Chapter 7

“Quality teaching is achieved not only as a consequence of how well teachers teach but through creating contexts and work environments that can facilitate good teaching” (Richards, 2001). This quote stood out to me as I began reading this chapter, because I believe that quality teaching is dependent on a variety of factors, not just “good teaching” alone. An individual can be identified as the best teacher around, but it is how they are supported by their administrative staff, other teachers, and their students that makes all the difference. In order for quality education to occur, all parts of the whole must work together. If one part weakens or completely fails, the other parts suffer and as a result the “quality of teaching” goes down.
Reflecting on my teaching experience over the past three years, I can identify times when my teaching was not “quality teaching.” One year, the communication in our school between staff and administration was very weak. This resulted in many misunderstandings, which created an environment of mistrust and confusion. Over time, the lack of communication affected the morale of the staff. It plummeted. As a result, the quality of the teaching decreased.