h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've been reading through various entries,conversations,newspapers and I find that many people can say what they hate about teachers but very few seem to have any idea what they would like teachers to be like.What they expect from teachers?What makes a good teacher?
Here is a chance to let a teacher know what qualities,characteristics,traits that you deem necessary for a good teacher.
Myself, I think some vital traits,qualities that are essential for a good teacher are a good sense of humour,good acting abilities and lastly but not least patience.A thick skin is also essential.
Has anyone got any better ideas?

Well, I´ve had some teachers that would sometimes just let the students do what they wanted. And knew that monday morning they weren´t up for much. And basically understood the students. And because of that the students would respect the teachers and really do anything they asked. While people didn´t listen as much to the teachers who just every day tried to get the students to pay attention. I don´t really know if I´ve explained this properly, I´ll try and say it again later.

Come on comrades I'm doing some research here.Give me some answers please?

I had one very good teacher. His classes were difficult and I mean really difficult, but we really learned a lot and most people enjoyed his classes. The best thing about that teacher was, that he knew so much, it was incredible you could ask him anything from genetic engineering to politics...and he would never tell you, that your opinion was nonsense even if it was (most important point!). He would just ask you whether you had considered this and that and then after your reply bring another point in so that in the end you would have to admit that he was actually right, but without feeling dumb.
I think it is very important to take your students serious and not just tell them that you are right and they are wrong anyway, you'll never get respected and accepted that way...
About those cool teachers that were mentioned, it's definitely nice to have one, but there are so many teachers out there who try to be cool and it's just not a thing that fits to their personality, so they end up getting no respect at all. So if you are not "the-best-friend-type", don't pretend, there is nothing worse than a class with a teacher who goes on your nerves trying to be your friend and in the end you're not learning anything...

The ability to not argue with kids, and to expect to be obeyed.

The ability to Listen, to tell the Truth and to always have an open mind. Students today have as varied opinions as they do looks and usually have no problems telling them to teachers and testing their reactions. Having had this happen to me on a few occasions, keeping your students respect is very important. For the most part, if a teacher is knowledgeable and interested in what they're teaching, indeed, excited about what they're teaching, then the students will see that and learn more as the feeling rubs off on them. My friends and I all agree that a teacher who is exited about the subject then they will care more about how the students learn and how they understand.

Also, a teacher should be approachable with questions/concerns etc., and to be playful and fun while at the same time keeping a firm hand on discipline.

I have to agree with most of the other folks here. I think the most important thing is that a teacher should really know their subject and be interested in the subject. To me there's nothing more disappointing than an instructor who doesn't know what they're talking about, or who doesn't care about the subject.

When I was in public school we had a home ec teacher and a health teacher teaching math. I think it take more than reading one chapter ahead in the book than the sutdents. When I was taking trigonometery, we had a retired engineer teaching the class. He knew math, and he brought in real world probelms that where he had used trig to solve problems.

I think all teachers, well seconbdary school teachers, should have a degree in the subject they teach. That way you know the person has some depth of knowlege about their subject. Many of the teaching degrees offered in the United States are very short on subject matter and very long on pedagogy. I can't think of anything worse than that.

My wife is a middle grades teacher witha Bachelor of Science in Education with a major in English. Since she started teaching, she has obtained a Middle Grades Certificate, which means she is licensed to teach any subject to 6-9th graders. She had one statisitcs class when she was in college. I don't see what business she has in teaching math. She has little interest in the subject, nor does she know all that much about it. How can she justify the study of algebra to her students if she doesn't know anything beyond algebra.

Of course, she's a drama teacher, so she doesn't have to worry about that, but the state would allow her to teach math to students.

I think the whole thing is silly.

Two Bit Trigger Pumping Student

PS: If you're interested in education, I have an entry on AMerican Education at http://www.h2g2.com/A470288. There are some education related discussions there.

Being an educator I am very interested in education-thank you for the thread which I have already read.

