The Minister of Education, Sports and Culture (M.E.S.C), Magele Mauiliu Magele, has an easy answer to problems facing teachers: use Google.
Speaking during an orientation seminar for new teachers, held at the Samoa Conference Centre yesterday, Magele said using an online search engine would give fresh ideas to educate the children.
“My education, our children’s future, but is it really?” asked Minister Magele in regards to the official theme. “There is really one purpose in serving as a teacher: to unleash the potential in every child and that is your job.”
He also called out any teacher that had a different reason for joining the profession. “I will give you two minutes to leave this room and don’t come back.”
Figures released by M.E.S.C shows that there were 41 new teachers with a Diploma in Primary Education, 34 with a Diploma in Secondary Education, 21 with a Bachelor in Education. Fourteen former teachers were also rehired. Magele said those teachers need to always put the children first.
“You can open up doors and unleash the potential by being very passionate about your job and the reason why you want to become a teacher is because you love the children.”
Magele reminded them that honesty must go together with passion.
“The meaning of the word honesty is to get into school early and prepare everything that is needed before schools starts, not having a tea break inside the staff room and chatting,” he said.
“Be the first inside the classroom and be the last out every day. Not all students are the same, there are individual differences.
“What’s happening at this time is that you only prepare lessons for the smartest students, forgetting the rest.”
<!-- 300x250, created 4/7/09 -->
<ins class="adsbygoogle"
style="display:inline-block;width:300px;height:250px"
data-ad-client="ca-pub-2469982834957525"
data-ad-slot="5477526164"></ins>
<script>
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
</script>{/googleAds}
He said that only 10 per cent of students fall into the high academic category, with the rest needing more help.
“You are not defined by the brainy ones, but those students that are weak.”
Their role as teachers was “to uplift the standards in their education.”
He suggested searching for new teaching methods online, among other methods, “Go Google and keep on learning, take them out of the classrooms or even take a field trip, all these are learning experiences. You have to be innovative.
“Keep up with the ministry, the ministry is responsible for your needs.”
“It is all about having enough time, with you the teacher, to help those students that really need help. Homework should not be done at home but at school on those extended times.”
“Let me tell this again to you, you are not the most important person in the classroom - the minister isn’t as well - but the children.”
He said that many parents were seen in Apia seeking tuition class for their children. That was alright for those who can afford it, he said.
“But what about us from Savai’i who can’t afford it?”
Magele said that they already had a meeting with some of the education officials and the University of the South Pacific, offering sixty science teachers the chance to do their bachelor degrees starting in early June this year.
“The standard of education cannot exceed the quality of teachers” he said.
“The government is spending millions of tala in adjusting your salaries, so make sure that you serve well in your career and remember that your education is the future of our children.”
Topics covered yesterday included a snapshot of the education system, guiding policies, public service codes, corporal punishment, working conditions and entitlements, staffing, and school improvements.
The new teachers are expected to take up positions at government schools on Monday 14th April.
<!-- samoa_observer.ws -->
<ins class="adsbygoogle"
style="display:inline-block;width:336px;height:280px"
data-ad-client="ca-pub-9419815128221199"
data-ad-slot="5306335075"></ins>
<script>
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
</script>{/googleAds}