As I read these articles, I agreed with almost everything that was said. The Great Teacher Question: Beyond Competencies, by Edward R. Ducharme begins with a sentence that basically sums up my reason for teaching, “I begin this essay by defining a great teacher as one who influences others in positive ways so that their lives are forever altered” (Ducharme, 1991 p. 2). Over the course of a student’s education they will have many teachers, but there are maybe only one or two who are THE teacher. The teacher who impacts this child’s life in a positive way forever. The rest of the articles follow this same theme, suggesting ways that teachers can become THE teacher. One of the most important qualities I found in these articles (and one I …show more content…
One aspect I believe all schools should have is the element of safety at school. A student cannot efficiently learn without first feeling safe. In Joan Lipsitz and Teri West’s What Makes a Good School? they say, “In high-performing schools, the adults work together to provide a web of emotional and social support for the students, not just in the services the school provides but in the attitudes and relationships the adults establish with students” (Lipsitz & West, 2006 p. 83). Schools should not only provide services such as counseling, or food to take home to support their mental and physical safety, but ensure that the teachers employed at the school are making meaningful relationships with the students so they feel safe within the classroom. Another common theme seemed to be the idea of teachers working together, which I think is a great idea as someone who is a future teacher. In the article Piece by Piece: How Schools Solved the Achievement Puzzle and Soared, Karin Chenoweth states, “The point of teacher collaboration is to improve instruction for students and to ensure that all students learn” (Chenoweth, 2009 p. 116). Other than all the schooling that teachers receive a major way of how they learn to teach is through their own experience. Sharing experiences with other teachers can help to modify lessons, or to share out ideas that will better prepare a teacher for their own class. Thus ensuring that students get an education that has been improved upon to become even more beneficial to
1. I think the most common way I see the teachers helping the children is by being a role model. Showing the kids how to act towards peers and authrity figures. Kids are very intuative, they pick up on things very easy. So if you showing the children respect the kids will take that with them and show respect to others. I noticed anytime a child was having problems one of the teachers would always get down to their level and talk to them, making sure to make eye contact and not to talk above them but instead to talk to them. Asking the child if something was bothering them and just working on focusing on that child and respecting how they felt really seemed to help the kid to mellow out and realize that arguing and pushing to get what he wants isnt the best way to handle things. After the teacher talked to him I noticed he was being more polite to other children and even ofering to share his toys with other kids he was previously arguing with. I think it also helped that not only was the teacher respecting the child but she was doing it in a loving way. She wasnt acting like she was better than the child or knew more she was just listening and talking to him on his level. I think it helps to model acceptiable behavior but to also do it in a loving way. Watching the teachers respect each other and work with each other to better the classroom, listening and working off each other advice about certain problems, or changes they think might need to be made. Having the teachers work together and respect each others advice and imput shows the kids how to work with their peers.
In chapter two of Ryan Cooper’s textbook, Those Who Can, Teach, he lists eight characteristics of an effective school: “[1] high expectations for student performance, [2] communication among teachers, [3] a task orientation among the staff, [4] the ability to keep students on task, [5] the expenditure of little time on behavior management, [6] the principal’s instructional leadership, [7] the participation of parents, and [8] the school environment” (51). While all eight characteristics above greatly contribute to a school’s overall success, some characteristics have a greater ability to affect the success of a given school. Educators Wong and Wong point out that research consistently says effective teachers exhibit three characteristics: 1) they are good classroom managers, 2) they teach for learning and mastery, and 3) they have positive expectations (8-10). Because I believe the foundation of school effectiveness relies on teachers, I consider the characteristics with a focus on effective teacher-to-student interaction most important. Taken from the list above, those characteristics are (1) teachers who exhibit high expectations for student performance, (3) a task orientation among the teaching staff, and (4) the ability to keep students on task.
Teachers can work with the children and get to know what it is that is causing certain behavior and can help children in the long run. Children can be going through changes or issues at home and if they are going from problems at home to getting scolded or being put on time put at school it can cause long term damage. Children will feel as if they are always alone and would not know who to go to at the end of the day. Children need to be guided and the teacher can help that child and communicate with the parents about the differences between misbehavior and mistaken behavior. If what is being taught at home is different from what is being taught at school can cause complications to the child and their thought process. I feel that teachers would benefit from knowing the difference and going through certain classes just so they can learn the difference and how to work with children rather than dealing with them. With time, communication and understanding the child will start becoming aware and realize what is right even if they have to try for their own as long as it is not causing any danger to
Successful teachers develop the whole child by making integrated efforts to promote their student’s academic, social and emotional learning. Children need to be aware of themselves and others; make responsible decisions, and be ethical and respectful of the people around them.
