The most important factor in the teaching-learning process is the teacher. Without teachers this will not be possible. Teachers are like computers who are always engage in multi-tasking. They perform various tasks not only as teacher but as facilitator, adviser, guidance counselor, friend, confidante, as parent and many others. It had never been easy to perform the many and varied tasks of a teacher. Sometimes the only compensation they received as a fruit of their labor is seeing their students learn and seeing them as successful individuals in the future.
After working eight hours in the school, there is still several of school related works to be accomplished at home, like preparing the lesson plan for the succeeding day, checking and recording of test papers and many others. In short, teacher's obligation goes home with them unlike office workers. It's is actually a very tiring profession, physically and mentally.
Then how can they motivate and keep teachers happy? There are five factors to consider.
- First and foremost, give teachers sufficient salary so that financial problems at home will be a less burden on their part. I believe that a teacher can not perform his duties well if he is not properly compensated. His mind will wander thinking on how he can provide the daily needs of his family and many other money-related matters. Lucky for those who are teaching in the developed countries like the United States because teachers there are receiving a salary good enough to live with a dignified life unlike teachers in developing countries who are receiving a very minimal wage not even enough to meet the basic needs of their family. As an addition to this, teachers should be given substantial allowance for travel and for school supplies needed in the effective and efficient conduct of teaching. Instructional materials like maps, globe, chalks, eraser, drawing materials and many others shouldn't be shouldered by teachers themselves.
- Second, provide a more conducive room suitable for best teaching-learning outcome with all the necessary amenities. It should be properly ventilated, properly lighted and with all the necessary safety features like availability of fire and earthquake alarm, fire extinguishers, fire escape among others. Providing such classroom environment will surely result not only to a better teaching-learning result but also keeping teachers motivated, happy and a bit relax not worrying so much on the welfare of students in case calamities like earthquake or fire happens.
- Third, administrator should be keen on the professional growth of the teachers. Teachers who are qualified for the next higher position should not be deprived on such privilege. Steps increment should be prepared and given on time. Encourage teachers to enroll and finish their master's degree or doctoral courses for a better chance to be promoted to the next higher position. Higher position means greater compensation.
- Fourth, send teachers to join seminars, workshops and the likes so that they will also have a change of environment. Being confined in the four corners of classroom for one entire school year will result to boredom in the long run. Attending seminars and workshops will not only expose the teachers to new methods of teaching and new knowledge but also a means to expose them to others and have the chance of meeting new friends, thus making them motivated and happy.
- And the last, but certainly not the least, always maintain a harmonious relationship among members of the faculty and make sure that all the teachers including staff are properly motivated and encouraged from time to time. Teachers, like students are also individuals who long for encouraging words and praises no matter how small their contribution and achievement are. Teachers are not motivated to teach well if they have an administrator who is moody and a dictator. Create a democratic atmosphere all the time within the four corners of the school and you are assured of teachers who are motivated and happy. And if they do, the assurance of effective, efficient and quality teaching-learning process is inevitable.
