We continue with our series as we meet and talk to industry leaders.Remember on this post we sample questions sent by you our reader and put it across to executives/entreprenuers around the globe and ask them what makes them and how can one get to where they are.
Today we have the pleasure of sitting across a young educator,a teacher,Joan K and as we get to know her,we also get a glimpse of the education industry.
So here we go! Let’s put her to the paces.
Tell us a bit about yourself. How do you juggle the different hats that you wear?
It all depends with the time management and the final result expected. This is how I adjust. I allocate time for family, my teaching and my hobby which is reading and a bit of travel.
In your words, is one born an educator or taught to become one? A tough question. I would say one is born an educator. Because not all educators are in the teaching profession. You will find them in other jobs but they will likely remain educators in some capacity.
In your opinion what makes a good educator? The calling, the passion and the self-drive. These are the three key ingredients.
How is technology influencing teaching methods today? It has influenced it mostly in a positive way. It has become easy (where there is easy access to the Internet) to browse for information. It has also made learning enjoyable since learners are able to interact with it.
What technological tools are you currently using in teaching? Video games and Google forms.
What is your view on the instruction languages? Do we need to re-look at indigenous languages and the role they play in our world? Since the indigenous languages are mostly applicable in rural areas, it is not necessary to formally teach them.However they do have their place obviously in culture.
Recently we have heard cases of cyber bullying among school going children. What influence does social media have on school going children? Those learners who have their own social media platforms are the ones who are at a high risk of cyber bullying. Parents/ guardians should ensure they are in full control of their social media platforms if they need to have them. They should allow the learners to strictly use the Internet for studies and playing games.
What role if any can educators play in social media monitoring? The educators can only emphasize on good use of social media.
What is your view on the new education dispensation in Kenya.Timely or a miss? I would say give it time. For now it’s a struggle though.
Lastly a fun question. In your past briefly describe an incident brought about by a teacher/instructor that shaped a part of you? Either bad or good. My Primary English teacher made me enjoy reading fiction books and that made me have a very wild imagination and be open minded. She would ensure that we had a whole hour of Library lesson and she would provide the books for us to read. This made me become good in English. Since then, I have never stopped reading.
There you have it,remember to become an educator Joan says there are three ingredients.Calling,passion and self-drive. An educator by heart.We wish her well and hope to catch up with her later in her career.
Feel free to comment and you could even throw in suggestions on questions, people and or industry that you would like to get feedback from.Looking forward to our next interview.