What Teachers Want
Zainab Al Balushy, Oman
Zainab Al Balushi is a Senior Language Instructor at the Language Center, Sultan Qaboos University. She has been teaching English for 14 years. She holds a Master degree from University of Warwick, UK. Her areas are teaching methods and autonomy. E-mail: zainabb@squ.edu.om
Menu
Introduction
Recognition
Work environment
Teaching circumstances
Professional development
Social and financial benefits
Feedback and communication
Future career opportunities
Findings and discussion
Conclusion
References
Teachers are considered the most important element in the educational process. They undertake high responsibilities and duties to make significant changes in their students' continuous development. They are highly appreciated and extremely accounted for by authorities and the community at large. There are some certain aspects that regulate around teachers' lives which are the aims and goals they want to achieve at their job. Those could include recognition, work environment, teaching circumstances, professional development, social and financial benefits, feedback and communication, and future career opportunities. They are chief components to make teachers satisfied and content. Research has been conducted in the area of teachers' needs and satisfactory factors. The extent to which teachers value these factors varies from a teacher to another depending on their experiences, cultural backgrounds, and personal norms and believes, besides the influence of colleagues and peer workers. Some surveys however reveal very alarming findings of teachers' dissatisfaction with their jobs which might deeply influence their production as chief delegates of their profession, Bishya (1996).
Teachers need to be recognized, and good use of their talents is very much rewarding to them. Bishay (1996), states that payment does not contribute a lot to teacher satisfaction. Experimenting new ideas and given adequate responsibilities and freedom could be better incentives, he concludes. If teachers are regarded as professionals and given the opportunity to show their skills and use them positively, they will produce a lot and will feel encouraged to serve their profession in a perfect way. Receiving praise and encouragement from administration and showing the value of their experiences could play a significant role in reinforcing teachers' confidence about their abilities and make them realize their talents. Furthermore, Working according to their qualifications and having a clear understanding of their responsibilities could help them feel a sense of achievement at their job. They will in this case feel accountable of their own teaching and therefore do much better in their assigned duties. This would eventually lead to them getting respectful treatment from administration and get treated as professional teachers which every teacher aims to achieve. If this is done, positive outcomes shall be expected which will reflect positively on students' performance in the long run.
Another important area in teachers' needs is the appropriateness of the work environment. Feeling comfortable at their work place is an important factor which could determine teachers' satisfaction levels. This could include their office style, privacy, hygiene, security and accessibility. A lot of teachers consider their offices as their second home. They actually spend almost half their day in it. So, they would rather be in a tranquil environment to work efficiently. The available facilities would enhance this notion and provide for contentment among teachers. Administration should be aware of such and should provide it as much as possible. Being with good colleagues is also another essential factor related to work environment. Bishya (1996) in the findings of his study recommends that more relaxation with work colleagues could help revive teachers and provide them with positive attitudes towards teaching in that specific institution. Teachers would in fact refuse to move from one school to another for reasons of wanting to keep on with the same social group they established at their work place.
Teachers need to be content with the teaching load, the number of students they are to teach, as well as their levels and attitudes. The amount of tasks bestowed on the teachers affect largely on their performance and on their students' progress accordingly. If teachers are overloaded they would feel reluctant and dissatisfied which will reflect badly on the teaching/learning process. So, it is vital to provide them with a settled environment where teaching load, timings and breaks are appropriate and reasonable. They also need to feel free to use their own various teaching methods and styles and need to be involved in the development of the curriculum and the testing strategies used. In her article, Maley (1999) discusses the difficult circumstances that teachers may encounter and how negative the effects could be on their teaching. If adequate teaching conditions are present then teachers won't be bothered and thus will perform their tasks effectively.
