The project was an attempt to enhance teachers language proficiency and also teaching skills. Unfortunately, it did not prepare tutors or trainers to work in peer mentor collaboration because it was discontinued by the Secretary of Education SEDUC. Although implementing peer mentoring was not one of the Tocantins Project initial goals, it provided tutors with moments to share their opinions in a much more reciprocal way, as we can see from the questionnaire extract below regarding opportunities to work together with colleagues P6. I have been working together with professional colleagues in the ELT project and the best part of it is that we can share and exchange some experiences. P5. Yes, I am working together with colleagues at the Tocantins English Project and we plan the immersions activities together, exchange experiences, plan objectives of the project together and clear doubts. 3.2 The importance of collaboration to achieve change in education my experience and the answers given in the questionnaires lead me to believe that in teacher education we can no longer work in isolation. Teachers seem to have a great need to work together, to share thoughts, doubts and experiences. In this paper I want to suggest the implementation of a peer collaborative mentoring process in the workplace. Although conditions are very difficult in my particular teaching context, there are a number of people willing to help. Tutors expect mentors to be guides and this is a very significant aspect of the Brazilian pedagogical background, where teachers are expected to teach, in a traditional way, and learners are expected to passively listen and learn. Teachers guide, students are guided. 27To understand better this pedagogical view of education and to start a significant change in the educational process, we need to look within the education models of our society as a whole. We have to analyse what it is behind our current pedagogical approach that has inhibited change so far. A strong society and economy are not possible without educated, competent, skilled and engaged citizens Hargreaves, 1994 134. As a society, it is our duty to work together to provide people with opportunities for development. When the whole educational community works together in a partnership or collaborative way to develop the education system, society itself benefits schools improve because teachers enthusiasm to work is enhanced parents show more respect towards educators families give children and teachers better support and the schools role is recognized by society Hargreaves, 1992 88. As a result, the economy also benefits since companies can rely on better qualified professionals, potentially enhancing the countrys economy and guaranteeing its participation in the international market. Most importantly, students benefit from better participation in the classroom, showing better results in their learning processes and higher achievement in their grades, becoming active members of the communities where they live Fullan, 1999 109. In general terms, they become better learners. When we talk about education, we are talking about the future of a nation and its citizens. Working together, exchanging information, sharing decisions and collaborating in the learning process, everyone can contribute to the educational process and help to guarantee high-quality education. By the same token, TEFL tutors need to learn to work in a collaborative way rather than isolating themselves in their rooms. According to Vasques 2001, A very successful way to collaborate is to work with volunteers, tutors and mentors, who establish a very close relationship with the students causing very good results because it provides links of friendship, even when the learners do not have learning problems, they feel well and confident with the presence of these educators. 2001 150 A very efficient and manageable way to improve the schools work is to solve one of its main problems, through the support of its own community Wright, 1994. This issue is addressed to those who participate and are interested in school life school staff and or educators directors, coordinators, teachers, secretaries, administrators, students families and also the active members of the community to which the school belongs community leaders, business people, religious leaders, civil servants. It show us that the schools can and must search for the communitys support to solve most of its frequent problems, through the creation and development of partnerships for education with the society members help, through voluntary work, offering funds, materials and human resources. The integration of all of these efforts can result in a more comprehensible society, with capable students able to understand the world that surrounds them. This closes the subject smoothly.
No comments:
Post a Comment