traditions, beliefs, customs also affect his life. The teacher needs to know this so that she can pay proper respect to the culture surrounding the child and rationalize it too. For example, if a child inside the classroom belonging to a certain religion refrains from eating certain kinds of food or doing the sign of the cross as obedience to his religious beliefs and customs must not be considered as disrespectful to the teacher.
Knowing learners will benefit the teacher not only in dealing with
The learners but also in making them obey whole-heartedly. The more the teacher knows about her pupils, the more she cares. And pupils, even the most disobedient ones, start to follow with gusto, once they felt that their teacher has real love and concern for them.
By: Noriza De Leon Fariñas | Teacher-I Orion Elem School
