The Urge to teach English Words in Isolation.

English teachers or language teachers should avoid teaching words in Isolation.
The "How" and "Where" the word is used is mostly important than the "What" the word is.
For instance, "Whatsapp" is both a Noun and Verb depending on usage.

When we teach children that a "table" is a thing with legs which we can write on and eat off and that a "Book" is a collection of sheets or words printed on paper and nicely packed and covered , then we are not only teaching them wrongly but we are sowing a seed of future confusion in them.
What will happen when these children read the following sentences:
1. You can eat off a 'table', or you can 'table' a  motion at a conference. But, you can summarise information in a 'table' too.
2. Again, when have read your *book* you can ring up a restaurant and *book* a table, but if you drive too fast on the way you might be 'booked' for speeding. Some people have been keeping a *book* on whether you will ever manage to persuade your girlfriend to marry you when you have been cooking the *books* for years.

So next time, when you enter class, don't teach Words in Isolation. Do not even waste precious time teaching grammar rules to children. They will be confused and confuse you too.
Teach them words in context and it will save you some time and reduce stress.

#AminuWrites
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Don't Describe Party Hooligans in the Zongos as Muslims when Reporting - Khalifatul Akbar

The head of the Tijaniyya Council in Ghana, yesterday advised politicians and journalists to desist from describing violence with religious colours.
He lamented at the rate at which crimes and political hooliganism have taken some religious stereotyping.
Most reportage is skewed towards tarnishing the image of Islam.
He said, "crime and political hooliganism have no religious colour". According to him such reportage over the years have cast slur on the Islamic Religion and Muslim in general.
"If non - Muslims are described as 'aggrieved party supporters', but, why do you describe same people as Muslims Hooligans or trouble makers, when the people involved are having Islamic Identities". We should always distinguish between Islam and Politics or hooliganism. He further advised the Muslims to be the ambassadors of their religion which is peace.
His eminence said this at the Annual Maulid of Sheikh Alhaj Abdullahi Maikano Jallo at Shukura in the Greater Accra Region.
The Annual Maulid is organised to commemorate the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, and celebrate the legacy of Sheikh Alhaj Abdullahi Maikano Jallo, the Spiritual leader of the Tijaniyya Council in Ghana.

Excellent Friday

Excellent Friday

Today's Quote:

"What happens to a man is less significant than what happens within him - Louis L. Mann

You failed the exams. Your business is collapsing. Your spouse is seeking for a divorce.  Your friend deserted you. You have no child. Your is worrying you. The school fees, the Bills .......
But, there is hope. The hope lies in your response to all these unfortunate but learning experiences.
Your response is the most important part in any situation.
Precious one,  in whatever you find yourself, remember your response is the most important.
This is because he that created you had better plans for you. Respond positively.

#AminuWrites
#AminuWritesMotivation
#ExcellentFriday
#inspiration
#motivation

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Stop using Exams Results to define quality eduaction

Society sometimes confuses memorization with learning and passing examination with success.

Memorization or Passing Standardized Examinations does not guarantee quality education.
We should not pressurized children to memorize and excel in examinations.
Politicians should not forced teachers to pass through hell to ensure their candidates pass Standardized Tests.

The society should not deceive itself into believing that remarkable performance in a Standardized Tests such as the BECE and WASSCE shows quality tuition and quality education.

Education goes beyond all the above. The quality of Education of any nation can be seen in several facets of our national life. It shows itself in our economy,  agriculture, industry,  religion, development,  and the general standard of living of the citizenry.

Quality education would even decide which people govern us. Are you not surprise governments do not give the needed resources and attentions to education. If they do, why  should schools be under trees? Why should some schools be without teachers? Why should we have schools without computers or electricity and yet are expected to be Digitally Literate? Why should we have schools without the adequate number of texts books? Etc.

This should tell you that no politician sincerely wish to improve and provide quality education. What we have currently is well rehearsed gymnastics, sometimes unrehearsed,  and daily noise making in our schools.

Why are the politicians educating their children in the top International Schools outside the country and yet keep on partying and praising themselves for providing quality education.
The high rate of graduate unemployment in the country currently should tell all of us that there is something wrong with our education.

If you want to destroy any nation, do not use atomic bomb or nuclear weapons just destroy their education system and you can get them.

