[Shinrei]

Yet another deliberatly vague question from Shinrei, but I want to hear your thoughts on what a good teacher is, or what makes a good teacher, or even anecdotes about why you think a particular person is/was a good teacher.

Cheers.

[worry]

I believe one Mr. David Lee Roth answered this more eloquently than I ever could, so I defer to him.

[amphibian]

A good teacher has control - control of the room and control of his or herself.

Obviously preparation is a big component of building a lesson plan and applying that plan, but the best teachers I've had were able to get the entire room to buy into what they were presenting, by presenting the information clearly, asking questions of the students to get short, specific desired responses that not only tested whether they'd done the reading, but asked them to extrapolate a little bit from it. They moved the pace quickly, asking students questions with answers that lasted... ten seconds max, while providing spaces for questions at the end of each info nugget. Those who didn't know the answers were skipped over and someone else was able to answer. Obviously, this requires almost everyone in the class

Furthermore, these teachers had full control of themselves when things didn't go quite to plan, or when a student challenged them, or a mistake happened. They were able to sail on through, mitigating the damage, take the challenge or questions in stride, carefully consider what feedback was being given and their goat was never gotten. If they didn't know, they said "I'll look this up and get back to you next class." And they did just that. The worst teacher I've ever had (in law school, no less) allowed his irritation and condescension to become very visible to the already boisterous class and that lost us for good.

I roll with a few teachers and one of them had a great system for dealing with kids who are willing to buy in, but are having a tough day. He says "If you're having a real tough day and you really want to just chill and be quiet for a while, let me know. Put your head down and thumb up as a signal. It's alright once in a while and I'll leave you alone for the day. I ask you to use it only when you really need it."

He then proceeds to make most of the class fun enough that those students don't stay in "seclusion mode" for long. Of course, it also helps that he's an absolutely gigantic dude with a voice exactly like Barry White and an irrepressibly cheerful attitude.

[RodeoRanch]

Short skirts and tight sweaters.

[HoosierDaddy]

At what level? Surely someone who teaches first grade has a far different role in education than a law school professor. Each teacher at each level and in different fields requires specific traits, I think, generally those becoming increasing knowledge of the information they are attempting to pass on to their students.

I'd think there are a few keys to being a good teacher:

(1) Communication abilities: It doesn't matter how well you know the material if you can't communicate to a student why they are wrong or right or different ways to approach a topic. Helps in discipline.
(2) Disciplinarian abilities: Especially in elementary and secondary schooling, if a teacher that can't control the class it doesn't matter how well they can communicate.
(3) Knowledge of the subject: One would think this is necessary to teach something. One's mileage may very.
(4) Enthusiasm for the subject: A subject can be immensely boring and difficult (math for me), but a teacher who is enthused is one who is willing to be creative about what they are teaching. They are more willing to adapt to their students if they are not getting through using their more traditional techniques.

Very broad, but of course the topic is vague.

[Sindriss]

Mostly, someone who is able to engage the students in the subjects and create an interest/motivation for learning in this unit. I've had a few teachers who really did this well and the result was almost everyone showed up each time to class, unless the person was actually genuine ill.

Worst was my physics/chemistry teacher in public school. He made me hate the subject which is really too bad, as Im now really interested in it and hates that i didnt pay more attention back then.

[Ain't_It_Just_]

Someone who doesn't mince words-in other words, someone who does their job. And not mollycoddle students. But they have to balance that with being compassionate (in a teacher-student setting, that is).

[Tapper]

Being raised by parents who were both teachers and a sis who now is a teacher, I have some second hand experience. None of the three of them actually had/has the entire package decribed below, but afaik, they had most of it. Unless my friends and their family are a bunch of sycophants, of course

Enthusiasm for the subject, and ability to communicate clearly with the pupils, both in front of the classroom and on an individual basis - and this changes over time. Some of the worst teachers I had were people that were probably incredibly popular with their students 15 years before they ended up in front of my class. They still had the same vocabulary they had in the late seventies, same hair-do, same expectations, same approach, same five movies they'd watch with the class in left-over lessons - and thus, they failed to appeal to us entirely.