The reason I asked this question was because I have repeatedly been told what is wrong with education and with teachers in general.Everyone can tell me what they hate about us teachers but seldom point out our good points.Teachers can stand criticism provided it is constructive.Constant complaints about shortcomings whilst ignoring a teacher's best efforts can be very demoralising and does eventually lead to a shortage of teachers.There is a shortage in Britain now and supply teachers are in high demand which in the long run is bad for the profession and the students.
The recent idea the government had of fast tracking new,highly qualified teachers seemed like a great idea but they forgot entirely how demoralising it might be to the majority of older staff who were hoping to be rewarded for their experience and loyalty only to be faced by the thought that younger newer teachers will reap the rewards instead.
I therefore ask the question to make more people aware of what the public expect from teachers in reality and to help make teachers feel more appreciated.There has been a real loss of status for teachers in recent years
I hope that makes sense?
Are there any other qualities besides knowledge of ones own particular subject.I personally would like to see more general knowledge amongst teachers so that when they cover sick teachers classes they can at least offer assistance to the students.A good background knowledge in maths,english,history,geography,
science,RE,IT,technology is very useful.

I just noticed this thread. I'm very interested in becoming a teacher in a few years, though it isn't what I was trained to do (i.e. not what what my degree is in, but we all know how much water THAT holds ). I've thought back on what it was about the teachers that I've had over the years, from elementary school, middle school, high school, college, and graduate study ... it's hard to put a finger on the underlying characteristic of what it was about my favorite teachers that I liked so much. Sure, the qualities you mentioned are important enough; that the teachers be bright, engaging, easy to get along with, entertaining (to a certain extent), interesting, and thick-skinned (heh, definitely). But what is really the key to teaching? I would argue that it has to do with learning, as that is the ultimate goal of teaching. Perhaps, then, that is the key: maybe the best teachers teach us how to learn rather than teach us knowledge itself. That is, they present the tools for learning along with the teaching of the knowledge itself. In our World of today, it's impossible to learn more than a fraction of everything there is to know out there. It's just too much to know. We constantly forget what we were taught years ago (and sometimes last week!) with all the "other" things we have to know about all the time as part of our lives. It seems to me, then, that it is more logical to teach HOW to learn rather than WHAT to know. I'm not terribly certain how this could apply to teaching to younger people, as in below high-school age (roughly under 15 in the USA). I think it can be taught at any age, however, the ability to think. HOW that is accomplished ... well, that's what *I* have to learn before becoming a teacher myself! Any insights on that?

-JD

PSE teachers should be able to talk about sex without going red in the face and umming and ahhing all the time. I haven't learnt anything from these teachers for the past 5 years because of the above problems!

Just a thought

I've been a teacher long enough to know that it's not always what goes on in your classroom that matters. Teenagers are just generally programmed to rebel, so they do! However, lots of my ex pupils keep in touch with me, one or two from more that 15 years ago. I am someone that people remember, and they tell me this.
Today I have had 5 emails from current pupils, and 2 SMS messages from ex pupils back from their 1st term at uni inviting me to their reunion drink.
You asked about qualities. Well, I do think the "Don't smile until Christmas" idea is quite a good one. It sounds harsh, but at least you establish who is in charge from the start. Lay down your own rules, expect the kids to keep to them, come down hard on those who don't and never mind that they all hate you. Just before the end of term relax just a little. After that, you have the chance to relax a bit more each week, whilst always having the option of resorting to the tough person they knew. Firm but fair. Gradually you gain their respect. Break a rule for them once in a while. They work for you because they want to, talk to you about other things because you seem like someone who knows a bit. Listen, listen and listen.
On the other hand, if you start off soft and try to be a friend, they have no idea where they stand, and end up taking advantage. Then the only way to go is downhill, and I've seen this happen to several young teachers.
I liken the job to performing stand up comedy several times a day. Always have a rabbit up your sleeve, or be prepared to produce a bunch of flowers from a hat. Failing that, you could saw one of them in half. Just the one mind, as an example to others.
Oh, and buy a large bottle of Metatone.

Being a real teenager, I have many teachers and know what is and isn't good being one.

