Pre School-Teachers as Researchers

                Human body, the experimental experiential lab.

Pre School-Teachers as researchers

Role of teachers has been shifted from a teacher to a researcher especially in Pre Schools as they shape up the live clay.

Every child differs in his/her levels of mental, physical, socio emotional and language. Above all throughout the day, children experience a wide range of feelings or moods which may last for minute to minute or sometimes hour to hour.

This makes the teachers’ role to shift from that of giving direct instructions to allowing children’s thoughts and ideas to plan the direction of the curriculum. A flexible curriculum which can be guided well by the moods of the learners where the method changes but the objective remains the same.

Teachers as researchers need to carefully listen, observe and document children’s work. Simultaneously they are also committed to their own professional growth and use documentation to reflect on their own practice.

Who is a researcher?

A researcher is someone who conducts research, i.e., an organized and systematic investigation into something. Scientists are often described as researchers. There is a researcher within all of us including children. The research lies where curiosity is.

A researcher needs to have

1.        An analytical mind

2.        The ability to stay calm

3.        Curiosity

4.        Quick thinker

5.        Intelligence

6.        Commitment

7.        A people person

8.        Sympathetic

9.        Excellent written and communication skills

10.      Personal effectiveness

1. An analytical mind (5 W-and 1 H, what, when, who, where, why and How)

A teacher researcher constantly analyzes a variety of factors. What is the appropriate methodology to deal with the individual child?  What are the suitable questions to put up why and how? When is the right time to implement the method? Why does the child want to do it in his own way? Why are they asking questions? What are the observations telling us? Why are they telling us that? How does the teacher researcher best communicate the observations?

The teacher researcher has to be able to see the bigger picture in detail. People often find it easy to do one or the other but a skilled teacher researcher can do both simultaneously.

2. The ability to stay calm (inner peace)

A teacher researchers work can be really stressful many a times, especially when they are expected to complete the syllabus in a stipulated time. When such situation occurs, they need to stay focused and think logically and work persistently peacefully.

 

3 Curious

The teacher researchers may have the necessary intelligence but if they are not curious enough then they won’t be passionate about delving deeper to unearth more accurate and deep understanding of learners and their potentials.

A teacher researcher has to have an inherent interest in what learners think potentially about anything, only the curious teacher researchers can observe at the greater depth and extract the best information.

4. A Quick thinker

As mentioned in the beginning every child differs in his/her levels of mental, physical, socio emotional and language. Above all throughout the day, children experience a wide range of feelings or moods that changes all the planning so the teacher researchers has to be a quick thinker to take a decision and manage the situation.

5. Intelligence

Teacher researchers require critical analysis but most of all common sense, that is the best sense. They need to expand their knowledge and intellectual abilities through their role as a teacher researcher.

6. Commitment

A teacher researcher needs to be committed towards her work.  She has to be committed to be a lifelong learner from multiple sources of knowledge. Avail all the opportunities to learn from all around the classroom and school. Each learner and each challenge provide a chance to learn, practice by making mistakes. Teaching becomes very different when a teacher practices as a researcher, one becomes a student in a classroom of learners.

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7.  A people person

This is important because a teacher researcher works with live stock, children and their parents to explore the potentials of the learners to the fullest.

 

8. Sympathetic

A teacher researcher should have a sympathetic ear when listening to some children or parents’ problems, is always a good skill to have.

 

9. Excellent written and communication skills

A teacher researcher has to have excellent written communication and be fluent in the language to express as she can convey her observations well to the parents of the learners and does a proper documentation too.

10. Systematic                          

Check again and again. It seems simple but proper amount of time for checking the work always pays dividends. This applies to all parts of learning process. Attention to detail the ability to ensure that data is accurately presented and reported.

11. Personal effectiveness

Maximize the personal effectiveness as a teacher researcher by developing knowledge and skills that will bring rewards to you, learners and parents as well.

Teachers need to be ready to develop scientific skills to play their new role as teacher researchers.

We at ‘Bakhal’ mentor teacher researchers.

Thank you