Job Discussion Forums

[Robert Russell]

Stupid question time . What is a teacher? Especially what is an ESL teacher? The answer may be obvious or maybe not?

Is a GOOD teacher, the popular teacher?

Is a good teacher the one whose students learn the most?

Is a good teacher like those we have seen on: Dangerous Minds, Music
of the Heart and Standing Tall??

Please tell me the obvious: What is a GOOD ESL teacher?

[leeroy]

Reluctant as I am to voice my opinion after the last bashing I recieved (joking!), here it goes anyway.

I work for a private language school. As a business, our primary objective is to make money. The happier students are, the more money we make. And so, it is very important to keep the students happy. You can be the best "teacher" in the world (according to your definition of the word), but if the students don't like you then they won't come to lessons, the school will lose money and you will risk being fired.

And so in this situation, my definition of a teacher is "Someone who gives the students what they want." Normally, the students want to learn English, which is good, because normally that's what teachers are good at helping them do. Anyway, enough of stating the obvious

Most would argue that it is the teacher's responsibility to teach to the best of their ability, and to produce lessons of the maximum quality possible. I have my own ideas about "how lessons should go", but so do students, and sometimes these views differ.

Some students don't like CLT. Some of them actually want the teacher to lecture them about grammar (although God Knows Why), some only want to play games. Here conflicts can arise between the teacher's idea of "a good teacher" and the students'. I can think of nothing worse than to sit and chat about past particicples for half an hour then get the students to do the gap-fill on page 53, but if that's really what they want then what should I do?

I would tentatively define a good teacher, then, as "Someone who is flexible enough to adapt to meet each class's individual needs, while not sacrificing too much of what they, as a teacher, believe to be an effective learning environment."

[Paul G]

Leeroy:

I was getting all set to bash you until I read your last paragraph. In the context of a private language school, I think that's a pretty good definition.

[Robert Russell]

Simply said we have to kiss backsides a bit more in instituites than we do in real schools. I have had my director inform me at times of how I have to be a bit of a idiot in the classroom in order to satisfy the students. I teach adults. One day I got so excited as I diagrammed why the English language was so difficult and inconsistent. I placed a bunch of common everyday words on the board and explained their original origins. I thought the students would be fascinated to learn this. Well I guess that shows how out of touch I am with what excites them. Quite honestly, my observations have shown me that the popular teachers are the young, handsome and exciting. These adjectives were given to me by a young woman. This is what I was told was a good teacher.

Anyway each group is different and seem to have different expectations and desires. Being flexible and sensitive is of primary importance. We have to be chameleons. That is why, once I think I have figured it out, it changes.

In the end I think we just need to stick to our own teaching styles and teach with integrity... There, I just contradicted myself

[Roger]

Teachers... good...bad..?
Schools... good...bad..?
Students... good...bad..?

A good school attracting good students and good teachers...?
Society has the answer!

Clearly, learners in a private language institute are not the same as students at a public school!

When a subject is compulsory, the curiosity factor quickly bottoms out!

School life is too heavily politicised! Politics corrupt! Parents expect something in terms of services, realistic or otherwise, but they don't necessarily supply well-serviced, well-maintained "customers". Some of these "customers" ought to undergo a social-skills training before they go to primary! Still, we ask them their opinion on teachers!
In private training centres, "customers" are absolute kings - on occasion, and in some countries! Their money buys a "product". What differs here is that they expect a product that can only be produced under certain conditions that customers are not always prepared to accept. Still, we try to oblige, thereby often generating illusions! The English they finally "master" is not our English! After all, our 'customers' decide whether we are in our jobs or not, because our employers don't care whether we are "good" teachers in any classical sense - we must be "good" for business!

So, our "product", the English "proficiency" of our "customers" in some parts of the world is commensurate with the quality of our students, they are "happy" with it and pay us to continue.

Are we happy?

[Lynden]

Hi Leeroy. Thanks for sharing with us some badly needed common sense. It's an attribute sadly lacking in too many frustrated ESL teachers who have spent so much time in their adopted (but never fully understood) countries that they lash out those of us who still possess it.

