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To be or not to be a Good Teacher
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| Former-Teacher | Date: Monday, 14.03.2011, 09:55 | Message # 1 |
 Dean
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| Dear Netters! This idea has come up as a reaction to the discussion in the thread 'Teachers, listen to us!'Though that discussion is still in progress, I am inviting you to look into another issue - To be or not to be a Good Teacher!
When I start thinking about the point a lot of questions and answers make my brains churn.
- What qualities make up a good teacher?
- Is a good teacher necessary?
- Is being a good teacher an easy job?
- Should a teacher be competent and clever or kind or good?
- Or are these qualities inseperable of a real educator?
- What can influence a teacher to be good or bad?
- Is the question actually a stupid idea or is it a social problem nowadays?
- How many teachers have been good in your life time?
Well, there is an avalanche of similar questions in my worried mind, but I would like you to brainstorm questions of the kind.
Please, leave here a few questions that knock on your mind when you think of To be or not to be a Good Teacher.
A few discussions on the teaching issues have already taken place on the site:
- http://groupa.ucoz.co.uk/forum/62-164-1
- http://groupa.ucoz.co.uk/blog/teaching/2010-06-02-148
- http://groupa.ucoz.co.uk/publ/types_of_teachers_by_asya/1-1-0-34
Besides, you will find a lot more if you use the search option.
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| Nekavaen | Date: Tuesday, 15.03.2011, 23:37 | Message # 2 |
 Head teacher
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| When I try to imagine a good teacher, several questions appear in my mind.
- Should this person possess excellent knowledge of the target subject only or be proficient in many fields of science?
- Should a teacher allow students to take part in making lesson plans sometimes?
- How should a teacher refer to his or her students?
- Are there any subjects teaching which a man/a woman is more likely to succeed than a person of the opposite sex?
- How should a teacher react to students’ disobedience and home task sabotage?
It is not human to be without shame and without desire. (Ursula K. Le Guin)
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| lovefootball) | Date: Thursday, 17.03.2011, 20:49 | Message # 3 |
 Dean
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| A reasonable question about knowledge! On the one hand, it's impossible to know everything and besides teachers are likely to be asked about a lot of things outside the scope of their subject. So, it's very difficult to correspond to the image of an all-knowing person. But on the other hand techer is a kind of authority (especially for little children) and is supposed to be well-informed.
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| Nekavaen | Date: Thursday, 17.03.2011, 23:55 | Message # 4 |
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Head teacher
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| I agree with you. I am delighted with my PE teacher Dmitry Dmitrievich. You know, it’s believed that all sportsmen are dopy, narrow-minded and are able to talk only about competitions, football matches, etc. My PE teacher knows his subject perfectly. But besides he can keep up the conversation on ANY topic: ecological problems, cooking, cars, learning foreign languages, life in big cities, the latest scientific achievements, pets, art – whatever you start talking about, he'll always respond and name a lot of interesting facts. I sometimes think he knows everything. That’s great!
It is not human to be without shame and without desire. (Ursula K. Le Guin)
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| lovefootball) | Date: Friday, 18.03.2011, 18:04 | Message # 5 |
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Dean
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| That's a question of erudition,self-development and even one's interest to life. I mean it deserves respect and admiration when a person is ready to learn something new though it doesn't cross over his professional sphere. By the way, it concerns our educational system. We shouldn't be hung up on one subject only.
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| Nekavaen | Date: Sunday, 20.03.2011, 10:24 | Message # 6 |
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| I don’t demand enormous efforts from my teachers. I would be absolutely happy if they at least knew their native language well. Some people get high scientific degrees, write complicated research works and publish their essays in serious editions. Still they say such things at the lectures… I’m sure no matter how intelligent and experienced a person is in terms of his or her specialization; to be called a pro and a highly educated person, one should possess perfect knowledge of native language first. I mean it. A good teacher would never say: «прецендент», «ложить», «ихнего»…
It is not human to be without shame and without desire. (Ursula K. Le Guin)
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| lovefootball) | Date: Sunday, 20.03.2011, 20:37 | Message # 7 |
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Dean
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| H'm, some teachers dostort words on purpose...They are just joking or trying to be "closer to public") I mean it isn't a hundred-per-cent criterion. But you're right, sometimes it's even very funny to hear such an opus from a person whose authority is supposed to be inviolable. Maybe, that's the main problem? We expect them to set an example but is it ethical?