A lot of educational organizations in so many countries view professional development as a vital component of the teaching/learning strategies, Hayes (1997). It is meant to develop teachers' skills and abilities and widen the range of their expertise. It could take the forms of training courses and conferences at home or abroad, working on projects associated with their teaching requirements and also providing teachers with up-to-date programs to use in their work. This will allow for fostering their proficiency and enabling them to renew their profession and establish a solid ground for their students' future as well. Professional development for teachers should be an ongoing process not a one-time seminar where some aspects are tackled and the rest are neglected. It should also focus on developing teachers' methods of classroom teaching techniques and strategies that will be beneficial to students and embedded in the everyday work of teaching not conducted only on special occasions.
Moreover professional development sessions should address the Areas of planning, critical teaching, curriculum and students' evaluation and assessment methods. Teaching objectives and outcomes should be in the core of the material being discussed and hence knowledge will be shared each according to their experience and what they encounter while teaching. Modeling and couching should accompany the sessions to give room for practicality which will implant the theory virtually in the teachers' systems and will make it easy to apply in their profession. Finally professional development should be based on exploration of case studies of real classroom practices and deal with needs and requirements of students' development and teaching enhancement, The Finance Project (2004). The same project however showed that 50 percent of teachers, in a survey conducted by Public Agenda, do not perceive professional development as effective as expected. This could occur in cases of not applying the appropriate steps of the process and not adhering to it in the right way. Yan (2007) in the findings of a study stresses that training programmes need to persistently be regulated around teachers' needs in terms of their delivery mode, course content and methodology.
Being a teacher could be a rewarding profession. Teachers expect to get a lot of benefits from their job. Social benefits could include entertainment facilities such as recreational facilities that serve teachers as to providing them with opportunities to practice their hobbies and spend some quality time with their families after work. Some teaching positions that allow for a number of administrative posts are prestigious in society and well looked upon. Teachers like to enjoy such a privilege which provides them with some high social identity. This depends on the job titles granted to teachers. These are sometimes determined by the years of experience or even the teacher's qualifications in some institutions. Rewarding distinguished teachers is also another incentive for them and an encouragement for the rest. Financial benefits indeed constitute a great deal of inducement to teachers as well. Good salary, good allowances besides getting some help on their children's tuition fees for example are heartening ways to satisfy teachers. Although Bishay, (1996) claims that salary according to findings of a study does not represent a huge motivator for some teachers, it could be an immensely huge factor for others. A well-paid teacher will happily and more enthusiastically serve his/ her work than someone who feels underpaid and hence the difference in performance will be clearly resolved.
Clear, transparent, positive and accountable communication methods between teachers and their administration is a vital component of teachers' needs. Teachers need to be aware of new rules and regulations regarding their job. Good understanding of such guidelines shall sooth the communication, and therefore give plenty of room for discussion and negotiation. Getting good feedback on their work is also another factor in this case. Teachers need to be given the freedom to declare their opinions freely to administration particularly in issues related to them and their positions. They need to have a voice in the decisions that affect them and their future. Thus, having a good relationship with administration is beneficial for both. Administration could be at ease and count on teachers in doing the job. Teachers, on the other hand, would be comfortable and perform their responsibilities in ideal manners. Results of a study on communication between teachers and principals, Arlestig (2008), show that communication levels are related to aspects like complexity, information, affirmation, and interpretation. Organizational factors such as structure and culture and the frequency of the communication process itself distinguish good communication from a dab one. Arlestig (2008) suggests that communication should be fostered between teachers and administration to provide better outcomes that could contribute to improved consequences for all.
In almost every profession, people seek settlement and career improvement. A guaranteed future is a wish that teachers aim at in their profession. This could take different forms like fair Promotion systems, getting chances for positions, fair opportunities for scholarships, and good end of service benefits. Promotion from one grade to the other is a great encouragement for teachers to produce and stay enthusiastic. Being promoted would entail a higher title, more allowances and an established scheme at work. Some administrative positions besides teaching also present some kind of progress at work. It reflects positively on their performance and self esteem. Add to that, if teachers are given opportunities for continuing their higher education, that would add to their knowledge and expertise which will eventually reveal good quality performance at their work and on their students likewise.
