Session 1: Glimpses

Improving Education in Macao: OUR White Paper

USE OF TEACHERS’ TIME

- Give enough/more time for teachers to plan lessons (3)

- Reduce non-teaching workload (3)

PEDAGOGICAL MATTERS

- Think of more grading methods

- curriculum to be designed for communication rather than for exams

- promote English-speaking environment

TERMS AND WORKING CONDITIONS

- Increase salary

- standard teachers’ salaries

- Retirement benefits and pension

- Reduce school days

- fewer periods (3)

- each school day should end earlier (e.g., 8:00-3:30)

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

- More opportunities for studying abroad for teaching (2)

SCHOOL MANAGEMENT/POLICY

- More support from school

- less frequent class observations/ … every other year

- ‘zero class repetition’ should not be implemented (2)

- principals to join leadership workshops and learn appreciation skills

TEACHING RESOURCES/ACTIVITIES

- Develop student-based teaching materials

- DSEJ to run more English camps for students

Teaching Journal Week 1: Summary

How I find meaning in my work

-      I can share my lesson plans with my colleagues and they find them useful;

-      “Many English teachers find meaning in their work”

-       All we are hoping is that our studnets have a bright and wonderful future

-       Enjoying my work a lot

-       “I really like my work. I am quite happy to be a teacher because I have got a lot from my work (satisfaction; respect ….)

-       “It is all about one word: students. We teachers put students first. Everything done is all for the students. Simple, right. If we put our focus on salary, time, or self matters, we will not succeed.”

Attending PD events/this study programme

- motivated to join courses offered by DSEJ or Bell Centre.

-       Happy to see so many enthusiastic teachers

-       Worth giving up my Saturdays

-       I can speak out ..

-       I can refresh my mind

-       Like activity-based courses

-       Enjoy the training course

-       We have interactions

-       likes the chance to share with each other

-       glad to meet many fellow teachers

-       uplifting to hear some positive ideas from them

-       “a rather rare opportunity to be out of work setting to discuss work matters in a casual manner”

-       (feeling) positive about the course

-       hope pressure will be relieved after the study programme;

Worrying about …

- worried about how to guide the English team to implement BAA

- new S4, feel helpless and overwhelmed;

Personal aspirations

- will try my best

- Hope we can achieve perfect balance

-       Want to be able to do something to change the current situation

-       Hope to have sufficient time to do that (activity-based teaching)

-       hopeful of the BAA policy

-       “Whenever I have time, … think and think …about teaching”

Diversity vs Conformity

-       values diversity; “SS are individuals”, should be assessed by their different abilities instead of a fixed criterion.

-       Agree with Ken Robinson

Welcome

Welcome to the teaching blog of the Study Programme (Feb - Mar., 2017), organised by DSEJ, in support of the implementation of the BAA Requirements (English: Senior Secondary).