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| Nekavaen | Date: Thursday, 24.03.2011, 10:18 | Message # 8 |
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Head teacher
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| I know teachers are mortal creatures who can feel bad, be too tired, busy or sleepy to get ready for lessons in advance. Still if a teacher laughs at your slips, humiliates you in front of the class and says you have no future, then he or she must be an ideal person to say so. I never keep silent when such people make mistakes.
It is not human to be without shame and without desire. (Ursula K. Le Guin)
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| Former-Teacher | Date: Monday, 25.04.2011, 09:05 | Message # 9 |
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Dean
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| Quote (Nekavaen) I know teachers are mortal creatures who can feel bad, be too tired, busy or sleepy to get ready for lessons in advance. Still if a teacher laughs at your slips, humiliates you in front of the class and says you have no future, then he or she must be an ideal person to say so. I never keep silent when such people make mistakes.
I feel ill at ease to understand that the quote above is probably a record of personal experience  As a teacher, I often have to criticise students for bad work and poor quaility. But as a teacher, I never humiliate students. I feel at a loss to see that some of colleagues downgrade the profession by allowing themselves words of humiliation towards their subjects.
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| Nekavaen | Date: Monday, 25.04.2011, 09:34 | Message # 10 |
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Head teacher
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| I think there is a great difference between 2 phrases: "I give you a bad mark today because you are not ready and have no desire to progress" and "I don't understand how dull one should be in order not to cope with this simple task. When I were at your age, I already knew 3 foreign languages and never made such mistakes. You'll never achieve my level of proficiency. I don't even know what you personally are doing at the University. Even if you get a diploma, nobody will work with you, I'm sure".
It is not human to be without shame and without desire. (Ursula K. Le Guin)
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| Former-Teacher | Date: Monday, 25.04.2011, 10:29 | Message # 11 |
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Dean
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| Has your teacher humiliated you in this way? Does the teacher work in our Uni? Does she teach Japanese?
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| Nekavaen | Date: Thursday, 28.04.2011, 12:08 | Message # 12 |
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Head teacher
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| It doesn’t matter… I know that we, students, are nobody in this Uni. The thing that really irritates me is that nobody asks our opinion when deciding which teacher will work in a particular group. Of course, I understand we are not little capricious children in a toy shop who say “I don’t want this – give me that”. But when the whole group doesn’t want to come to the lessons and is not satisfied with the way new material is presented, the way tests are organized and marks are given, why can’t we beg for another teacher? Or can we?
It is not human to be without shame and without desire. (Ursula K. Le Guin)
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| lovefootball) | Date: Thursday, 28.04.2011, 19:16 | Message # 13 |
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Dean
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| You really can't? I've never faced such a problem...Of course, "underground" actions are out of the question, I think the main weapons here are straightforwardness and firmness (if you're objectively right). Besides, you aren't alone! I'm sure there are some teachers eager to help and support you! Just don't retire into shell.
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| Nekavaen | Date: Sunday, 01.05.2011, 21:09 | Message # 14 |
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Head teacher
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| Thanks, these are wise words. I’ll try to take my shell off for a little while… Maybe, forever... 
It is not human to be without shame and without desire. (Ursula K. Le Guin)
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| lovefootball) | Date: Tuesday, 03.05.2011, 19:18 | Message # 15 |
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Dean
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| Forever...we can never be sure for forever))) Anyway, something needs to be done. At the same time I believe students should be flexible, eager to compromise and comply with generally accepted behaviour patterns but of course it doesn't presuppose toadyism or fulsome flattery! The most important rule is to keep in mind the main thing - good education. Nothing, absolutely nothing should prevent you from acquiring knowledge!
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