Finally, as teachers progress at their job, there will be time when they need to go for retirement and then necessitating the quality of such services at that stage of their lives after serving their profession for so long. Poor salary, students' discipline problems and motivation, poor administrative support, and lack of faculty influence were reasons provided by Ingersoll and Smith (2003) for teachers' decisions to early retirement. In such cases shortage of teachers occurs as a problem in such institutions and filling the missing becomes fundamental.
1. Age:
As noticed from the chart, the dominant age group is between 31 and above 50 years of age. This group constitutes the majority of staff at the language centre.
2. Gender
Female teachers represent a higher percentage than males. This is due to natural factors of the teaching occupation being up taken by females more than males in a variety of cultures.
3. Qualifications
Most teachers in the Language Centre hold a Master degree since it is a requisite for joining the job here. The bachelor holders are the new teachers before they are sent to do their further MA studies after one year or two of starting their job.
4. Nationality
Omani teachers in the language centre comprise less than a third of the total number of staff. The non Omanis are of various nationalities including Americans, British, Polish, Africans, South Asians, Australians, and other Arabs.
5. Teaching experience
The higher rate here is occupied by the teaching experience of 11-15 and over 20 years. The teachers of over 20 years of experience are mainly expats because Omanis are in the other areas since their number has begun to increase recently.
6. Title
Senior Language Instructors and Language Lecturers are dominating because teachers get hired at these grades to begin with and then later they move up through promotions. Demonstrators and new MA holders are fewer and they also get their chances for moving up through promotions.
Findings and discussion
A. Recognition
1. Receiving praise and encouragement from administration
Praise and encouragement is considered important by a great percentage of teachers. It is one of the techniques that administration could use to cheer teachers and raise their self esteem levels.
2. Recognition and use of my talents
Teachers would love to make use of their personal special skills and at the same time they want administration to notice that and reward them accordingly.
3. Working according to my Qualifications
This is an essential method and strategy that has to be applied in the teaching profession. Doing so will guarantee high achievement levels by teachers and therefore students at large.
4. feeling a sense of achievement at my job
This can be met if teachers are given the opportunity to make use of their talents to produce according to their levels and hence feel the since of accomplishment and achievement they would like to have.
5. Feeling responsible of my own teaching
If teachers are given the freedom to decide on their own teaching methods and activate their knowledge to advance their teaching styles, they would be very creative would feel responsible about that as well. It shows from the chart that teachers want to have such a responsibility given to them.
6. Getting respectful treatment from administration
The kind of relationship between teachers and administration plays a significant role in shaping the success of the teaching environment at the work place. Teachers very much welcome a positive atmosphere in which they can feel free and comfortable.
7. Having a clear understanding of my responsibilities
This is an extremely important aspect since establishing clear grounds for everybody to work on is vital. When this aspect is neglected, chaos occurs and dependency spreads in the place which could reflect badly on the profession.
8. Getting treated as a professional teacher
A lot of teachers feel mistreated and underestimated which discourages them from excelling and doing their utmost best. They apparently need to be treated professionally to produce well.
9. Value of my experiences
Experienced teachers want to be noticed and good use of their experiences is very well welcomed by them. It is a loss if that is not applied in institutions where teachers' expertise could help establish strong curriculums and other teaching tools.
10. Comments
“As a younger instructor, there are times when older instructors assume that because of my age, I must not know much as a teacher. Because of this, I sometimes receive negative and overbearing advice from older faculty. For me, it is very important to get treated as a professional teacher and know that everyone's experience is valued so that we, as professionals, can be the best instructors for our students. “
This is a comment from a young teacher who feels that she is competent enough to be treated as a professional teacher. Professionalism does not necessarily hinge upon experience all the time. A younger teacher could know as much and sometimes even more that an older one in the field.
B. Work environment
1. Accessibility of my work place
Teachers who live close to their work area know how comfortable it is to be able to access their work place at ease. Those who are far away would rank it very important considering the fact that their accessibility is rare.
