By Naoufel Zouidi, Lessouda Secondary School.
E-mail: zouidinaoufel@gmail.com
Starting a teaching career is not an easy matter. It is rather an adventure full of hardships and troubles. New teachers all over the world may find it very difficult to cope with some discouraging conditions that impede their development as teachers and therefore look for someone to share their worries. Friends and family members never miss such an opportunity to show their wisdom: ‘be careful I know some teachers who really suffered and had serious problems’, ‘be careful pupils nowadays are very naughty so try to be strict and don’t let them win the battle against you’, ‘be careful some colleagues are very bad people’…The list is long. Just imagine the situation and you will find plenty of warnings. That makes a new teacher feel he/she is going to fight against pupils, colleagues, and even the job he is doing. He/She just struggles to settle.
Complaints about pupils’ level appear after one or two months and new warnings come out: ‘be careful the inspector will come soon’, ‘be careful he/she may write a report to the ministry if your lesson fails’, ‘be careful your pupils will get the worst results and your future as a teacher is at stake’, ‘be careful pupils will tell the headmaster that you are not as successful as their previous teacher’, ‘be careful if you fail this year you will never be a successful teacher’. Thus, a new struggle starts and the new teacher will be certain that his/her destiny is to be always careful and ready to fight which is not true in fact. Most people did their best to be teachers and therefore fulfill one of their childhood dreams. There is no greater pleasure than having the opportunity to grant knowledge and enlighten others. So be proud of being a teacher and forget about your fears since you are doing a really noble job. Be careful my article is over…
Monday, October 26, 2009
The first issue of our magazine is here!
Snapshots from the magazine:
To download the Tunisian English Teaching Forum e-magazine, to rate it, add feedback and comments, embed it on your own blog or website, share it with friends or print it, please visit our page here:
The Tunisian English Teaching Forum e-magazine
What they said about the magazine:
“After reading this magazine all I can say is, WOW. This is a well thought out/written publication that incorporates every facet of education; from having a successful start to the school year, to how to best implement technology into education.” Read more
David Kapuler, Media & Technology Specialist, Greendale School District, U.S.A
“It is a very enjoyable, informative read and makes for a great practical resource, which can be referenced again and again.” Read more
Patricia Donaghy
ICT Teacher
Dublin, Ireland
“I have just come across your extremely elegant online magazine and I was delighted to be able to learn so much about ELT in Tunisia.”
Susan Thornhill ,Regional Sales Manager – North Africa Macmillan Education, Oxford
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Be your pupils’ friend by Naoufel Zouidi
By Naoufel Zouidi, Lessouda Secondary School.
E-mail:zouidinaoufel@gmail.com
Pupils are strongly influenced by the way their teachers treat them. If you succeed to create a friendly learning atmosphere you will find it very easy to transfer information and therefore achieve your objectives. A teacher who is always shouting at his young audience is like a master who obliges his slaves to obey his orders, but our role as Language teachers is to make our pupils speak, use and communicate through English. Communication never means “Must and Must not”. It is a system that highlights exchange and discussion but avoids obligation and punishment. Try to forget about your daily life problems when you start working because pupils are not responsible for a salary delay or a family dispute. They come to school to learn and meet teachers who explain lessons and replace parents for eight hours a day. So be the father/mother you are teaching about and help pupils know the meaning of adjectives such as helpful, understanding, open-minded, affectionate, caring and friendly. In that way even pupils who do not like the subject will make efforts to take part in your lesson and make it successful. It is simply because it is their friend’s lesson. So be your pupils’ friend.
Just for fun
•Teacher: What's the longest word in the English language?
Pupil: ‘Smiles’ - because there is a mile between the first and last letters!
•Teacher: What is the plural of mouse?
Pupil: Mice
Teacher : Good, now what's the plural of baby?
Pupil : Twins!
Intelligent questions and answers
http://faq.programmerworld.net
Q. How can you lift an elephant with one hand?
A. It is not a problem, since you will never find an elephant with
one hand!!!
