Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Old Gil]

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/201001/good-teaching

[The Cosmic Hum]

[VanIslander]

relentless effort,
developing a good rapport with the students
and designing and constantly adapting lessons on the fly.

[Cuaba]

Not drinking too much before class.

[kabrams]

Great post.

Like Old Gil said, however, a lot of us are not allowed to change much in our classroom...and what we are allowed to change can only be pushed so far.

I try to change things and everyone says "No, too hard." And now I find that I, too, have just quit, because even if the school says "Yes, go ahead!" the students have been taught to "sit down and repeat" and not actually use their brains or critically think about new information I'm presenting them.

I mean, I actually have to put pencils in the hands of 4th grade students.

[Steelrails]

There are several schools of thought:

1)A good teacher comes to work with a good solid lesson plan and nice materials for the kids. Sticking to the plan is a must- If your plan is right, then you must adhere to it. Adjustments may be made, but the overall plan is sound and must be "believed in". A solid background in education is a must.

2)A good teacher establishes a rapport with the kids. Each student and class is different, the teacher must respond to each different situation accordingly. A passion for teaching is a must.

3)A good teacher ensures classroom discipline and a focused lesson. The teacher is not be loved or admired, just obeyed. A disruptive classroom is a danger to the students and the teacher. If students do not respect the classroom, they will not respect the lessons being taught. A clear system of rewards and punishments is essential.

4)A good teacher makes things funs and exciting. A teacher must stand out from all the minutae students are bombarded with. A disinterested student is a disengaged student. What is the point of learning if it is so boring that it ends up forgotten?

5)A good teacher succesfully navigates the minefields of parents and bureacracy and keeps their sanity intact. If your constantly worried about your boss or the parents , you can't focus on your students.

6)A good teacher must be able to see the long-road. If students are bored or disinterested one lesson, that is no reason to change everything. The end result is most important. OR a teacher should just focus on the end and be willing to be flexible along the way. Either way, the end is the target, not that day of class.

7)Teaching isn't just what is in the book, or even the topic at hand. Teachers are also their to impart moral education as well as general knowledge and to integrate their lessons with the other subjects being taught at the school. Teaching should not just a be a collection of individual subjects, but rather an integrated curriculum that is interconnected.

As a students some of the best teachers I've had have been boring and taught a very "dry" style. Others have been jerks. Some have been fun and exciting. Others have taught straight from the book. Some have thrown the book away.

The above examples illustrate some of the strains of teaching I have encountered. Indeed, at times I've followed each strain to a degree.

[Radius]

[SanchoPanza]

[Old Gil]

[Cuaba]

[Mr. Pink]

Here are a few on my list:

1) Cares about their students. Make an effort to connect with the students. Knows the difference between friendly and friends. Teachers are not to be friends with their students, just friendly.
2) Always evaluates their methods and puts time into revising and tweaking to find things that work better. Continuous professional development is a must.
3) Knows the material they are teaching, and plans for it accordingly.
4) Is professional: they don't hit on their students or colleagues or say inappropriate things. They come to work dressed appropriately with whatever the dress code is for that job. They come to work sober and ready to work.

[Moldy Rutabaga]

This is cribbing somewhat from a previous thread on the same subject, but that's okay. I like Steelrail's list.

My own criteria for good teachers:
1. Has a thorough education in the subject. There are those rare people who can do this without degrees. But not many.
2. Is prepared for class. Some people can 'wing it.' I can't.
3. Likes people. I've had some awful professors who were intelligent but who obviously didn't respect the students, and that attitude is poisonous.

[Nemo]

Just ask Steve Scherzer.

[Ya-ta Boy]

One key idea not mentioned so far is that a good teacher is able to 'think like a student' when preparing and presenting lessons. By that, I mean he/she has to predict what the students need and supply it. This is partly done by remembering what questions the students asked the first time a lesson was presented and modifying the presentation the next time around so that question is answered before a student needs to ask it.

[Mr. Pink]