The problem with most of us is that we concentrate on our children passing examinations. So no wonder we will organise series of 'extra classes' just to make them memorize lots of meaningless facts and figures.

Teacher welfare and motivation have not been tabled in any discussion either in parliament or at Cabinet Meetings. The current situation is even worsening the plight of the Ghanian teacher.  Government have absorbed all the fees and have cancelled any form of money collection in schools. Yet, government have not made any provision to pay these absorption. The meager allowances such as the Capitation Grants that schools used to carry out some of its activities are the same source that government is tasking schools to pay for some of these "absorption".

We should not in an attempt to win political points deny schools of the needed resources and yet come back and punish same schools for not improving education in the country.
The Ghanaian child deserves the best education. Governments should as a matter of urgency increase the Capitation Grants and provide all the needed resources to schools. However, if government cannot do it, then government should create employment avenues for parents and should allow parents carry out their parental responsibility of educating their children.

We cannot continue to pay lip service to the issues surrounding education. We, more than any other person know that increased enrollment is not synonymous with quality education. We cannot guarantee our future generation quality education if we continue handling our schools, children, teachers and the curriculum the way we have done it all these years.

Our educational system needs complete overhaul. We need a reform that would take care of the learner's need, the teacher's need, and a reform which will provide a direction for the future.
Ghana's education is on the verge of collapse.  We need to rescue and give direction to our education policy.

Our educational should not be left in the hands of politicians who will just do something to impress the populace all with the aim of scoring political points.

By:
AminuWrites
(Educational Evangelist and Coach)
Contact: 0244299706

Scrap Aptitude Tests and Promote Staff Automatically

SCRAP APTITUDE TESTS AND PROMOTE STAFF AUTOMATICALLY, GES ADVISED.

Almost every school has a head and a Circuit Supervisor. The Heads are not only charged with administrative duties but also monitoring and evaluation of teachers every day within the academic year. These reports is contained in the Annual Performance Appraisal Form, which is easily accessible in the school.

Circuit Supervisors now Circuit Supporters go round schools to ascertain what is contained in the Log books, Appraisal Form, Managerial Tools, etc. They also take time to scrutinize the Lesson Plans and the Teachers Output of Work. They sometimes give advise and counsel teachers.  In some situations, rare of cause, meet out punitive sanctions or report recalcitrant teachers to the education directorate for the necessary action.

In addition to this, a team from the office also visit schools at least once every term for a Comprehensive Inspection to verify all the data provided by the head or Circuit Supervisor.
All these serves as a check on the teacher. These checks and balances are done every term throughout the academic year.

One sad thing about this is the fact that even teachers who are found to have excel during such visits are not promoted whatsoever.

A teacher is only promoted after he or she has successfully completed four complete years of teaching after the last promotion. This promotion is not even automatic. The teacher has to pass through series of interviews, work inspections and now aptitude test before being promoted.

How can you use half an  hour or even an hour to pass a teacher after complete years of hardwork? We all know the existence of interview fever, examination fever, etc, but why do we keep on using it on our professionals.

I recently met a trained teacher with over 30 years experience, but living comfortably, with a rank below Senior Superintendent II.

I know you will be surprise just like I was. He said he could not progress because he does not have the courage to stand before a promotion interview again after two attempts which all proved futile.
But, should we blame him? No. I don't think so. Some of the questions one is subjected to at the

Promotional Interview, sometimes need not to be asked at all. The success or failure of a teacher in class has nothing to do with his religion, gender, ethnic group, marital status, number of children, the Supreme Court, the Woyome Case, Menzgold, etc.

Some may argue, a teacher should know everything. Please, I beg to differ.
Subjecting teachers to this Annual Rituals of 30minutes Interview, but now Aptitude Test is not creating and motivating selflessness, innovation, creativity and dedication among teachers,  if anything it is doing the opposite. This I believe is the reasons for the lackadaisical attitudes among most teachers towards work.

Teachers should not be promoted after every four years. Neither should we promote teachers based on passing "some" cumbersome Aptitude Test or Promotional Interview.
Teachers should be promoted throughout the year.

The Ghana Education Service and the Ministry of Education should, if they really want to make the Headteacher, Circuit Supervisor, Work output be relevant, then nothing should stop them from cancelling Promotional Interview and Aptitude Tests for promotion.