2. Good facilities at my work place
These might include stationeries, printing facilities, and other equipments required by teachers. A high percentage of teachers decided that this facet is very important.
3. Comfortable office
Office is also regarded very important provided that it is comfortable, in good location with conditioning capacity and good lighting as well. If the condition of the office is not encouraging, teachers would not be able to do their work properly.
4. Privacy in my office
This is especially significant for female teachers in mixed working circumstances. It would be necessary for teachers in this case to have a private place and also generally for all teachers to be able to receive their students and discuss their matters.
5. Having my own office
A good percentage of respondents do not require a separate office. This could be due to their need for a companion to share their work life with and spend some quality office time similarly.
6. My work place being hygienic
Hygiene is a required factor in work place. Respondents ranked it very important as it also interferes with their own production.
7. Being with good colleagues
Colleagues make a difference in a teachers' attachment to their work place. Good colleagues form an encouraging dynamic to stick to your job and enjoy being part of the entire team.
8. Feeling secure at my work place
Security is a vital issue with regard to work area. Teachers would not be contented to work in a place where they feel unsafe. Safety contributes to teachers' level of productivity and satisfaction as apparent from the results.
9. Food facilities
One of the aspects that teachers judge over a certain place is the availability of comforting factors including food especially for the single ones or those who live far away from the area. Quite a good number, however do not regard it as an important requirement at work place.
10. Comments
“I'd like to make a strong note that it is important for faculty to have access to working computers, printers, scanners, paper cutter, and other electric and non-electric equipment that are used on a daily basis to help with class preparation. More importantly, it is important that teachers have autonomy in this area”
The teacher here comments on the availability of stationary and equipment to help with teaching. She also addresses the area of teacher autonomy with regard to some facilities that she feels should be handled personally.
C. Teaching circumstances
1. Number of students
It is vital for a successful learning process to give consideration to the number of students each teacher is assigned. To have an ideal situation where every student benefits and the teacher feels positive and willing to teach it is well worth adjusting to how many students should be included.
2. Students’ level
Here teachers have various views over the level of the students they are required to teach. Although the highest number considers the students' level as very important, a quite similar percentage does not. This depends on teachers' personal preferences and abilities or experience with different levels of students.
3. Stable curriculum
A stable curriculum that does not change every now and then allows teachers more chances to create and build on previous experiences and encourages them to produce matching materials worth inclusion and trial.
4. Reliable testing strategies
Testing methods is another main area in the teaching development. It influences teachers' techniques and reactions. If done properly and successfully, testing could help foster learning and teaching alike.
5. Using my own Teaching methods
A lot of teachers do not like being forced to teach in a certain way. They believe in their own ways and they have the right to apply their methods and test their functionality.
6. Flexible teaching timings
Sometimes teachers get really annoyed by the timings assigned to them. Very late classes would make them furious as they believe there is a certain level for unproductively in which timing is an important means.
7. Getting enough breaks
Breaks here are meant between classes and between semesters as well. Teachers need some time to get organized and recap with their responsibilities. A tight schedule would create pressure and negativity as a consequence.
8. Reasonable work load
The teachers' work load collectively is known as demanding and significantly overwhelming. This should be taken in consideration for better professional production.
9. Moving between programs
Trying different levels and teaching programs is wanted by many teachers, though it is unwelcomed by more teachers according to the findings. Some teachers prefer to stick to the same program for reasons of familiarity with the materials and students' level and teaching methods.
10. Comments
"Small class sizes at the lower levels are, in my opinion, VERY important".
"I think it is very important for teachers to move between programs so that all teachers have an opportunity to teach various skills and levels. There are some teachers in our language center who rest on their laurels and insist on only teaching credit or the upper-level courses. They feel that they've achieved a status of not having to deal with lower-level students and craft their course so that they can teach on autopilot"
The comment here is on class size particularly at lower levels since more teacher involvement is expected and more students' attention is required.
