The Practical Aspects of Pedagogical Guidance in the Arab Schools
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Abstract
This research examines the issue of pedagogical guidance in the Arab schools in Israel , with the purpose of helping the guidance process achieve its goals. The social and cultural contexts of the schools in which the teachers operate, are carefully considered. The article also suggests pedagogical skills to help the pedagogical guides perform their job more efficiently.
Despite the importance of pedagogical guidance in the Arab schools in Israel, researchers in the field of education have given it little attention. Pedagogical guidance is central in the professional growth of teachers. It is essential in diagnosing and treating errors and problems. It also helps improve the level of performance within the school and leads to better achievement among students by encouraging pre-action and on-action reflection among teachers. This type of reflection seems to positively affect teachers’ performance. Research indicates that enhancing the cognitive abilities of teachers and encouraging them to reflect in all stages of the learning process can guarantee their professional growth and turn their experiences into more conscious ones(Short & Rinehart, 1993, Zelperstein, et al, 1998).
Building a relationship based on trust is an important factor in the success of the guidance process. In order to guide teachers and help them grow professionally, one should provide him/her with a sense of security, which impacts the performance of both teachers and their students positively. Guidance language is positive. It is neither general nor critical. It includes descriptive sentences with objective data, open questions to help the teacher remember, infer, link or evaluate what he/she did (Costa and Grimston, 1999).
To achieve the goals of the guidance process, the guide should use the various guidance skills which go in line with the social and cultural contexts in which the teacher operates. We ranked these skills based on their use in the various guidance sessions. Examples from the field are provided as well.