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To be or not to be a Good Teacher
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| Former-Teacher | Date: Wednesday, 04.05.2011, 14:48 | Message # 16 |
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| Quote (Nekavaen) 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.
Why do you think it's important for you? Nevertheless, students have rights. The most important precondition is for a student to make sure that he/she performs duties well enough. If a student feels and sees that a teacher violates his/her right for good knowledge, he/she has a right to protest. Some students go to the dean's office and explain the things that make learning bad, ineffective. But before protesting, students ought to ask themselve why they want to it. Hohestly, I often support students' decision to have another teacher. Oftentimes, there are few teachers who can teach really well.
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| lovefootball) | Date: Wednesday, 04.05.2011, 18:30 | Message # 17 |
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| But sometimes it's really problematic to figure out who is right. I don't mean this very case but such incidents in general. Very often the true reason is just students' whims, laziness,unwillingness to fulfil difficult tasks and disrespect towards a teacher. I'm not trying to idolize teachers but still knowing some young people and their 'genial' ideas concerning education I tend to be sceptical about the issue. But maybe the point is that I have never come across such situations. And besides, what about the ethical side of the question? And what should this teacher's colleagues do?
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| Former-Teacher | Date: Wednesday, 04.05.2011, 19:15 | Message # 18 |
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Dean
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| Quote (lovefootball)) And besides, what about the ethical side of the question? And what should this teacher's colleagues do?
If I were any of you, I would never complain or protest, I would just do my job - get education. Now about the ethical side!
It's very simple:
It is ethical to get education!
It is ethical to demand top quaility education!
It is ethical to meet educational standards!
It is ethical to respect good educators!
It is ethical to voice your concern about your educational needs!
It is ethical to understand that an educational programme has been designed to prepare a fully-fledged specialist!
It is ethical to criticise students for poor learning!
It is ethical to ignore students' discontent over a subject!
It is ethcial to hope for a good teacher!
It is ethical for a teacher to leave the group that do not want to study!
It is ethcial for a student to want a good teacher.
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| Asya | Date: Thursday, 05.05.2011, 09:31 | Message # 19 |
 Union committee president
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| Quote (Nekavaen) why can’t we beg for another teacher?
As our teacher of German has said (not to us actually, but it doesn't matter), "In our University there are no bad teachers. All the teachers are highly competent and professional" So, it's really nearly impossible to beg for another teacher, even if the one you have doesn't work at all. 
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| Former-Teacher | Date: Friday, 06.05.2011, 14:03 | Message # 20 |
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| Well, do you, Folks, think that it could be a good idea to start a teacher ranking campaign? What will it help to achieve? Will the teachers in our department fear it or weclome it?
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| lovefootball) | Date: Friday, 06.05.2011, 21:25 | Message # 21 |
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| Wow, I don't know. Maybe, to some extent it might be useful, I mean teachers will start to feel some competition, introduce new methods, take risks, try experimental programmes...But is it fair? There's something more suitable for students, not for teachers in this suggestion . Isn't it enough that they have to improve their qualification at regular intervals? And one more thing: how can young specialists compete with mature and experienced ones? The same critetia can't be applied for them.
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| Former-Teacher | Date: Saturday, 07.05.2011, 08:58 | Message # 22 |
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Dean
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| Quote (lovefootball)) how can young specialists compete with mature and experienced ones?
No problem! Oftentimes, the young work better than the experienced. I don't know. When I work and design my teaching encounters or consult on research work, I never think whether my students are happy or not. I do not care. But I care for their brains and how inquisitively and fruitfully they spend five years of their life time in the territory of knowledge that I am a specialist in. I know how their brains work. I know what they need for professional growth. If any of them doesn't 'feel comfortable' in this territory, I never mind them leaving the place. But if they insist on being there, I insist that they do the basics and learn to think according to the laws of the territory. After that they are free to experiment. My current students are now rather stagnated and resist professional growth, some are slowly leaving the territory. This is my ranking!
I often hear that students are not happy with their teachers. Do students hear that teachers may not be happy with their students? Students want another teacher. But we never change students, though I often think we must start using this approach  I want to take a piece of paper and write down the names of a few students with whom I would like to work. I will make them great professionals!
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| Asya | Date: Saturday, 07.05.2011, 16:20 | Message # 23 |
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| Quote (Teacher) But we never change students
Unfortunately that's not true. Teachers CAN change their students. And I know such examples when a teacher decided not to work with the group.
Quote (Teacher) Well, do you, Folks, think that it could be a good idea to start a teacher ranking campaign?
Such a campaign has already been started at schools. If I'm not mistaken, it has given no results. But I suppose that questioning students about their teachers is a good idea (not grading!!!). And as in schools the ones that are obviously better professionals will get extra money. I think that questions like:
1. How many minutes of the lesson are devoted to studying?
2. Does your teacher correct mistakes students make?
3. Does your teacher try to make his/her lessons motivating?
4. Do you feel that your teacher is interested in the results of the teaching process?
can reveal the existing situation.
