{"id":5428,"date":"2013-05-02T16:30:23","date_gmt":"2013-05-02T16:30:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/eltchat.org\/wordpress\/?p=5428"},"modified":"2013-05-02T16:30:23","modified_gmt":"2013-05-02T16:30:23","slug":"from-teacher-to-teacher-trainer-an-eltchat-summary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eltchat.org\/index.php\/2013\/05\/02\/from-teacher-to-teacher-trainer-an-eltchat-summary\/","title":{"rendered":"From Teacher to Teacher Trainer – An #ELTchat Summary"},"content":{"rendered":"

A couple of weeks ago, the seemingly popular topic of moving from Teacher (T) to Teacher Trainer (TT) was hotly discussed by the\u00a0#ELTchatters<\/a>. Entering into a New Year means reflecting on our future dreams or ambitions. This topic was proposed by Sharon Noseley (@shaznosel<\/a>) as she felt she needed to reach out to her fellow chatters for their advice as on-line information offers courses and training but no real \u2018concrete\u2019 guidance.<\/p>\n

Am I ready to be a TT ? What do I need in order to be a trainer? How can I judge if I\u2019m ready?<\/p>\n

So what did the experienced TTs have to offer the teachers who lurked and took in valuable advice that Wednesday night??<\/p>\n

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Qualifications & experience required<\/strong><\/h1>\n

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Most chatters referred to Marisa Constantinides very informative blog \u00a0\u2018Oh, To be a Teacher Trainer<\/a>\u2018! This blog mentions a quote from H.G Widdowson (1984):<\/p>\n

\u201cteachers need to be trained in practical techniques, but also must be educated to see those techniques as exemplars of certain theoretical principles\u2026\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

These words changed Marisa\u2019s focus on teacher education and added a new perception of what training and educating classroom teachers meant. Similar reflections were added by the #ELTchatters.<\/p>\n

There was a mix of opinion regarding formal qualifications; some believed an MA was essential to give the TT in depth knowledge in order to take the step from teaching learners EFL to training teachers of those learners. \u00a0Marisa_C & @SophiaMav said that there are universities that offer MAs with a Teacher Education focus e.g. The University of Warwick & The University of Manchester. @Marisa_C also added that one of the best courses for teacher development is Marjon\u2019s in Plymouth, although this is not an MA. @Frances Eales shared the point that IH and BELL have courses for people with a wide variety of backgrounds and offer core skills and project work. Also, @evingiddens suggested World Learning\/SIT Graduate Institute @SIT_TESOL_Cert offers a Teacher Trainer License.<\/p>\n

MAs seemed a popular choice and @shaznosel informed the group that at the university she works for in the UK, she was told in order to get involved in TT at universities, a MA not just DELTA is required. @Marisa_C added that she prefers TTs with MAs because of the reading and the research this involves. So if you are considering this path, do remember that quite a few MA courses will also give you credit if you already hold the DELTA (@Shaunwilden).<\/p>\n

@Shaunwilden said that there are so many different types of teacher training that there is not a one course fits all. It was clearly established by @elawassell \u00a0that DELTA is a minimum for Cambridge if u want to be a CELTA trainer \u2013 but they also ask for TT experience., which should include some indication that you had done workshops, observed etc. @dalecoulter asked what do they consider as \u2018concrete\u2019 training experience? Which was confirmed by @Marisa_C as documented because too many teachers add the title \u201cteacher trainer\u201d next to their name without any real experience. There are also those who started TT a few years back (no offence intended!) that had not done any formal teacher training. @MarjorieRosenbe, for example, has been doing teacher training for the last 25 years but didn\u2019t do formal training.<\/p>\n

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So how can teachers actually gain experience to apply for a TT position?<\/p>\n

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@Marisa_C suggested that doing a workshop at a conference does not make you a teacher trainer; however, presenting \u00a0is a very good beginning \u00a0and she advised us to get started!! @MarjorieRosenbe advised teachers to stay in the classroom as it helps in teacher training. @dalecoulter suggested that working as a director of studies at summer camps was a good way for him to gain experience, as they include seminars, observations and feedback (w\/criteria).<\/p>\n

It seems a course and experience go hand in hand as @OztrkOzge pointed out she started her \u00a0MA after 2-year-teaching experience but courses made her wish that she had had more experience as the experienced teachers were much more successful.<\/p>\n

@cuppa_coffee always thought that teacher \u2018training\u2019 was about techniques, methods and that \u201ceducation\u201d was about issues, context and evaluation. It was agreed that every situation is different and @seburnt summed it up by stating experience and qualifications are viewed differently in different contexts.<\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/a>In the classroom by @SueAnnan via eltpics<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Skills required and reflections of experienced TTs<\/strong><\/h1>\n

