3 PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES EVERY TEACHER SHOULD FOLLOW
MARKING REGISTERS ON TIME, PREPARING LESSON PLANS AND NOTES, AND CHECKING LEARNERS’ EXERCISES ARE THREE SIMPLE PRACTICES THAT CAN HELP TEACHERS DEMONSTRATE PROFESSIONALISM.
Professional practices for teachers go beyond what happens during classroom instruction. Keeping accurate records, preparing lessons ahead of time and marking learners’ work are some of the simple practices that can contribute to teacher professionalism.
If you are a new teacher, there are certain things you need to take seriously from the beginning. Teaching effectively is important, but the way you handle your professional responsibilities can also influence how your work is perceived in the school.
In a recent Smart Teachers Avenue video, Atta Smart highlights three professional practices for teachers that educators, particularly new teachers, should pay attention to: marking registers, preparing lesson plans and lesson notes, and marking exercises.
PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES FOR TEACHERS: MARK YOUR REGISTER ON TIME
One of the first practices highlighted in the video is the regular and timely marking of the attendance register.
For classroom teachers and teachers assigned to specific classes, keeping the register properly updated is an important responsibility. Atta Smart notes that this is particularly relevant at the upper levels, where teachers may handle different subjects and classes, while primary school teachers often serve as class teachers.
The concern, according to the video, is that some teachers leave their registers unmarked for several days or even about a week.
For a teacher who wants to demonstrate good professional practice, the register should not be treated as something to complete whenever there is time. It should be attended to consistently and on time.
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PREPARE YOUR LESSON PLANS AND LESSON NOTES
The second practice discussed in the video is the preparation of lesson plans and lesson notes.
Atta Smart makes a distinction between the two. According to his explanation, a lesson plan shows how a lesson is intended to be presented, while the lesson notes contain the content that learners may receive or copy into their notebooks.
Preparing these materials ahead of time can also help another teacher understand how a lesson should be delivered if the regular teacher is absent.
The video therefore emphasises the importance of having these materials ready before the lesson. When a supervisor visits a classroom or another teacher has to take over a lesson, proper preparation can demonstrate that the teacher is organised and taking the work seriously.
This is another important aspect of professional practices for teachers, because preparation allows the teacher to approach classroom instruction with greater organisation and clarity.
Smart Teachers Avenue also uses the video to highlight its detailed lesson plans, which are available for teachers from nursery through the JHS level. The materials are presented as editable and printable resources, with teachers directed to the Smart Teachers Avenue website and WhatsApp contacts for access.
DETAILED LESSON PLANS & SCHEMES OF WORK
Get detailed lesson plans and Schemes of Work for Nursery, KG, Primary, JHS and SHS to help you prepare, plan and teach effectively.
MARK THE EXERCISES YOU GIVE LEARNERS
The third practice highlighted in the video is the marking of exercises.
Giving learners exercises is only part of the teaching process. Atta Smart points out that some teachers give exercises but fail to mark them.
For learners, marking provides an opportunity to know what they got right and where they made mistakes. It also allows teachers to see how well learners are responding to what has been taught.
The video further emphasises that teachers should not stop at marking the original exercise. After learners have written their corrections, teachers should also make time to check those corrections.
According to the message of the video, these seemingly simple activities form part of the everyday professional practices for teachers that can demonstrate organisation and commitment to the work.
END-OF-TERM EXAMINATIONS FROM CRECHE TO SHS
Get quality End-of-Term Examination Questions with Marking Schemes for learners from Creche to SHS, carefully prepared to support effective assessment.
PROFESSIONALISM IS ALSO SEEN IN THE SMALL THINGS
Being a professional teacher is not only about what a teacher says or teaches in the classroom. The way teachers handle routine responsibilities can also communicate their level of organisation and commitment.
Marking registers on time, preparing lesson plans and lesson notes before lessons, and marking exercises and corrections are practical habits teachers can develop as part of their professional practice.
The video also invites teachers to contribute their own ideas. What other professional practices for teachers can help an educator look and act more professionally?
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Share your thoughts in the comment section and let us know the professional practices you believe every teacher should adopt.
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