Job Discussion Forums

[nomadder]

So we have CELTA, DELTA, TESOL, RSA, B.ED(PGCE), MA Linguistics, TEFL etc. M.ED blah, blah. The list could go on. Then there are undergrads with nothing or perhaps a Tefl cert. of sorts.

From your experience what makes the best teacher? Do some of the above really stand out or does the right personality with a willingness to find out what is needed do just as well? Obviously personality, caring and intuitive skills cannot be taught.

I'm just thinking of a really uptight bleep(save you the trouble of bleeping me) who got CELTA and a Masters and didn't even seem to understand what she had learned or why. A highly unlikeable sort who didn't even seem that smart.

Another situation: a school that certified CELTA teachers-all teachers that taught foreign students had CELTA and often other qualifications like Masters yet I met many students who thought it was a terrible school and they were switching to other schools in the area. Reasons were things like you asked a question and they didn't know the answer and never tried to find out and tell you later. There wasn't much chance to correct pronunciation.

It seems like-I look good so I don't have to try hard-the movie star syndrome in TEFL?

I know people often need to get credentials to stand out for employers but is most of it a bunch of hogwash or what? Most employers these days seem to lack the skill to pick up on people skills and probably just look at letters/numbers I think. Of course when it's a phone interview I suppose they take whatever they can get though I'm not sure face to face makes that make difference. My theory is a general lack of people skills/discernment all around.

[denise]

I wonder if this thread will turn into yet another argument between people who don't have degrees and therefore argue that degrees aren't necessary and don't make good teachers and people who have degrees and argue that degrees are necessary.

I have paper qualifications, but I wouldn't say that those alone are enough. I think a good teacher should have both qualifications and experience, and more importantly a good attitude--not "I have an MA so I must be a good teacher" or "I've been teaching for 30 years so I must be a good teacher," and not "I've never done this before and don't want to take the time and money to get trained but I think I could do a good job anyway because it's not like it's rocket science or anything!" but "What can I do to be a better teacher?"

I must also add that I do think teachers should have degrees (not necessarily in teaching), just because at the very least it shows that we respect education enough to get ourselves educated in the normal conventional way. How can we expect our students to sit through our classes if we haven't put in the time and effort to sit through other teachers' classes?

d

[gaijinalways]

denise posted

[ls650]

The more I teach and watch others teach, the more I'm convinced that paper qualifications have little to do with teaching ability, at least in the world of TEFL. A good teacher can become better with further training, but nothing can help a terrible teacher.

[guangho]

[naturegirl321]

Passion for teaching. SOme of the best teachers have no qualifications, some of the worst have PhDs. By the same token some of the worst have qualifications and some of the best have PhDs. It all comes down to how you teach in the classroom.

[MELEE]

Very well put guys.


I have two interview questions I love.

"What have you learned recently that has made you a better teacher?"

and

"What is the next step in your teaching career?"

[naturegirl321]

[John Hall]

"Personality profile" is something that is becoming more and more important to companies consid