Remarkable performance and Improvement should be rewarded to serve as a motivation for others and young teachers.

There are many teachers across the country doing great and wonderful things which needs recommendations and promotion. But, sadly,  such teachers rarely pass the Promotion Interview.

Sometimes, very effective and efficient teachers and other personnel of the service fail at promotional Interviews, not because they don't read or are lazy, but because the workload has made them Stressful. So sometimes, remembering the Code of Ethics, National Issues, etc is sometimes very difficult.

We cannot continue to deny our professionals the benefits of hard work and dedication. There are teachers who cross water bodies before going to school. To some of them it is part of their daily life. I know teachers with a very high population, and they teach these kids alone. There are some who teach in a multi - grade classrooms.

It is now time,  for our policy makers to sit down and design appropriate Promotion Schemes and scrap out this archaic and barbaric Promotional Interview and Aptitude Test.

By AminuWrites,
(Educational Evangelist and Coach)
Contact: 233244299706

5 Things Every Coach Should Avoid During PLC Session

5 Things Every Coach Should Avoid During PLC.
Professional Learning Community Sessions are an integral part of the Standard Based Curriculum for Ghanaian Schools.
However, there are 5 Things, there could be more, practices that every Coach should avoid during PLC Sessions.

1. Know it all attitude.
Nobody is the sole reservoir of knowledge. We all have some idea about topic. Some may be right or wrong. But, we need to be given a chance. This will make every body to be ease and contribute to discussions on the floor.
Coaches should provide the opportunity for all participants to express their views and opinions on all issues. Wrong or Unknown answers should be handled professional to avoid ridiculing the contributor.

2. Ask Closed Ended Questions
Closed Ended Questions are questions which do not encourage others to contribute during PLC Sessions. These questions have obvious answers. However, Coaches should ask Open Ended Questions during PLC Sessions to make all participants active.

3. Choose topics that interest them.
Most Coaches would like to choose topics which interest them, so that they can deliver without any difficulty.  However, such topics may not interest the participants.  Coaches should allow all participants to identify difficult topics or concepts, so that such topics may be discussed during PLC Sessions.  This will encourage all participants to be active.

4. Always take lead during PLC Sessions
Coaches should not always lead discussions in a PLC Sessions.  They should allow other participants to take the lead and bring out their ideas. This will allow all others to contribute and participate in the session. Sometimes,  other participants may do the simulation and demonstration lessons.

5. Lead a PLC Session without preparation and planning
Most Coaches believe a PLC Session is another Staff Meeting. No. PLC Sessions are beyond Staff Meetings.  The Coach, Resource Person and others who may play some roles at PLC Session should prepare adequately before the start of the session. They should gather all information and resources before the session commences.

5 Things Every Coach Should Do During PLC Session

Professional Learning Community (PLC) is a meeting of Professional Facilitators and other educators to share and help one another, to improve teaching and learning and professionalism.
According to the Ghana Education Service, PLC should be organised once a week, preferably Wednesday, an hour before the closing time.

1. Take Records
There should be records of meeting of every PLC Session every week. This record should be kept by the Coach, CEO and the the school. The records should contain Attendance, and summary of all the issues discussed.

2. Encourage Active Participation
Most Facilitators would not talk at PLC Sessions based on the following reasons:
1. Fear of making mistakes in grammar or content.
2. Insecurity or the fear of been attack or victimized after a suggestion
3. Topics that Do not affect them directly.

It is the duty of the Coach and the CEO to solve the above problems and more to make PLC Sessions participatory.

3. Encourage participants to give Suggestions.
PLC Coaches should provide the needed environment for Facilitators to make contributions and recommendations. During every sessions, the Coach should review progress made after the last PLC Sessions. The recommendations and contributions made should be implemented to make it easy for facilitators to make more contributions. They can do this with CEOs to monitor the progress made.


4. Time Concious
PLC Sessions should not unduly delay or seem to be a time wasting exercise. Time should be given a priority during PLC Sessions.  This will motivate the facilitators like PLC Sessions.

5. Facilitators Directed Discussions
PLC Coaches should make sure they provide opportunity for facilitators to bring out what affects them directly during their teaching and learning.  Coaches may also select topics in collaboration with the Facilitators to discuss.