An Essay on Improvements (in a serious tone)

One of the guiding principles of my life is to be constantly improving; humbly seeking means for improvement.

After graduation from my first degree, I had the chance to teach. As a greenhorn at work, I fortunately met mentors and colleagues who shared their valuable teaching experiences and successful practices with me. After encounters with these passionate educators, I have come to appreciate the importance of evaluation and reflection, in particular with regards to executing a learning programme. While we plan our learning materials in line with the Bloom’s Taxonomy to equip learners with knowledge, understanding, analysis and synthesis skills, I viewed it from another perspective: the teachers are learners, learning how to teach better. In fact, we are constantly and continuously learning in life. It also helps to set a SMART* goal so as to have a direction. (*Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-scaled)

Personally I consider the purpose of evaluation and reflection to be identifying weaknesses and hence implementing improvements in future attempts. To me, it is a critical step in the cycle Plan-Execute-Assess-Evaluate, before a new one commences. It would be more effective to consider both qualitative and quantitative feedback of make a fair judgement of a situation. I would also like to view the summative assessment of a particular teaching assignment as a formative assessment of my own teaching in the long term, instead of solely a measure of effectiveness as a professional.

In my humble opinion, the well-known Kirk Patrick’s model for Evaluation and the SWOT analysis were more geared towards the corporate world, hence the need to select and adapt relevant portions of these as my relevant tools for evaluating current practices and identifying possible areas for improvement.

Improvement lies in understanding how critical functions are best performed, rather than simply measuring the outcomes. Processes can be planned to be effective and constantly adjusted to optimise performance, while outcomes can only be hoped for and we have rather little control over.

When we compare our practices with others, it is impossible to plagiarise, simply because the situations however similar are still different to a certain extent, adaptations and modifications are necessary. Furthermore, we can perceive comparative benchmarking as a form of peer-mentoring, where both ends learn and benefit from an open exchange of information and experience. Reflection is a necessity, neither a bonus nor luxury.

In conclusion, for improvements to take place, a multi-perspective evaluation is quintessential. Though a tedious process, improvements lead to satisfaction in many aspects of life.

To end, I would like to share two quotes that constantly motivate me:
1) There is no difficult child in this world, but there are numerous children with difficulties. (Hence, I should contribute to my very best to help these fellow mankind overcome their difficulties)
2) Excellence is a habit. (Taking the easy way out is a lazy choice. I need to cultivate a habit of constantly striving to be better.)