Facilitation a must practice for teachers

Why can’t we be in our space? Why can’t we facilitate learning as teachers?

Facilitation is an important teaching skill/ practice that we cannot ignore in today's global educational landscape. According to Lev. S. Vygotsky,

Before we delve into teacher-facilitator, let us look at the word facilitation.

The Latin word for easy is facilis . The dictionary meaning of facilitation is the act of assisting or making easier the progress or improvement of something.

What does it mean to facilitate as a teacher? It is simply the ability to provide an encouraging, enabling and active learning atmosphere for the learners to thrive. The environment should be the kind that will enable learners to develop a personal interest to embrace learning. By facilitating, teachers change the trajectory of learners' lives by inspiring them.

It involves planning, guiding and ensuring that learners are constructive with their tasks to ensure meaningful learning. It is not a time to show off your power or load the learners with content. It is a time to guide your learners into meaningful learning engagement. The teacher-facilitator should be able to kick-start learning with a  starter to open up learning channels and curiosities of learners. From there, they will climb the critical thinking ladder. The result is always amazing.

 Let me illustrate this practice by simply painting a simple picture. As the teacher-facilitator that I am, if I am to break a wall with my learners, my duty as a facilitator will be to provide the required equipment that the learners will use to break the wall. Then, I will crack the wall, and allow the learners to break it into pieces. 

As they break the wall, I will ensure safety as they deal with the breaking process. That means  I must be present to maintain discipline and ensure safety as they deal with the learning process. Indiscipline should not be encouraged in the facilitation process. Learners are free to learn constructively but not at liberty to misbehave. 

The message is simple. Just go and make learning easy for your learners.

However, even though the practice is just the act of assisting or making it easy,  facilitation remains one of the most difficult practices in the profession. Most teachers prefer to load the learners with content rather than to facilitate. 

Why is it like that?

Sometimes, belief systems affect the practice. That it does not work does not mean it will not work. Just try. 

Sometimes, teachers know that the facilitation works but chose to ignore the practice. Sometimes, they blame the bulky curriculum and meeting of targets as the reasons for not facilitating. They resort to loading their learners with content as an escape route, but it is not.

Sometimes it is ignorance. Whatever the cause, I encourage us to endeavour to facilitate learning in our classrooms. Believe that it is essential.Learn and practice it.

How can you facilitate learning as a teacher?

It is simple

Plan your lesson

Make sure that the instructional resources are ready

Trust the learners’ ability to learn

Start the lesson with a  starter to open the curiosity of learners

Engage your learners-maintain a student-centred learning style

Create an inclusive learning environment

Avoid building a difficult classroom

Maintain class control and discipline

Move around to inspect their activities

Encourage them

Assess the learners' work

Give constructive feedbacks

Want to get more inspired in teacher facilitation, why not watch and listen to this awesome video below by TEDx