Discussion – What makes a good teacher?
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You are going to consider the concept of a good teacher. What makes a good teacher? Think of how you would like your students to see you and share your ideas with other course participants on the discussion forum. (Focus on The Teacher – 3A)
In my opinion, a good teacher is up for any challenge with any type of students and find new ways of teaching our students. Being flexible and willing thinking outside the textbook is essential. We should not restrict ourselves to one type of learning materials and only teach from the textbook. It’s our duty to help students to actually learn something from class, rather than only rely on what the textbook tells us to do.
this is a really valid point, Janice. What you are saying is that a good teacher goes beyond the course book and makes their students’ learning experience more authentic and personalised. From your comments, it is clear that you also recognise the importance of variety in the classroom- to keep your students engaged, you need to vary the material as well as interaction patterns.
I think a good teacher is a person who understands students’ needs and interests, finds a common language with any type of a student. A good teacher is out-of-the-box thinker and , flexible, creative, friendly, empathetic.
you are so right. Classrooms are hardly ever homogeneous and they are typically made up of individuals with different needs and expectations; understanding those needs and expectation is the first step to effective teaching. You have also touched on another important issue- to be a good teacher, one needs to think on their feet and demonstrate flexibility in order to respond to what happens in the classroom in real time.
Teacher has to be patient, enthusiastic, involving, adaptable, a good communicator and listener, careful in respecting learners differences, and well organised.
I think a good teacher is inspirational, creative, flexible and motivating. A good teacher respects and pay attention to students’ interests and uses this information in the lessons.
A good teacher needs to be flexible and prepared to add activities if the students are either quicker than you planned, or spend more time clarifying a point if the students are struggling.
A good teacher is someone who knows how to understand student needs, listen to them and try to find the best way to deliver the teaching successfully. A good teacher is always ready to help the students keeping a professional but also welcoming tone.
Being well organised definitely helps. I also think there is a pastoral aspect to the role.
A good teacher is approachable, has good communication skills (both in regard to listening and understanding student need as well as explaining concepts), knowledgeable, inspiring and makes learning enjoyable…
A good teacher is also humorous and cheerful. I still remember one of my all-time favorite teachers could light up any room with her smile and good vibes.
That’s definitely true! The attitude and good energy from the teacher makes a huge role in the classroom
This is so true for me. A smile and a cheerful spirit can brighten lessons both for adults and children. I wish all teachers would do this more often. It makes it easier for the students to respond positively and enjoy the lesson.
very good point, Elizabetta- if we don’t smile, we don’t give our students an opportunity to smile back! ;=)
I agree with that, being nice help, a smile costs nothing.
Teaching is hard work…some teachers never grow to be better than mediocre. A great teacher works tirelessly to create a challenging, respectful, warm environment for students, sets high expectations for all students and enspires them with his/her passion for education.
As has already been mentioned above in the forum, teachers have a variety of roles in the classroom. First of all, they need to be organized and focused on developing their task, and they need to show that they know what they are doing, students need such certainty to feel safe in the classroom.
Moreover, teachers should be patient and take the time to get to know their students well in order to be able to adapt the contents to them, but also to be able to set more realistic learning goals. While they do that, they should also have a positive attitude in class, friendly and accessible, so that students are not afraid to go talk to them or ask for feedback.
Finally, students need to be flexible and open to changes in order to adapt their lessons to their students’ needs and not force the learners to work at an unnatural pace.I really like how you focus on what the student needs, that’s so important when teaching as every student is different.
A good teacher is kind, patient and understanding. They are encouraging and willing to adapt their classes to suit each students needs. The most important thing about being a teacher is knowing you don’t know everything, and that your students can help you learn something new every day.
I think a good teacher is one who is passionate about their job. Puts creativity in lesson preparation and doesn’t just plod through the book. A good teacher smiles a lot and encourages students to try. At the same time, he/she doesn’t push to much but respects the student’s time it takes to feel comfortable in opening up.
A good teacher is part of the group and stands in front of the desk, if there is one, not behind it creating a barrier between himself and the students.
A good teacher feels a bit nervous at every first lesson even after years of teaching and is happy to go to work every day. If the teacher enjoys the lesson most likely the students will too.
A good teacher will revise the needs analysis occasionally to make sure they are still on track.Elizabeth,I very much agree with your points. Smiling and Showing a positive attitude at all times is important for students as we sometimes don t realise how difficult it might be to be in a foreign country and insecure about a language you have to speak in order to get by.
A good teacher should gain the trust of each student and make sure the time spent 8n class is useful and pleasurable at the same time.Elizabeth, I very much agree with your points. Creativity, smiling and positive attitude is really very important for students studing English as a foreign language. And also your statement that a good teacher feels a bit nervous at every first lesson even after years of teaching and is happy to go to work every day it is very close to me.
A good teacher is a facilitator of the learning process. A teacher leads students towards their goals. He or she takes into consideration the needs of students and is ready to adapt his or her teaching strategies, methods and techniques to the learners’ needs.
A teacher should also be creative to make lesson more involving and exciting. It is also important to be open-minded to be able to interact with students with different backgrounds.A good teacher engages with his class as a whole and at the same time taking care of each individual need. This can be achieved by giving personalised assignments or tailored to each student.
It is also important to use varied material, not Just sticking to the text book. The course book can be used as a guide but lessons should be enriched by topics that students can choose in turn, or by bringing into class magazines and newspaper clips in order to discuss news and cultural events such as art exhibitions, theatre, movies, etc.