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The chat naturally progressed to the WHAT and HOW teachers develop the skills needed to train. The \u2018what\u2019 consists of the content to be shared and the importance of keeping up to date with new methods or approaches, technology etc. The \u2018 how\u2019 \u00a0is an ever-changing process, knowing what works and what to ignore and finding effective ways to process \u00a0tasks and successfully deliver the core ideas to Ts . A number of issues were debated: How to plan teacher training courses? Observe lessons? Give feedback ? Resources? Locality? Culture? Time? Personality? Psychology?<\/p>\n

@Shaunwilden asked the million dollar question: Can any teacher become a teacher trainer?<\/p>\n

The ultimate response was NO!!<\/p>\n

@Marisa_C made the point that TTs should have a wide and varied teaching experience plus the ability to develop trainee\u2019s ideas, not their own, to which @eltknowledge added that in the beginning, it\u2019s easier for a trainer to suggest their own ideas, but the skill is in helping trainees to develop their own.<\/p>\n

@MarjorieRosenbe felt that qualities like understanding but setting limits would be a starting point for her; she also added that flexibility and openness are also at the top of the list. @dale coulter mentioned organisational abilities especially regarding the administration load and @DanielaArghir added that good organisational skills will help\/let you concentrate on the actual training. @shaznosel believes you should be open to other Ts ideas and opinions and be able to \u201clisten\u201d to them. For @toulasklavou good TT should really love their job, learn from it and care about the trainees and for @Shaunwilden similar teacher skills are required for TT such as empathy, listening, understanding.<\/p>\n

@kevingiddens added that mentoring and learning skills related to TT (positive regard\/emotional intelligence) must be part of the process and @FrancesEales stated the need to to be able to deal with people tactfully but firmly. @Marisa_C also mentioned counselling skills, ability to analyse and support in a developmental rather than prescriptive way.<\/p>\n

@Shaunwilden argued that lots of psychology is involved in TT, especially in the feedback stage and added that he found this a challenge when dealing with CELTA trainees for the first time. @shaznosel agreed that it must be difficult to tell someone their weaknesses and @FrancesEales added that you need to be emotionally and physically quite resilient to cope with people\u2019s emotional stress. @Marisa_C totally agreed and added that she had trained a good number of drama queens !<\/p>\n

Inspiration plays a role too\u2026@Marisa_C mentioned the importance of being able to inspire one\u2019s trainees and to have \u00a0outstanding class teaching presentation skills. @shaznosel added to this point that an inspiring TT means inspired teachers which means inspired ss!<\/p>\n

@Marisa_C and @cuppa_coffee \u00a0discussed an interesting concept- the need to apply \u00a0Knowle\u2019s model of Andragogy. Here\u2019s a link to help understand this theory\u00a0http:\/\/www.lifecircles-inc.com\/Learningtheories\/knowls.html<\/a><\/p>\n

@FrancesEales thought observation is the most challenging skill\/art and is still learning how to do it better and ask for feedback from \u2018trainees\u2019. @Marisa_C added the importance of handling feedback that builds on trainee\u2019s reflection and ability to improve rather than destroy. This led to a very important point, the teacher as a reflective practitioner<\/p>\n

@cuppa_coffee argued that a good TT is a reflective practitioner, critical thinker, and coach and @DanielaArghir mentioned reflective Ts make good TTs to which @Marisa_C agreed; she added, however, that although more recent courses are good at producing reflecting teachers, this is not always the case. @rapple18 suggested that there\u2019s a strong case for building on reflection as it seems to be more upfront in TT than class teaching. To which @Shaunwilden added \u201cyou\u2019re right there is a helluva lot of reflection in TT\u201d. @shaznosel finally said that if we were not reflective, nobody would be chatting on ELTchat, thus Ts who are motivated and passionate about teaching may want to move onto TT!<\/p>\n

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Advice and best practices<\/strong><\/h1>\n

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\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n
Road crossing signs by @sandymillin via eltpics<\/div>\n

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It seems obvious from the above comments that as a T considers Teacher Trainingas a career move, the T sets themselves apart from their fellow colleaguesand learners. This move depends on the culture and context of where the T works. so , back to the original question:<\/p>\n

Are you ready to become a TT? How can you judge if you\u2019re ready? Are you enjoying teaching? Are colleagues turning to you for advice ? Are you reading this summary? May be it is time to move on!<\/p>\n

Some advice\u2026<\/p>\n