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| lovefootball) | Date: Saturday, 07.05.2011, 19:27 | Message # 24 |
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| Oh, I've heard something about that! And teachers were discontented as I understand. I just think this very system is far from being perfect, I mean mature reputable teachers are estimated by pupils who don't even imagine how hard this work is! For most of them it's not more than fun! That's why a lot of teachers feel insulted. Still the idea of motivation has a grain of sense but I don't know how the whole process can be reorganized.
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| Asya | Date: Saturday, 07.05.2011, 20:17 | Message # 25 |
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| Quote (lovefootball)) mature reputable teachers are estimated by pupils who don't even imagine how hard this work is
yes, that's right. I think it isn't ethical either. That's why I suggest including only such questions that presuppose revealing the truth, not estimating. As I've already written, these can be questions like, "How much time of the lesson is devoted to studying?"
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| Former-Teacher | Date: Tuesday, 10.05.2011, 09:35 | Message # 26 |
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| Quote (lovefootball)) For most of them it's not more than fun!
Absolutely, students don't have the right to rank teachers. They have the right to choose but, unfortunately, there is usually no choice. I don't want my students to rank me, that's not their business, it'll never be objective. They can rank only when they have fulfilled a programme they enrolled in. The problem lies deeper - the system itself doesn't have a well-elaborated sustem of grading and ranking. Ranking should be done by specialists who know the main criteria, inluding students' reactions. The teacher should also know these criteria right from the start. If a teacher doesn't work well, administrative measures need to be taken. When this system works, it'll be clear. When the system wears out, it should be changed or updated.
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| Former-Teacher | Date: Tuesday, 10.05.2011, 09:43 | Message # 27 |
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| Quote (Teacher) yes, that's right. I think it isn't ethical either. That's why I suggest including only such questions that presuppose revealing the truth, not estimating. As I've already written, these can be questions like, "How much time of the lesson is devoted to studying?"
I'm not sure it will work or is necessary at all. I devote about 99% lesson time to studying. What of it? I know teachers who devote only about 50% of classroom time to studying. What of it? The main criterion should be students' final results. If a teacher gets good results for 50% classroom teaching instead of 99%, the teacher should be praised and awarded! The teacher has found ways of optimising the education process. Then students will be able to save time and money for other life options instead of wasting 5 years at the uni. 4 or 3 years will be enough. The saved money could well go into building kindergartens instead of reaching the same quality by spending 99% classroom time.
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| lovefootball) | Date: Tuesday, 10.05.2011, 19:21 | Message # 28 |
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| H'm and really, why do we have standardized courses for everyone? Isn't it possible to fix the time of studies due to the teachers' mastery and methods? Or according to the students' progress? Why should hard workers adjust to those who just 'serve time'? We have to survive in conditions of competition, so no time should be lost!
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| Former-Teacher | Date: Friday, 13.05.2011, 10:55 | Message # 29 |
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| Well, too many questions to answer.
I now think that a good teacher should never adjust to the group. A good teacher should set targets and teach students to achieve them. If students can't or don't want to do it, it again doesn't mean that the teacher should stop and rethink the strategy.
To put it metaphorically, the raw materials are of poor quality! So, a good teacher should work only with those who want to study and achieve progress. Those who don't study have the right not to study and it's their duty to leave the place! But they don't leave, and teachers often meddle up with them - this is the point where teaching stops!
It took me about 15 years of professional experience to understand it to the full. Now, when I see that a student doesn't want to study, I explain once that it is his/her decision and create no obsticles for them. The traditional grading system is good enough. So, they react to their grades! Not to me, thanks God! I just explain if they ask why and we are all happy!
In the winter exams this year I put three '3-s'. The students seemed to be dissatisfied but they did everything they could to enjoy the personal right to poor knolwedge. They produced this knowledge, I had to buy it but bought it at a lower price. It's because I respect the students' choice. I do respect my students and can't deceive them.
The spring simester exams are coming, and I know that the students are not improving, they have made a choice not to meet my teaching requirements, they have left the 'production line'. I can't force them back all the time! I am HAPPY that I understant and respect my students' choice! I am HAPPY that I do not humiliate my students. I am HAPPY that my students never humiliate me! P.S.: I want to drive a Lamborghini but not a Lada! I'm not buying it! I hope I will manage to 'manufacture' 2 or 3 Lamborghinis when my current students graduate. The other seven will be Ladas! I will be happy even if there is one Zaporozhets!
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| lovefootball) | Date: Sunday, 15.05.2011, 20:27 | Message # 30 |
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| Agree completely but what about schools? Are the same rules applicable there? I mean children can take a wrong road for sime time, fall under someone's influence or something like that. So, should the teacher interfere in the pupil's affairs? Or his work ends when the child steps across the school threshold? And one more thing. What about statistics? Of course, it's not an end in itself but still no one wants to be regarded as a non-professional.Is it possible to explain the poor results of the class referring to its indolent pupils?
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