Consistency in expectations and in the boundaries set.

Enough knowledge to go above and beyond the subject if the class wants/needs a challenge, and being able to make the class want to do just that.

Also, the ability to give encouragement and a bit of praise whenever someone performs above (their own) expectations.

Personally, I tended to do well for teachers that want their students to succeed, but who make sure to let these students know it's up to them to do the work and learning.

This post has been edited by Tapper: 24 September 2010 - 07:50 AM

[Silencer]

Tapper, on 24 September 2010 - 07:49 AM, said:

Personally, I tended to do well for teachers that want their students to succeed, but who make sure to let these students know it's up to them to do the work and learning.

This was true for me also.

Enthusiasm for the subject helps, and a great ability to communicate at different levels - it's fine if you've got a guy sitting in the class who could damn well be at uni already, and he gets what the teacher is saying, but if the rest of the class doesn't? Or the inverse, or anything in between, too. It's really hard to cater for an entire class' range of abilities, but the closer you get to this, the better.

The ability to generate enthusiasm, too. It's fine if you can explain things, but if you do it in such a way that students get involved - note, this does NOT mean interactive Q&A, or class or group activities, etc. Not necessarily, at least - in the class, then they'll learn better.

I think it's hard to have a teacher who is really good - as H.D. says, a teacher for one level, or indeed one subject, could not necessarily be suited to a different level, or subject, etc. I think I've had maybe one or two teachers who I really 'got', one was IGCSE maths, and another was A level English, but even though they helped me do really well, and were awesome teachers for me, it is not necessarily true that they are awesome teachers for everyone (the English teacher is, though...everyone who has been in her class absolutely loved her as a teacher - to the point where it was damned lucky I got her in final year, because the trend is to go seriously downhill once you leave the class).

Funnily enough, to go on a slight tangent (as I don't consider lecturers and teachers to be the same thing exactly) I had a lecturer last semester who made class an absolute blast, but he still failed in actually teaching me anything. I know, not entirely his fault, but I'm saying that regardless of any other study or work I did, I didn't learn anything from his classes despite enjoying them immensely and his relative success at getting me engaged to the lesson. So it goes to show that a 'fun' class is not necessarily a productive one.

ETA: Oh, and on the flipside, what I feel makes a 'bad' teacher. One who has their own hypothetical standards for each student. It does NOT make me do better, to have you mark me against my own capabilities rather than the set-down standards for the year level. I know I'm bloody well better than I need to be, but when you're grading me for the goddamn year's coursework, which is entirely against a set of standards, don't fucking mark me down because *I* could do fucking better. Note: we're talking at second-year high school, here. At uni, it is perhaps different (by subject), but before that? No.

And, even worse, first-year high school English. 30% in mid-year test. 0/2 for Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar. With two errors in that department. My friend who is pretty much my equal in all things English? 20 mistakes highlighted to do with SPG...he got 2/2. Wtf teacher? I know that you know that I'm well above and beyond the level required...that doesn't mean you need to try and reduce my ego by giving me 30% in a test. How the fuck did you ever get a job? But wait, there's more! My friend who got the good SPG despite many mistakes? 9.5/10 for the yearly speeches crap. He was the second-to-last person in the class to go. Then a girl went...she got 10/10 (female teacher, btw). This meant she went to the school speech finals. Her speech was crap. Guess what happened? She came last in the speech finals. Yeah. Fucking fail, teacher.

Of course, aforementioned year 9 and 10 English teachers now cannot look me in the eye, seeing as I got 93% for my A2 grade. Just goes to show how fucked up they were, doesn't it?

/mini-rant.

[Tattersail_]

Patience makes a good teacher. A variety of techniques, a goal, a plan, being punctual, putting in 100% effort, relating to the student, being fair, but none of this would matter if the teacher didn't have patience.

[foolio]

Huge cans....and a small waist. Possibly glasses too.

This post has been edited by foolio: 24 September 2010 - 03:56 PM

[Tattersail_]

a white shirt and a black bra?

edit. pink bra

This post has been edited by Tattersail: 24 September 2010 - 04:01 PM

[foolio]

Tattersail, on 24 September 2010 - 04:01 PM, said:

a white shirt and a black bra?

edit. pink bra

Yes, we are on the same page.

