As a language teacher the BA helped me greatly to become aware of the various working principles of teaching and learning. Now I am able to devise and use innovations and simulating exercises, for my own pleasure and renewal as much as for my students benefit. The repetitive nature of the teaching job sometimes makes it monotonous. But now I have cultivated the habit of experimenting with my methodology and presentation techniques. I have realized that with some premeditation and rationalization I can make each and every activity in the classroom much more rewarding. I believe I have a better command over the English language, which has also boosted my morale and performance as a teacher and as a Senior Teacher. When I look back on the three years of my BA, I find myself standing on a higher level of confidence than ever.
A senior teacher acts like a mentor catering to the overall professional development of her colleagues. She has to serve as a source of inspiration to her colleagues, guiding them and building up their confidence and instilling the courage to experiment with language teaching methodology in the classroom. As a Senior Teacher, I can say the BA has helped me immensely to achieve this goal, I particularly appreciated the module on Service Teacher Training and Mentoring. Mentoring has now become the buzz-word in the English language teaching world. It is regarded as one of the most powerful processes for our own learning and professional development. The In-Service Training and Mentoring module has given me awareness of the need for excellence in teaching and how mentoring can be an effective tool for professional development.
Teaching is really a lonely profession – a teacher prepares her lesson alone and teacher alone, except for her class of students – yet this profession is basically about facilitating and providing knowledge and skills. So as teachers we need to share experiences, thoughts, worries, hopes and achievements.
Munira Al Zadjali
The BA has also given me insight into the immense professional development. In the beginning some of us were reluctant to be peer observed, believing that peer-observation was a tool for finding faults with someone’s method of teaching. But now we are aware of the reassurance it gives about our classroom performance and the opportunity it gives us to see teachers working in different contexts. As a result of a peer, observation workshop helped during the BA course, I was able to convince my colleagues how beneficial it is for both the observer and the observed. By the end of the workshop, all of us came to the conclusion that peer-observation with feedback raises awareness of teaching practices to a level that really helps to improve the teaching standard.
As a Senior Teacher I am improving my performance with the knowledge and skills I have gained through the Technology in Language Learning module. In fact the entire course has given me a new awareness of the effectiveness of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) in teaching English language. I am also helping my colleagues to implement CALL in teaching. It is helping us to create language exercises that are suitable for the level of our students.
In conclusion, I would say that while teaching is really a lonely profession – a teacher prepares her lesson alone and teacher alone, except for her class of students – yet this profession is basically about facilitating and providing knowledge and skills. So as teachers we need to share experiences, thoughts, worries, hopes and achievements. Teaching is also one of the most strenuous jobs teaching techniques have to be changed, manipulated and adapted constantly to suit the expectations of different students and authorities. It can really test any individual. Now have the confidence to stand this test because of the BA (TESOL) course I have undergone. It has added more meaning and value to my career. All in all it has helped in the overall development of my career as a teacher of English Language.
Munira Al Zadjali is working as an English teacher at Batinah South Region School.