A teacher today needs to have an ability to relate to and create partnerships not with their students, but also families, administrators and other professionals. This ensures that all persons involved with the education of the student are on the same page. All involved then work in harmony and help each other achieve the common goal of educating the student in the best possible way for the best possible result. (Wesley, 1998, p 80)
Qualities that I would consider to be important for teaching is a teacher should have a love of children. A lot of people love the idea of the subject but don’t when it comes down to the kids. You have to have a certain kind of love when working with children because your whole day will require you to work with children. A teacher needs to have an understanding of the role of education and how important education is. A suitable teacher has to have the willingness to reflect, organization skills, compassionate, patience, understanding and creative. Understanding to be a “great teacher” is a constant struggle to always allow improvement. I find these qualities important because you will always look for new techniques to improve your performance and situations. Being able to reflect and ask why things went the way they did. Reflecting will help you get into the habit of seeing things you wouldn’t typically see. By reflecting you will be able to form better relationships with your students and their families. Teaching requires a willingness to cast critical eye on your practice and pedagogy as well as
All in all, teachers need to be viewed as professionals and not as simply pay babysitters because most do care about the students. Teachers tolerate the low wages, long hours and repetitive disrespect because they desired to place attention on student success. Teachers should not enter that career for the money, but for the devotion they will place on the students. Luckily there are ways to make teachers more valuable in society. Teachers should be given the right equipment to teach the subject that corresponds to them, the two-year skill evaluation should be more precise and by surprise, so no one knows. Also, students should be allowed to evaluate the teachers to provide feedback. Also, teachers should be aware of the surrounding cultures. In conclusion, teachers should motivate students to reach levels they themselves never thought they could attain.
There is some debate about whether great teachers are born or made. Parker Palmer believed that it is “the human heart… [not] technique”, which is the source of a good teacher (Penn, 2008, p. 22). Contrarily, a study done by Dr. Sean Ruday & Dr. Peter Wiens for the journal Issues in Teacher Education, found that specific innate personality traits were not necessary to be a good teacher, rather engaging and relevant work and structure and organization (Longwood University, 2014). I believe that anyone that is enthusiastic and knowledgeable about a subject area already possesses much of what is needed to become a great teacher. Combine this with empathy, patience, creativity, and the ability to listen and one may
Teachers have to be a number of things all rolled up into one neat package. First and foremost, teachers must be great role models for their students. The teachers have to be role models not just in their words, but also in their actions. If there is one thing I’ve learned from being in different school settings and around numerous children it is that children are very observant. They notice all the little things that you don’t even realize you are doing. So, if you are doing the things you are trying to instill into the children, you establish a trust with them and they see that these aren’t just words that you speak, but they are actually things that you know, believe in, and above all else practice in your own life. This constant role model status also helps you be a better person as you mold the lives of our future. Teachers also have to be disciplinarians. They have to set boundaries and rules for the students and enforce them without a drop of prejudice.
There are many things which make a teacher great and they all can`t be defined.However i`ve always considered several of them essential.In my opinion a good teacher is someonewho first of all creates interest in studying,doesn`t underestimate the children,has equal expectations of siccess from everyone and last but not least likes his job.
Educationalists, Lecturers, students and everyday people find it so easy to list the good characteristics that make up a good teacher; unfortunately it is not that easy to become a good teacher just by making a list. There can be no doubt the teacher profession is a c...
Being a teacher is not an easy task as many people could think. To be a teacher does not only imply to know the subject to be taught, it also includes being willing to constantly improve oneself integrally, as much as updating the resources and materials one uses in teaching. Reflecting and analyzing over and over again the best way to teach to learn and how to make students to extend what has been learned. The many hours spend in the classroom will never be enough to plan lessons, prepare materials, review pupils tasks and exams, as well, all the administrative requirements one has to cover for whatever institution we work. Besides all this a good teacher, a professional one, will have to find the time to keep preparing to improve oneself.
Over the years, national, state, and local governments have been looking for ways to increase the academic performance among academically vulnerable students. To boost these students’ academic performance, governments have been implementing many programs to inspire innovative school reforms to K-12 educational systems across the United States. Several studies have shown that schools employing certain practices are linked to higher academic achievement. This paper will demonstrate that teacher competency and the school’s ability to provide an emotionally supportive environment are school characteristics associated with higher student academic success.
First, I realized that, teachers carry a lot of weight on their shoulders and have great responsibilities. They have to balance the curriculum, students, parents, lesson plans, common core, and upper management and still maintain a professional demeanor. Second, educators must follow a strong code of ethics. They must be professional at all times with students and colleagues, keep confidentiality, not have or show any prejudice or bias, maintain safe and positive learning environments, help students with problems, and hand out disciplines accordingly. Lastly, I found that when you’re a teacher, your education never stops. Teachers are always trying to improve their own education and professional growth, both for the benefit of their students and for the benefit of themselves.
Good teachers set high expectations and motivate the students to meet those expectations. As students strive for excellence, teachers assist students in meeting their highest potential through daily lessons. Teachers also serve as role models. Teachers make a contribution to society by preparing students for their real world endeavors. They teach students through example to be kind, respectful, humble, patient and determined.”