[arioch36]

Actually I agree with a lot of Leroy's post, ditto with Paul G.
I think there is one thing that is lacking, though.
To me, to be a good teacher at a language school, for the purpose of the school, the students, and self, most of what Leroy says in on the mark except "direction" and a sense of accomplishment. I think even in a language school the quality teacher should be the one to provide a direction, set goals, or help the students set goals, especially with the older students. Having fun is nice, but if it can be coupled with some hard work in the classroom, the students can look back at the end of a five week class, and, "I had fun, but I also learned", you have truly been a success.
I think this is more difficult at a language school sometimes the chemistry isn't there. But I had other classes where it was there, we had fun and worked hard. Then we would take off a day and have a picninc (which in China many of them have never had)
In the public clasroom, it is also good to have fun, in its place. But let's face it, school is nmot always fun, work is not always fun. The student has to learn to work even when it's not fun.

[Stephen]

Defining a good teacher on a teaching website is a bit like asking for someone to take a pop, but here goes anyway...

A good teacher is a teacher who...

....presents the subject in an interesting way the students can relate to
....provides/teaches the students with the skills necessary to improve
....understands their subject well enough to facilitate that improvement
....structures their lessons/courses in a manner that allow students to imporve their (in this case) English

These are some of the ideas I came up with. I would by no means claim that they were definitive.

Stephen

[noonlite]

Great question and a productive topic.

I've enjoyed reading all the responses and found value in all of them.

But why set our sights low? Why not ask, what are the qualities of an excellent, superb or outstanding teacher? Is this not the level which we all ultimately wish to attain in any vocation? I say to you all that you can and will if you but sincerely try.

An excellent teacher knows that she will never stop learning and therefore continues to grow in her talents.

An excellent teacher is honest with himself and knows when what he is doing is not really working.

An excellent teacher is not afraid of being wrong or making mistakes.

An excellent teacher is aware of the moment and is able to respond to the unique dynamic it presents regardless of what she planned.

An excellent teacher likes to prepare but doesn't have to.

An excellent teacher enjoys what she is doing.

An excellent teacher is able to look at himself and his students non-judgementally.

An excellent teacher is sincere and in tune with the class.

An excellent teacher knows where his student are, where they are seeking to go, and many paths to get there.

An excellent teacher.... you tell me.

[aaronschwartz]

Depedns on the perspective ---

Student: A good teacher is one I like, not too demanding and gives very high grades for very little work or accomplishment.

Admin: A good teacher is one who does their job in a manner that does not create administrative problems or student complaints.

Parent: A good teacher is one who makes my kid happy and gives him a very high grade even if they do not deserve it.

China is a different breed of cat, usually a civit!

[grahamb]

A sense of humour, stamina and lots of patience don't go amiss.

[stevey]

a "good" teacher? well...many would say that a good teach is the most popular teacher, but those that say that, are usually the students. hmmm, sometimes i struggle and still do to discover the true meaning of a good teacher - i was popular and many of my students said "yes, you are a good teacher." .but my response was that "if i was a good teacher, you would all be speaking good english by now!"

Having said that, i suppose i did teach them ...but did they listen? did they learn? god knows. Maybe that IS a sign of a bad teacher:)

I have a degree, but am i a "good teacher"? does a "good teacher" need a degree? there have been several threads asking how important a degree is - many said it IS important - i think there was even a poll on the question somewhere.
do you think a degree is REALLY neccesary to become a teacher in China?

If you are teaching kids then a degree is pointless, if you are teaching older kids in say a university, then maybe a degree IN ENGLISH would be useful. younger kids want a laugh whilst learning english, older students actually REALLY want to learn english and want to get down to the "nitty gritty" of the english language (so playing hangman with them is out of the question!)

I dont think I could teach at university level cos it'd be way over my head. teaching kids is the way to go for me - teach them the basics, have fun with them, do a bit of travelling, learn the lingo AND get paid for the whole experience - cushty, everyone's a winner. teaching kids is easy, and anyone who knows how to have a laugh, and who is open minded and outgoing would do well in teaching the younger kids english.

So, do i think I am a good teacher?...well...I sing, i dance, i play the guitar, im rude, im loud, im crude, im open-minded....the students lurrrve me.....I guess I am.

[NK2001]

To me what makes a good teacher is someone who cares about the students and whether or not they are learning. Flexibility and a good sense of humor always help. IMHO a degree is useful in landing a job but it doesn't necessarily make one a better teacher, I think teachers learn to teach from experience so the best teachers are those who learn from their own mistakes.

[Linda L.]

Me, myself and I and none of us are shy!

[denise]