Korean Job Discussion Forums

thegadfly · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

Reading another thread got me thinking of a question -- that is, is great teaching a talent or a skill? I find myself in either camp at different times, and in answer to different questions.

For example, I have known people that have had no training/education in teaching, and yet they are excellent teachers -- which points to talent...

and yet, study and training served to sharpen/heighten their abilities -- which points to skill.

Also, I believe that through hard work and effort, everyone is able to learn and do most anything they wish (if I did not believe so, I would not have chosen to be a teacher). So again with "a learnable skill."

Of course, I have met more than a few people that work very very hard at being a good teacher, but despite their hard work and sincere effort to learn and develop, they are mediocre at best -- so back to "talent ...."

So where do you think it falls?

as-ian · Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Location: Busan, South Korea

I think it is 50/50 to a degree.

I say this, because some people are cut out for certain jobs while others are not. One can learn to be a good teacher, but certain aspects of the job will affect their ability to plan, organize, and cope with the challenges that being a teacher constitutes. And, this cannot be forgotten, the desire to be a teacher is important.

So while one can learn and gain the experience to become a great teacher, it comes down to whether or not they have the personality and the desire to be one.

chris_J2 · Joined: 17 Apr 2006 Location: From Brisbane, Au.

I ticked 50% / 50%

If you don't have the basic communication skills to begin with, or the IQ, then you'll never be a good teacher. Most of us already have this, without even realizing it, otherwise we wouldnt have degrees.

The rest (learning how to teach, organizational skills, enthusiasm etc) can be picked up with patience, practice & good observation skills.

OiGirl · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: Hoke-y-gun

You have to have the talent to be a good teacher.

Training and prepareation make one a great teacher.

thegadfly · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

Chris_J2 -- actually you mentioned one of the additional things I think a good/great teacher needs -- good observational skills. Unfortunately, I think many people are just NOT observant, regardless of how smart they are...and while I would like to think that they ARE skills, I am leaning more and more towards talents, as "paying attention to details" seems to be something that some people only do when they must, rather than something they always do...and if you don't notice the little tells your students give as the lesson progresses, if you can't "read" your class's subtle clues, you can't be a great teacher (IMO).

Oh yeah, sleeping, frowning, daydreaming, raising hands, nodding along, and smiling are not subtle clues. They are big freakin roadsigns that every person doing this job ought to notice.

ESL Milk "Everyday · Joined: 12 Sep 2007

I don't think it has anything to do with 'talent'... the best way to be a good teacher is to think back to when you were in school and remember that teacher who inspired you the most, then if you can, try to do what they did. If it worked on you, it will work on them too, right?

iiicalypso · Joined: 13 Aug 2003 Location: is everything

I don't know if this is really about inborn talent as much as it is about personality. I don't want to discount quality teachers by saying "anybody can do it" but I suspect it has more to do with motivation than anything else.

There really are not physical limitations to being a teacher, for example. To be a great basketball player (or really, an athlete of any kind) there are qualities that you must possess. No matter how much self motivation I have, I could never be a jockey or a trapeeze artist.

However, to be a good teacher I think you must have a number of personality characteristics. You must be patient, flexible, patient, committed, patient, have a reasonable sense of humor, and patient. A flair for drama doesn't hurt, and an ability to see things from multiple perspectives is important as well. Also a belief that what you are doing is important as well.

So, I don't think it is something you are born with, but I do think that the combination is pretty rare.

Julius · Joined: 27 Jul 2006

I ticked 50/50...Intelligent and personable teachers can only go so far without professional training.

tomato · Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2007 1:19 am Post subject:

Can you inspire creativity in a teacher who doesn't already have it?
Can you explain unconditional love of children to a teacher who doesn't already feel it?
I can't.
I didn't vote, but I lean toward the view that teaching is an inborn trait.

the_beaver · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Almost everything is a learnable skill.

SuperHero · Joined: 10 Dec 2003 Location: Superhero Hideout

50/50 Talent plus learning.

ddeubel · Joined: 20 Jul 2005

the_beaver · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Longer answer.

If you don't want to be a good teacher there's not a lot you can do. If you aren't willing to change, forget it.

But if you want to be a great teacher you can break it down into parts and hit them all in turn and over a period of time, and with conscious effort, you can do it.

tomato · Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2007 3:11 am Post subject:

Gadfly, you told us what the subtle clues AREN'T, but you haven't told us what they ARE.

Furthermore, how do we know that you can see clues which we can't see?
If you can really see those clues, then I am indeed revealing that I'm not a great teacher.
If you can't see those clues, then you're not fooling us.
We've read The Emperor's New Clothes, too.

thegadfly · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

Thank you all for responding -- I am curious about other people's opinions....

Reflectiveness? So, basically, thinking about stuff and wanting to know why it happened? Well, I would certainly say an UNreflective teacher is probably a poor teacher, but I wouldn't call it...