Why you need to learn from your students?

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I used to have a chat with elementary pupils while still assigned in elementary department.  During recess time while carrying and eating their food, they came to me for a casual conversation.  One of the things I still remember in these encounters was the students’ comments about their student-teachers.  Student-teachers are college education students doing practicum in our school. Though I tried to hide my emotion, the students were all laughing and giggling recalling the mistakes done by their student-teachers. They would even re-enact the way the student-teachers mispronounced a word or words.  They also shared about wrong grammar and many more.  Just imagine, this conversation was coupled with lots of laughter.  I supposed they don’t really mean to destroy the reputation of these student-teachers but they can’t hold themselves laughing while sharing those bloopers.

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Of course, I explain to them to be patient and respectful.  However, these conversations reminded me of the best way to learn.  As teachers, we can get feedbacks from own students.  In any organization, be it business or school, feedback is a vital component for growth.

Thus, as teachers we need to listen to our students.  Their feedback could surely be a valuable material that would make us better teachers. 

The question is are we ready for feedbacks?  Personally, I find it difficult especially if the comments are not favourable.  That is the nature of a human being.  We tend to feel being attacked if the feedback is negative.  As they say, Filipinos are sensitive, easily get hurt with unfavourable words.

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As an aspirant to the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, I was subjected to a yearly evaluation by my formators and co-aspirants.  That was the most difficult part of being an aspirant.  Almost at the end of the school year, we come together and start telling what we observed (facts) and felt (emotion) about each one (referring to aspirants).  It was really painful to hear negative comments from your companions.  Later on, I got used to it.  After all, I understood it was part of forming me become a better person.

Although I experienced such gruelling evaluation, I would say, I still feel bad every time I hear negative comments about myself. In other words, it is not easy to handle our feelings if our thinking is overtaken by emotion.

Teachers are not spared from this if we want to grow personally and professionally.

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The first thing to do it is to learn from our students’ feedback.  How to do it?  It can be done with your own initiative (however, students tend to be afraid or not comfortable) or through a third party like the guidance counselor.  In our school, the guidance counselor conducts survey evaluation.  The result was given to me, as principal, and I will share the result to the concerned teachers.  Most of the time teachers accepted the results well.

Again, this is one lesson for teachers.  Learn from your students.

May your dreams be blessed.