Creativity is a plus: My favorite teachers are the ones who make every class different and exciting. Varied lesson plans and creative in-class activities help. Me and my friends all joke about the History teacher who does the same thing every day, prompting discussions like:

Cheese (sarcastically): So, [friends], what do you think we're going to do in [teacher]'s class today?

Friend (sarcastically): Oh, I don't know...maybe, read from the book, take notes, and watch a video?

Cheese: You think?

Friend: Maybe....

If a teacher wants his/her students to like their class, they have to make it interesting for the students. Teens don't like doing the same thing every day.

-

Don't give too much homework: This one explains it self, basically. Teens don't like a teacher who assigns too much homework to be humanly done in one night given the average teenage schedule.

If a teacher _must_ give out a big assignment, they should give multiple days or assign it over the weekend.

-

Know the subject: Teens also hate teachers who read right out of the book. If one can go beyond the short text in the book that explains a topic, their students will leave the classroom feeling educated and satisfied, as opposed to yelled at.

If a teacher can go into depth on a topic, the students will want to learn it more, they will learn it more, and they will like the teacher more.

Hope I've helped.

-Cheese

The best teacher I ever worked with could get the most hardened and meanest of souls to work for her.She,however broke every rule that I was ever taught about discipline and professionalism.She called them names,made fun of them(not their efforts I noted),shouted at them(all 4ft of her)but the nastiest children that would make the hardiest teacher quiver took it in good spirits and absolutely adored her as well.If I had ever spoken to the students the way she did I'd have been lynched.I could never figure how she got away with it.Ofsted were amazed at her.

Cheese is right about ringing the changes.The other superb teacher that I knew was an RE teacher(yes RE).He constantly changed his lessons around and tried to do as many interesting,differant activities as he could.His assemblies were the most well attended I have ever seen(no one skipped them)and the students were so quiet for them.I've never forgotten the one about the shepherd and the lost sheep as he produced a real lamb to emphasise the story.

Surely the key thing is respect? Respect for the people being taught.

This is a matter of attitude, and it can't be faked. The best teachers I ever had responded to each of us as individuals. They didn't waste our time teching us stuff that they found boring, or stuff they didn't know. They didn't patronise us. They were imaginitive. They listened.

In short, they respected us too much to teach us badly.

Incidentally, the fact that they treated us as individuals made them very easy to meet again as an adult, and pick up the thread again.

Everything else springs from respecting the pupils.

Actually, there is another area in education in the UK where respect is sadly lacking. The DfEE (Department for Education and Employment), has absolutley NO respect for the professionalism of its employees.

Respecting bad teachers won't make them better ones, but dissing good teachers undermines them.

We are talking about a government department here which provided a poster about spelling to every school - with a spelling mistake in it...

Being dissed by people like that is pretty grim.

Was it a spelling mistake or simply a typo? And just how easy to spot was it, in the headline or in the text. Even having people reread it you can´t ensure that there weren´t any mistakes. In Denmark there was a Lucky Luke album published called "The River Across The Mississipi". See if you can find what is wrong with that title.
















What´s wrong is of course that it should have been the _bridge_ across Mississipi. There was just nobody who had noticed when it went through the people supposed to find typos and spellign errors. After it was discovered they tried to send it to five different of those people, to see if they discovered it. Not a single one did Humans just have a tendency to not notice something even if it´s right in front of them.

Punctuality is another vital trait as classes can get into all sorts of mischief if you are late.To be consistantly late is to encourage mayhem on a regular basis.

Sometimes saying that you don't know but that you will try and find out by the next lesson and suggesting that a student might also like to find out as well.Not saying the first thing that comes to mind particularily if you want to swear.Remember that students deserve respect(even if they don't always give it to you).

The ability to keep warm despite having to walk between wind blasted buildings and working in draughty barnlike structures and then not sweat like a pig when working in a room where the heating control is set on high and has subsequently been broken.Also not to crack when students enter a room and state the obvious,one after another.Sigh!
Can anyone guess I've been back to work?

Patience is a virtue,learn it if you can.

Where is Mississipi? Or was that sarcasm?


- JD