Q. What can you never eat for breakfast?
A. Dinner!!!
Q. What looks like half an apple?
A. The other half!!!
E-mail:zouidinaoufel@gmail.com
Pupils are strongly influenced by the way their teachers treat them. If you succeed to create a friendly learning atmosphere you will find it very easy to transfer information and therefore achieve your objectives. A teacher who is always shouting at his young audience is like a master who obliges his slaves to obey his orders, but our role as Language teachers is to make our pupils speak, use and communicate through English. Communication never means “Must and Must not”. It is a system that highlights exchange and discussion but avoids obligation and punishment. Try to forget about your daily life problems when you start working because pupils are not responsible for a salary delay or a family dispute. They come to school to learn and meet teachers who explain lessons and replace parents for eight hours a day. So be the father/mother you are teaching about and help pupils know the meaning of adjectives such as helpful, understanding, open-minded, affectionate, caring and friendly. In that way even pupils who do not like the subject will make efforts to take part in your lesson and make it successful. It is simply because it is their friend’s lesson. So be your pupils’ friend.
Just for fun
•Teacher: What's the longest word in the English language?
Pupil: ‘Smiles’ - because there is a mile between the first and last letters!
•Teacher: What is the plural of mouse?
Pupil: Mice
Teacher : Good, now what's the plural of baby?
Pupil : Twins!
Intelligent questions and answers
http://faq.programmerworld.net
Q. How can you lift an elephant with one hand?
A. It is not a problem, since you will never find an elephant with
one hand!!!
Q. What can you never eat for breakfast?
A. Dinner!!!
Q. What looks like half an apple?
A. The other half!!!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
The information meetings for the school year 2009/2010
The information meetings for the school year 2009/2010 were held on Friday 9th, and Saturday 10th of October, 2009 at the CREFOC, Sidi Bouzid.
The inspector, Mohamed Salah Abidi, welcomed all the teachers (newcomers and veterans).He presented this year's agenda and went over a number of important issues concerning the various curricula, formative evaluation, assessment,the English programmes, the CALL labs, etc..
The teachers had the opportunity to ask questions, share their worries and discuss some of the problems they anticipated like the lack of equipment (CD players, cassette players, etc..).
The inspector handed out some documents related to testing (covering all the aspects of testing for this year) and the information pertaining to the curriculum changes or specifications for some levels.
The meeting was also an opportunity to present the newly born forum and the electronic magazine and how they can be an effective tool in promoting sharing and collaboration among teachers and a space for them to voice their opinions and discuss matters related to teaching English in Tunisian schools.
After the wrap up, an information form was filled in by the participants.
Note: These are the "Assessment for Secondary Education", "Assessment for Basic Education" documents and "The Programmes of English for Basic Education" for the convenience of those who were not able to get them. Other documents will be uploaded to the forum soon.
Assessment for Basic Education:
The Programmes of English for Basic Education:
English Programmes for Year 3 & Year 4 Secondary Education:
The inspector, Mohamed Salah Abidi, welcomed all the teachers (newcomers and veterans).He presented this year's agenda and went over a number of important issues concerning the various curricula, formative evaluation, assessment,the English programmes, the CALL labs, etc..
The teachers had the opportunity to ask questions, share their worries and discuss some of the problems they anticipated like the lack of equipment (CD players, cassette players, etc..).
The inspector handed out some documents related to testing (covering all the aspects of testing for this year) and the information pertaining to the curriculum changes or specifications for some levels.
The meeting was also an opportunity to present the newly born forum and the electronic magazine and how they can be an effective tool in promoting sharing and collaboration among teachers and a space for them to voice their opinions and discuss matters related to teaching English in Tunisian schools.
After the wrap up, an information form was filled in by the participants.
Note: These are the "Assessment for Secondary Education", "Assessment for Basic Education" documents and "The Programmes of English for Basic Education" for the convenience of those who were not able to get them. Other documents will be uploaded to the forum soon.
Assessment for Basic Education:
The Programmes of English for Basic Education:
English Programmes for Year 3 & Year 4 Secondary Education:
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