D. Professional development
1. Getting training courses at my job
From a professional development view, teachers have the right foe some kind of training on the job. The majority of respondents feel that training is an important part of their profession and they are willing to enroll in such courses.
2. Participating in training courses abroad
Teachers' individual interests and circumstances interfere with regard to getting training courses abroad. Quite a good percentage does not consider it an important requirement although some teachers do mark it as very important.
3. Attending conferences locally
Conference attendance is viewed very important by the majority of teachers. They benefit by exploiting their experience and getting involved with professionals in the same field. They exchange experience and develop their expertise.
4. Attending conferences abroad
This is again similar to attending courses abroad. It depends on teachers' interest and circumstances which could be an obstacle to travelling and going abroad.
5. Getting adequate funding for conference presentations
Inadequate funding could be one of the obstacles for undertaking such. Teachers will be more encouraged if they get sufficient financial support for attending and presenting at conferences.
6. Using up-to-date programs at my job
Adapting new programs in fields related to enhancing teachers' performance and students' development is a well viewed requirement by teachers as obvious above.
7. Getting opportunities to work on projects
The kinds of projects that bring benefits for the institution with regard to improving the teaching strategies and evaluating the current systems should be encouraged.
8. Committee memberships
Some teachers feel reluctant to join committees since it adds an extra load on them. Thus a good number of respondents do not value this statement.
9. Community service
Community service is viewed similarly as committee memberships since it adds more to the teachers' work.
10. Comments
"To keep the Language Center up-to-date with its teaching methods and practices, it's important that instructors, as professionals, get involved with committee work and professional development"
"What separates a typical language center instructor at a language school for profit and a university-related language center is the requisite that instructors hold professional degrees and contribute to the pedagogical environment of their work"
"I believe very strongly that academic contracts should be long term; getting a PhD should be encouraged and supported"
From the comments above, it appears that some teachers do appreciate committee involvement provided that some release time is granted.
E. Social and financial benefits
1. Good salary
This is definitely a very important facet which appears very clearly from the results. It is a major component for teachers' satisfaction.
2. Entertainment
Respondents seem to be in varying paths on the subject of entertainment. Some probably believe that it is an out of work and personal choice component that not everybody has the same grounds on.
3. Allowances
Allowances are sighted very significant as they relate to salary and financial facilities gained from the job.
4. Job title
Titles are somehow prestigious terms that make a difference to some teachers and do not for others as clear from the chart.
5. Children tuition fees
The majority regards this aspect as a very important one since it is beneficial to them. Those who do not have children marked it as not applicable.
6. Awards
This is again a personal issue. Some teachers feel the validity of awards, whereas others think that concrete facilities have more weight.
7. Administrative positions
Administrative positions are a personal choice since not every teacher prefers the involvement and commitment that come with such posts.
8. Popularity among students
A lot of teachers akin to having comfortable dealings with students which make them relaxed and enable them to produce better on the job.
9. Friendships with work colleagues
This is on the same grounds as the previous one as teachers feel better dealing with colleagues they get along with.
10. Comments
"Tuition coverage for children would be very helpful and VERY IMPORTANT"
"I'd like to make the distinction that I mean popularity in the sense that students have a positive relationship with their teachers, not that the teacher is well-liked by all students"
"Friendship with colleagues, Respect and friendly atmosphere would be OK"
"Teachers don't need to be popular to do a good job"
"If salary is good, allowances are not necessary"
"Financial support should be more for research work"
"Financial support should be high for divorced mothers"
"It is very important to give a child-care support system to employees within the academic faculty"
Education allowance begins only at 6, what about childcare allowance before that period? Especially to divorced mothers who are working at the University, this is crucial"
These are some of the needs that teachers highlighted in their responses. They are stressing the importance of salary, good relationships with students and colleagues, and special cases of single or divorced mothers
F. Future career opportunities
1. Promotions
Those who decided the insignificance of promotions are the ones who feel it is unlikely to get or the ones that reached the top of the scale.
