Teachers must be educators and act as parental models

A SEMINAR workshop on 'Super Teaching' is being held at the Berakas Sixth Form Centre, participated by some 50 teachers and education counsellors from primary, secondary, technical and vocational schools.

A motivational expert from Malaysia, Dr Mohammad Shukri Abdullah was brought in to facilitate the programme.

The workshop officially began yesterday with a recital of the Surah Al-Fatihah and the teachers were each provided with a workbook incorporating the 'Super Teaching' module.

The two-day workshop is jointly organised by Ministry of Education's Human Resource Development Department and A & A Management and Training Services.

The main objective is to equip the teachers with the latest knowledge and skills in counselling activities, said Hj Abdul Hakip Hj Burut, head of the HRD department.

The skills gained during the workshop are hoped to help the participating teachers function as effective guides and educators, and at the same time enhance their daily duties of teaching and supervising the students.

In addition, the workshop seeks to provide teachers with the expertise to plan and develop quality and effective guidance programme that can be executed at the school level.

Hj Abdul Hakip, in his opening remarks, highlighted the role of teachers as not merely educators with a one track mind on academic development but who also act "as parental figures and possibly as a friend that can provide them (students) with attention and care someone to unload and share their problems with".

The information gained should be utilised to encourage and motivate the students that are in need of guidance, he said.

Some of the areas mentioned include increasing self esteem and constructing the right attitude and mindset in the students as well as lift their moral and spiritual awareness. If all such aspects were in place, they can help improve the students' academic performance.

"Nevertheless, the success of this workshop depends a lot on how the participants absorb themselves with the knowledge and skills shared by the facilitator," said Hj Abdul Hakip, adding that it was also determined by the teachers' progress upon returning to their duties.

"I will be disappointed if you (teachers) return without making any proposals to the school administration. I'm not expecting a miracle but at least you can draw up a plan that can be used in school regardless of whether it is for the long or short term," said the guest speaker by way of summing up his advice.

The Brunei Times