Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[komathee kolandasoo]

Hi friends , first of all thanks for your responses.

Well, if you don't mind can you please share me your ideas regarding how to become a good English as a second language teacher.

What kind of qualifications should we have ?

thank you.

[Brian Boyd]

Dear Komathee

I think patience, a variety of teaching approaches and a good sense of humour are three of the most important characteristics of a good teacher.

One of the best ways to improve as a teacher is to constantly self evaluate, using questions like: What did my students learn today? What was the purpose of that activity? Was it successful? How would I do that differently the next time, in order to make it better?

The worst thing any teacher can do is to assume they've learnt everything there is to know. A good teacher is one who knows that there are always ways to improve and develop - so even if you get to a stage where you think you're doing a really wonderful job, keep looking for fresh ideas and approaches. Only an arrogant fool could believe he or she has reached perfection.

Brian
_________________
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Comics for students ...

http://www.grammarmancomic.com

.

[Boy Rates]

AHA! Another REAL teacher! Wonderful!

Advoca I do hope you will "note this excellent advice and take it to heart".

[Boy Rates]

Oh - and while you're at it Advoca, you can tell Clunk to read it too. He needs this as much as you do.

[advoca]

Congratulations, Boy Rates. Your sudden burst into this forum with no other purpose than to destroy me has been completely successful. Well done.

Et tu, Bud. You have joined in and supported this vituperative attack. Thanks.

I shall bow out and never again participate in or contribute to this forum.

[Boy Rates]

But Roy! Why do you interpret my help as an attempt to destroy you? All I've done has been to treat you as you've been treating others. Surely you were not attempting to destroy THEM?

[Boy Rates]

Advoca destroyed himself, Roy.

You can't blame me and you can't blame Bud. He tried to be your friend, but you wouldn't listen to him. Your friends warned you and even your "enemies" warned you, but you just wouldn't listen. Sadly, you were so consumed by your need to prove your superiority that you just went blindly on, destroying anything that stood in your way. It was inevitable that eventually you'd crash and burn and someone would have to get out the extinguisher before you took this whole place down with you.

But now that the fire's out, why not stay on and make a fresh start? You know - "up from the ashes"? You do have knowledge to share and if you can try to see your fellow human beings in a different light it might even make you a much happier man. I'm sure many here would admire you for your strength of character if you were to stay on.

As for Boy Rates - He'll stay away unless things get out of hand again. He's your teacher. No one wants to see you succeed more than he does and he's willing to give you a chance to try it on your own. If you put kindness before "being right" Boy Rates will be your biggest fan.

You're a fine writer Roy, and you can be a fine teacher too - if you're willing to learn from your colleagues. There are some real stars here. I'm sorry I didn't have time to meet more of them and I only know a few of their names: Lotus, Bob S., Iitimone7, LucentShade, Lorikeet, Philo Kevetch, Brian Boyd, and let's not forget Bud. (Apologies to those I haven't named. I'm sure there are many of you.)

So at least take some time to think about it before you make a final decision.

I'll be leaving now, but I'll stop back in once in a while to see how things are going.

Goodbye Roy Bates aka Advoca.

Fare thee well!

[praba]

hi komathee,
teaching second language is aprocess of facilitating the learners to learn that language therefore teachers who teach second language shoud play their role efficiently, delicately and innovatively in order to enhance the learning of english among the students. so first teachers should have positive attitudes towards the language that they teach and also on his or her students.

[sentient]

Very well said praba,

Ultimately, it is the student who needs to feel comfortable about the learning process. Learning English should be fun! Teaching it should be fun!

It's a symbiotic relationship. A teacher's attitude is very important in that relationship. Nobody wants to be taught by a grouch, no matter how well that person teaches. There is a difference, however, between a grouch who cares and one who is cynical.

Let me tell you a story about my 5th grade math teacher.

His name was Mr. Bell. He was old (I guess every teacher was old at that time). He taught algebra. I was always good at math (I just didn't know it at that time). Every time I raised my hand, Mr. Bell would answer my question. I seemed to have understood most of everything he taught me. But, there was one thing (at that time) that seem to elude me. How to factor binomials. That's finding the two multiples that would you the last term of the binomial. I just couldn't figure out the thinking process behind it. I wasn't frustrated, I just coudn't do it well. Actually, at that time, I wasn't all that concerned about it at all.

But, Mr. Bell would hound me almost everyday just before or after class, and kept asking me "what two numbers added or multiplied would give you (12, or some other number)? If I couldn't get it, he would eventually give me the answer and say "think about it, and try another one." We did this until the end of the school year. I went on to sixth grade, and eventually went as far as Calculus through college. It turns out that binomials are important in almost every aspect of math. I never forgot Mr. Bell. At around seventh grade, I heard that he had died. I was very sad.

Mr. Bell knew what I was lacking, even if I didn't. He knew I could do it, even if I didn't. He knew it was important, even if I didn't. Thinking back, his attention to me was not for him. He spent extra time because he thought it would be good for me. He hounded me, but he was never unkind to me. He always smiled when I got the answer. I always felt good when I found the answer myself.

Teaching is as much about how you feel as what you learn. Students come to this forum to get answers. They also come here to explore other parts of the site - to learn and feel and breathe English. We foster an environment - not a sterile and dry answer page.

We are not a dictatorship - we are facilitators who find fun in teaching students. We do not build contrived conversations or chastise students (or teachers) for wrong answers. We are here because we want to be. We are here mainly because we feel good about helping students. This forum is for them.


Here's to you, Mr. Bell.