A good teacher is trusted by the students, is a good communicator and always ready to help. It is essential to look at the overall well-being of each student especially if we consider they often come from foreign countries or are minors or don t have family or close friends for moral support.Great points all. I think one of the big factors to make a good teacher is…motivation. Actually WANTING to be a teacher is key. I talk to a lot of people who find themselves in our profession, because they weren’t sure what else to do. Which is sad.
If we’re not interested, our students certainly won’t be!
This is so key and true. A good teacher is someone who loves and wants to be a teacher. There’s a unique charisma that emanates from teachers who really enjoy teaching as a calling as opposed to those who took it up because they were jobless or it was easy.
A good Teacher must first build trust and love in the hearts of the children towards him or her. A good teacher must be creative, flexible,be able to plan and organise,and understand how each student learns
Having a knowledge of a students way of learning is essential as some students are visual learners whiles others are verbal learners. Great point.
1. passionate about teaching english
2. picks interesting and stimulating learning material
3. is patient
4. is kind
5. is friendly and approachable
6. knows how to include all students in the classroom
7. knows her subjecthi Mary. thanks for your ideas- I particularly like number 6 and 7; we can’t teach what we don’t know;=) Including ALL students in the classroom is a sign of a very good teacher. Very often, the reality is that including ALL students in the classroom can only be achieved through the use of differentiation techniques-one of the most challenging aspects of teaching.
I agree with you, building relationships with students make you approachable, this will make learners comfortable with sharing their learning problems with you.
In my opinion, so many qualities make a good teacher, however, I prioritize the below:
1. A good teacher cannot focus on a particular teaching method, but should apply different methods to meet the needs of learners at a point in time.
2. A good teacher should be organized and prepared for lessons.
3. A good teacher should not focus on his favorite students and should also be prepared for disruptions in class.
4. A good teacher should build relationship with students. ie. he should be approachable, instill confidence, and make his lessons interesting.I literally have nothing more to say because the people above me have already shared so many valid points! I am taking this course as a summer refresher, and I am so happy to see so many amazing educators here.
I do think that a good teacher is a very good listener, and above all, a good teacher is able to take care of the emotional needs of a student.
Well-being is something we often fail to notice and in emergency situations (basically the whole 2020) it can be a crucial tool in student motivation.I totally agree with you, building a strong relationship with the students will help them open up no matter what situation their are facing
I think what makes a good teacher is his or her capacity to listen to the needs of students to be able to match their expectations. And he or she should also be able to adapt to any students he or she might meet. I also believe that being patient will help a lot.
It is fantastic to read all these comments, which inspire me a lot. I think a good teacher is someone who can deliver a good lesson to the students, and can make your lessons appealing to them. Plus, a good teacher should always show respect for students even when they make mistakes, which means students should always be our first priority.
To me a good teacher is one who communicate and listens to his students.
One who makes the classroom conducive for his or her students to feel they are part of the the class.That’s right, a good teacher must be tolerant of mistakes. In fact, if we are learning-oriented people, we can learn from our mistakes.
A good teacher will quickly get to know their students, be approachable and be able to deliver creative, inspirational and effective lessons that keep the students interested.
1. Inspiring for passion to it
2. English talks or money
3. Family, society and class
4. class versus real life situation
5. simple and easy or difficult and real
………I think a good teacher is also somebody open to new ideas, somebody willing to learn from students. Teachers are also human beings and it’s impossible for a teacher could know everything. Besides this approach, a good teacher would be somebody capable of making flow the class, tolerant to differences in the way students learn.
I think the most important role of a teacher is to be enthusiastic and able to make the lessons fun-filled. Students already feel the tension of making mistakes or the fear of not knowing well enough, so I deliberately include jokes and interesting comments by always wearing a smile. A teacher should be able to make the students relax in class and feel comfortable/confident to ask questions anytime they are not clear with what s/he taught. I think a good teacher should have a mastery of whatever they are teaching and be willing to learn more. Humility and a friendly spirit are important.
A good teacher creates a warm and approachable environment for learning. Attends to their student’s needs, listens, works with the student’s strengths and weaknesses. Equips their students with study skills and believes in their students. A good teacher inspires their students.
A good teacher is skilled and passionate about their subject, has lots of experience in the classroom with their pupils’ age range and is organised and great at time management. They are also knowledgable about their pupils as well so they can keep their interest in the lesson and each activity, as well as being accommodating to each students’ needs and current skill level.
Additionally, good teachers grow intellectually and care about improving and updating their knowledge and techniques.
Teachers have their differences and uniqueness in terms of their philosophy. If a student needs the motivation to learn. Likewise, teachers must have great motivation too. Everyone becomes a great teacher when they have a clear thought of why they teach, what must they teach and how they do the teaching profession. What matters is that a teacher should be sure of his calling so the learners will easily understand what is being taugjt.
Is it only me or do the teachers in this course lack vocal variety that make them sound quite boring?
Hi Patricia,
I think it is only you. I’m very surprised you may find teachers’ responses boring- I believe there is a lot we can learn from each other. It would be very interesting though to know how you could answer the question of ‘What makes a good teacher?’. Please share so we can learn from you as well. thanks
A good teacher is
1. a role model to the students
2. enthusiastic
3. able to help the learner grow
4. Willing to meet the needs of the students
5. creative
6. innovative
7. flexible and transparentA good teacher:
1. makes lesson plans prior to teaching
2. very well know the student’s needs and aims in learning English
3. prepares engaging lessons
4. encourages students to get involved in the lesson
5. is patient and tolerates the students’ mistakes
6. treats all students equally and has good control over the class
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