General Pedagogy

Book excerpt: General Pedagogy: A Guide to Effective Teaching demystifies the scientific art of teaching by providing facts, principles and concrete examples in real life situations such that neither the novice teacher who peruses it will stutter in front of students on the first day of school, nor will the experienced teacher write and execute the same old lesson plans on that day. The best teachers are those who show you where to look but dont tell you what to see, is a popular quote attributed to Alexandra K. Trenfor, which aptly summarises the kind of teachers this book intends to produce when used as a teacher training resource. Real teachers facilitate learning; they do not simply tell learners the answers to their questions and concerns. Accordingly, the authors take the readers through well-researched themes in the academic discipline of teaching wherein they present, analyse and discuss pertinent issues. Although they provide useful suggestions for teaching success, the authors encourage teachers to interpret facts, ideas and suggestions presented against the sociocultural contexts of their practice. The materials are presented creatively while adding a personal touch, intended to facilitate effective and efficient learning. For coherence and better comprehension, the book has been carefully crafted in eighteen chapters lodged in six parts. The first part introduces the reader to the concepts of teaching and teaching effectiveness. The theoretical underpinnings of these concepts are brought out in the second part which paves the way for the third part that describes generic teaching approaches, strategies and methods. Part four and five comprise essential teaching skills and teaching tools for the 21st century while part six wraps up with the transition from teacher training laboratories to classrooms in the real world. The last two chapters intentionally prepare the teacher to overcome challenges of professional work in contemporary African classrooms.