Positive management of learners’ behaviour has been suggested as the most efficient tool for any teacher who desires an impactful teaching and learning process in his or her classroom.
Speaking during a day training for Teachers in public secondary schools in Egba Division with the theme; “Behaviour Management: A 21st Century Perspective”, at Lisabi Grammar School, Abeokuta, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, said children should not be left to their truancy.
He advocated they should rather be helped in learning habits to bring out the best in them.
Prof. Arigbabu highlighted behavioural management traits to be adopted by the teachers and other school administrators to include understanding learners’ problems, being a good role model, showing empathy, love, and patience, building a relationship with children and showing moral values.
“As a teacher, you have a choice of either making the bad worse or making the worse better.
“A child you help today will never forget your impact on his life,” Arigbabu said.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Dr Ronke Soyombo, disclosed at the training session that the youngest generation, growing up with virtual artificial intelligence, virtual reality and the Internet of things are expected to be moulded by imagined connectivities.
Dr Soyombo noted that Behavioural management was about shifting from a traditional reactive approach to more proactive, empathetic and student-centred strategies, saying learners’ behaviour could be better if teachers showcase themselves as good role models.
In his welcome address, the Principal General for Egba region, Mr Babatunde Ige, noted that learners nowadays usually exhibit negative behaviour, which makes it very difficult to checkmate by using conventional methods.
She emphasised the need to learn new techniques in combating the wrong behaviour among students.
Speaking, the President of All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), Mr Adeniyi Adekoya, appreciated the resourcefulness of Dr Soyombo towards promoting a high quality of education in the State, saying the meeting was to upgrade teachers’ pro-activeness on how to manage the behaviour of the new generation of learners.
Also in their goodwill messages, the Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Director of Education, Quality Assurance and Teachers’ Development, Comrade DDrOluwaseun Agbesanwa, DDrNoah Sewakanu represented by the Secretary of the Union, DDrOlufemi Okulalu and MMrsMary Duse, respectively commended the government for being persistent in the training of workers for efficient service delivery.
Appreciating the Office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education for organising what they described as an educative programme, the Principal of Gateway Secondary School, Junior, Mrs Olufunmilayo Akodu, and a teacher of Abeokuta Grammar School, Mr Abiodun Bankole, both in Abeokuta, said the training had changed their perspectives on how to extend love, care and be positive in their approach to the learners.