[Tattersail_]

foolio, on 24 September 2010 - 04:10 PM, said:

Tattersail, on 24 September 2010 - 04:01 PM, said:

a white shirt and a black bra?

edit. pink bra

Yes, we are on the same page.

pencil skirt or mini skirt or shorts?

[amphibian]

Ain, on 24 September 2010 - 07:24 AM, said:

Someone who doesn't mince words-in other words, someone who does their job. And not mollycoddle students. But they have to balance that with being compassionate (in a teacher-student setting, that is).

I question the validity of your perspective. You're 16, 17 and expressing vague stuff like this. You may recognize a good teacher, but I'm not sure you have enough life experience or critical perspective to figure out what exactly makes that good teacher good.

H.D.'s point about different levels is very astute. However, I think that we've mostly covered the common traits between levels.

For a flip side thing, the worst teachers I had were the ones who got really wrapped up in what they were doing - writing stuff on an overhead, putting together a science experiment or trying to get a group activity going. Quite a few of the good ones would write a few things or diagrams on the board before class and then lecture, while periodically referring back to what's on the board as a keyword or as a step in a causal chain. The board stuff is like a skeleton of a lesson and can sort of serve as a placeholder/memory jogger while the teacher explains the complicated background stuff.

[McLovin]

amphibian, on 24 September 2010 - 04:52 PM, said:

For a flip side thing, the worst teachers I had were the ones who got really wrapped up in what they were doing - writing stuff on an overhead, putting together a science experiment or trying to get a group activity going.

Yeah, that's how I knew I was going to be a sh!tty professor - I wasn't good at lecturing unless I could write/diagram as I talked, but then you're basically ignoring the students. Oh well, applied research careers ftw.

[foolio]

On a serious note their is nothing to me that competes with a teacher that absolutely loves the subject they are teaching. I really think it is contageous. And you can tell when someon is really into theior subject or just going through the motions.

[Adjutant Stormy~]

There are really a lot of things that define a good teacher from a bad one. The big ones come out - motivation, respect, patience, charisma, but in all honesty, those are the obvious points. Boring!

What makes a good teacher GREAT?

Personally, the hallmark of the best teachers I've had through school and undergrad, surprisingly enough, was simply the ability to say "I don't know" (preferably followed by "let's find out" / "I'll get back to you" / "what do you think?") and not bullshit me around, or refer me to the book, or otherwise deflect. The teachers confident enough in their element that they can admit failure, but not give up.

[Grimjust Bearegular]

Must be strict, but fair. Must give a f¤#%. Must be interested in the subjects taught. Must be able to recognize when someone has potential and needs encouragement/ leniency/ challenges.

[Defiance]

As long as they don't molest children or try to shove religion down my throat I don't have a problem with them.

Joking aside, this isn't an easily answered question. First, it's highly subjective, and second, it depends on the grade.

In high school, I always enjoyed the teachers who were laid back and could crack some jokes. At the same time they knew what they were teaching. Humor, even if it isn't related to the subject, is a great way to get people to pay attention. Granted, it can go too far. My econ teacher would only teach for maybe half of every class four out of five days a week. He'd spend the rest of the time dissing the class, telling funny stories, eating, and cracking your mom jokes. If you talked when he was teaching he'd grab your pencil or bag and throw it out into the hall. It was an open door classroom, and I think other teachers must have hated teaching by him because we'd spend the entire time laughing. One day we spent the entire period trying to kick a plastic bottle into the trash can. Another time when no one could answer a question about supply and demand he laid down on the floor and relaxed until someone gave the right answer. Nobody knew it, and some kids asked if they could leave. He told them to go ahead, he didn’t care. After they left he gave us a 100 point quiz - all we had to do was write our name to get full credit. Next semester, he moved to an outdoor portable classroom. One of the kids decided it'd be funny to hold the door shut so he couldn't get inside. To get in, the teacher ran up to the door and slammed into it with his shoulder. The hinges snapped and the door fell on the kid. Best teacher I've ever had. Granted, I didn't learn a whole lot.