Assistant teacher program/Developing countries/Introduction for visiting assistant teachers

Introduction for visiting assistant teachers

Teaching and mentoring in developing countries requires intercultural competence and understanding for the possible perspectives of people in developing countries.

The value of education

Educationally deprived families who participate in primary education in the first generation may not understand the value of education properly. One could say that the purpose of education is a secret that has not been fully revealed to them, because without primary education the purpose of education may remain dubious and the pupils are usually to young to fully understand the value of education on their own. The problem can still apply to pupils in secondary education, because education may have been realized as a means towards a simple goal, like a specific vocational education, but not as an end in itself. An assistant teacher program can help to encourage pupils to see education as a self-sufficient goal, as an end in itself.

Group dynamics and intercultural competence

People who are susceptible to being manipulated by group dynamics may not be well qualified for social bridging. Especially if you join a group that could in some way be seen to benefit from your influence being unduly manipulated by group processes or attitudes of the group may easily spoil a beneficial influence, consequently the personal attitudes may have to be ensured consciously and possibly even against intercultural competence.

As an example a more academic attitude is easily subverted by group processes that do not appreciate learning.

If you fail to plan you plan to fail

While the view that "if you fail to plan you plan to fail" could be seen to apply in general it applies even more so in a context where more responsibility and self-reliance are required. Being an assistant teacher in a school that doesn't have enough teachers (compared to developed countries) is such a context.

Questions:

• What planning tasks concerning the curriculum or the classroom management may be left (possibly unexpectedly) for the assistant teacher?
• What degree of planning may be required or possible for individual pupils?
• Are there important plans (for instance with respect to intercultural competence) for situations outside the school, social situations or unexpected events?

The recommended procedure is to write down your plans in a special booklet and to review your plans regularly, for instance once a week.

• Do the plans still apply?
• Were they successful in the past?
• Are there new perspectives or categories that may require further planning?

A personal code of conduct can be a part of your planning endeavors and should be written with respect to intercultural competence, the situation in the school or country and your personal aims during the visit.

See also

• Teachers' handbook: Voluntary educational year

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