2. Positions
Positions as per promotions are well considered by quite a good number of teachers. A fine figure has also expressed their negative outlook regarding it for personal preferences.
3. Scholarships
This also depends on personal preferences and plans. Some teachers seek higher education opportunities and others do not consider it significant.
4. End of service benefits
It is very obvious from the chart that teachers value this aspect and it has a great worth since it guarantees their future.
10. Comments
"Getting a promotion is virtually impossible! There should be more opportunity for movement into CC and PC positions, especially in the CELP"
"I think as a non Omani these are issues which are of great concern. We need to leave this job some day and move on"
"Being treated well for a job done well is a pleasant reward"
This is plea to make promotion guidelines less rigid and more easily obtained. Stress on good treatment as a reward shows the significance of it.
G. Communication and feedback
1. Transparency at my job
Teachers would love to have this aspect accomplished at their work place. They want to be aware and informed all the time.
2. Awareness of new rules and regulations
Similarly, when rules get modified or even changed, teachers have a right to know of the changes since that affects them as employees.
3. Getting feedback on my work
They also want to get feedback from administration on the work they do and how much they fulfill.
4. Expressing my opinion freely to administration
Almost everybody wants this to happen to clear things out and explain the misunderstandings when they occur.
5. A voice in the decisions that affect me
Clearly teachers need to be involved in such decisions to reveal their opinions of agreement or disagreement in that context.
6. A voice in the decisions that affect my students
In so many cases, teachers get only informed by the changes in their students' matters and cannot give their input which makes them feel neglected.
8. Teacher observations
This is a debatable issue among teachers as almost similar percentages appear in favor and against the notion.
9. Students evaluations
Apparently students' evaluations are viewed in the same way as teachers' observations. Some teachers think they are feasible and others do not.
10. Comments
"Teacher observations, as they stand now, need to be moved from the subjective arena of the observer to an objectively based format in order to be fair to the person being observed"
"I feel that peer teacher observations are equally important as administrator classroom observations. As a community of academics and professionals, we have so much to gain by observing practices by other teachers that may be helpful in our own classrooms"
"There should be a very high trust environment, once you are in SQU, it is understood that you love to teach and watch others teach a well"
From the comments it shows clear that teachers need to observe and get observed provided that it is based on systematic rules and applications.
The above findings show the extent to which the highlighted aspects of the six areas are valued by teachers in the field. In the spot of recognition teachers stated their need for clear appreciation for their talents and experiences and the urge to work according to their interests and qualifications. Teaching circumstances and work environment play a vital role in providing teachers with the required support to accomplish their goals in the appropriate ways. Professional development is marked as a highly focused facet in significance to developing teaching methods and therefore improving students' learning outcomes. In the same manner, social and financial benefits along with end of service facilities are meant to gain teachers' satisfaction and contentment. Finally, the research confirms the positive relationships between quality communication and feedback between teachers and administration and how successful the results would be if systematic approaches are applied for measuring such elements.
Arlestig H. Communication between principals and teachers in successful schools. [Thesis]. Umeå: Pedagogik; 2008. Akademiska avhandlingar vid Pedagogiska institutionen, Umeå universitet, 89.
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Hayes, D. 1997. In-service Teacher Development: International Perspectives. Hemel Hampstead: Prentice Hall.
Yan, C, Teachers’ Needs: An Important Factor for Longterm Sustainability of Cross-cultural INSETT progammes, Vol. 10 winter 2007
Bishay, A. J. Undergrad. Sci. 3: 147-154 (Fall 1996), Teacher Motivation and Job Satisfaction: A Study Employing the Experience Sampling Method, J. Undergrad. Sci. 3
The Finance Project and Public Education Network, (2004), Good Printers, Inc.
Maley, A. (1999), The Teaching of English in Difficult Circumstances: Who Needs a Health Farm When They’re Starving?, Pilgrims Ltd.
Please check the How to be a Teacher Trainer course at Pilgrims website.
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