Research has proved that students learn best when they are actively involved in the process. Regardless of the subject matter, students working in small groups tend to learn more of what is taught and retain it longer than when the same content is presented in a more formal format.

The other major trend in teaching has been the shift from a teacher-centered environment to a student-centered environment, a world where the teacher was in control. In fact, in our modern global world where children learn from so many informal sources, especially the Internet, students must learn to be in control of their own learning, must be given the power and responsibility of their own learning.

Where the teacher used to be the instructor and decision-maker, he can now be a facilitator and guide and let the students make their own decisions.

This may be a very difficult issue in our context where teachers are quite possessive of their role and where the learning experience is often competitive in nature between students. Students resent others using their ideas.

But learning can be co-operative when students are brought to work together towards a common goal. Students then willingly help each other sharing and exchanging skills and ideas. The idea is more a question of competing with one?s own performance, rather than against peers.

Learning does not necessarily take place just in the classroom, especially in today?s global world. It must extend beyond the classroom into real-life situations because one day or another each student has to leave the cocoon of the school to face real problems and the world of work.

Content is not necessarily learned in one context. It has to be learned in relevant contexts.

Teacher talk used to be most important and indispensable. But the way information can be acquired and processed today is without limit. Knowledge is no longer acquired through drill and practice. Students thus have to be taught to evaluate, make decisions and be responsible for their own learning.

The onus on the teacher today is to teach his learners how to learn, teach them both learning skills and content, teach them cooperation rather than competition, lead them to question their environment, teach them to have dreams, teach them values and discrimination, listen to them, be their role model and guide.

Because, when students have left school, years after, it?s not the content you taught them that they will remember but all the times when you were beside them and helped them make important decisions that are still having an effect on their lives today.

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