Methods of Becoming a Good Skilled Teacher - Essay Example

Steps & Methods of Becoming a Good Skilled Teacher” Is it necessary that you can become a teacher if you ‘receive your bachelor’s degree’? Is it justknowledge about the subject which leads you to a skilled teacher? Is it necessary to be strict in the class? Do the certificates of teacher examination and training programs really matter? After researching and discussing these questions with people I have observed that the answer of all these questions is negative or I must say “NOT necessarily”. Earning a bachelor’s degree does not prove one to be a skilled and outstanding teacher. However, it is the basic minimum academic requirement for educators set by the teaching administrators in almost every state. Some states also require at least Master’s degree to become a teacher. Although acquiring a higher degree is just the first step towards teaching. It is not the skill of the teacher but a necessity of the profession. In the same way, it is necessary to have complete knowledge about the subject a teacher is teaching, but just attaining knowledge does not make an outstanding teacher. There is a need to get the idea and the tact to convey that idea (Capel, Leask, & Turner, 2005). For Example, if a teacher, while teaching about printers, uses the terms Dot-Matrix and Ink-jet without telling the difference between them, the student would learn these terms rather than understanding the basic idea. The concept to grasp here is, a qualified teacher does not give importance to the basic concepts, and however an undergraduate needs explanation about each and every part of the topic. Hence, it is not just qualification which makes you a wonderful teacher but it is the level of understanding about the difficulties and problems of the students. The strict and harsh behavior of teachers is a negative point for their career development. The duty of a teacher is to develop love and interest in students regarding their studies rather than making it a panic and fearful part of their life. Strict and harsh behaviors lock up their questions and views in their minds. Such behaviors start killing their abilities and creativity. However, there is a need of professional distance between the educators and learners. Teacher’s training programs are helpful because it provides the inexperienced with helpful strategies about teaching along with a certificate which would help them in getting a job in some reputable institute. Teacher’s training programs provide knowledge about teaching techniques which distinct them from those teachers who have not engaged in such teaching campaigns or programs. These programs help teachers to maintain and check their qualities, skills and performance in their profession. States have different requirements for the post of teachers. Some states and institutions have made it necessary for the teachers to acquire teaching certificates. Hence the teacher training programs may help the teachers in getting a job in their preferred institution or school. The student teacher relationship is essentially important and may be defined as a speaker-listener relationship. The teacher acts as the ‘speaker’ and the student is supposed to be a ‘listener’. The teacher tells the reality but does not show its existence. The teacher conveys a couple of words and students take it as sensible and important information without knowing the evidence of its actuality. The responsibility of a teacher thus, is to make them memorize specific figures, sentences and theories. They are developing a situation where a student does not actually learn but memorize things. He does not experience but take inspirations. He does not try to understand but believe in what the teacher says. The student knows that density is mass per unit volume but he does not know what is density; what mass is indicated? And what volume are they talking about. The present educational programs are not as good as they should be. Presently the teachers are not fulfilling their task of educating the students properly. Thus a proper system should be developed by the teachers which pave a way for the students to prosper. This article would further give a review about how the students should be taught in a proper manner. Nowadays the college teaching strategies do not focus on building up the student’s own views. Instead the teachers focus on the views portrayed by them only. For e.g. the teachers give their view in such a way that the students cannot put in their own thoughts into the subject. This type of educational system is ruining the student’s future, as in the future these students are not capable to put in their own thoughts if any complex situation arises. As described by Paulo Friere the present teaching system does not enlighten the students about their studies. It just describes the teachers own feelings and views. The professors nowadays are not giving in different views on the subjects, instead they are just telling one side of the story. This therefore leads the students to have a particular belief derived from their teacher’s views. While the teaching system which should be developed all over should include the overall concepts of teaching, it is the duty of the teachers to give in both the perspective on a particular topic. They should focus on enlightening the students rather then making the students store the views of the teachers themselves. The teachers are using their designation wrongly and are posing the students a threat. This threat is very dangerous if seen from a student’s perspective. The teachers are wrongly using their power to influence the students about one particular topic even if it is wrong or right. This clearly can be seen in a recent incident which happened in the University of Wisconsin when Kevin Barret, a professor in the University gave his views on the 9/11 attacks. The views given in by the professors were not proved and rather one sided supported by his own thoughts and perspectives. As the professor had influence on some of the students of the University they took it as reality. This shows that how biased one teacher can be when presenting a topic. The students interviewed during this research clearly showed that their views and perspectives were similar to that of the teachers. When interviewed they were not fully aware of the facts on one given thought. This shows that the teachers are not providing the students with both the ground facts on one topic, but are rather emphasizing on a one sided story. Thus it is necessary for the teaching system to improve in such a way that it is beneficial for the students. For the teaching system to enhance it is necessary that the teachers provide the students with adequate discussion in the class on a particular topic. Students should be allowed to put in their own personal views when addressing a topic. They should be provided with proper guidance by the teachers so they can pursue a topic. Nowadays the professors are indoctrinating their students rather than educating them. However this concept of indoctrinating should be removed from the society. As put in by Friere the students should not be deposited with knowledge for the personal advantages of one individual. The teachers should not review topics from their own perspective and review a certain topic globally. Friere describes a perfect educational system by making the teachers the one who themselves are in this system to learn. The teachers by giving specifications on a certain topic should let the students realize what the topic is. They should allow the students to come out with their own perspectives and then create an atmosphere of discussion. This discussion would lead the students to put in their own views and would further also let the teacher understand the pillars of the topic. The students should not be alienated on the subjects and should be made to put in their own views on every subject. Therefore this would have an effect on the overall system; it would lead the students to understand the topic properly and would help the students to build up their own personality. This personality would help these students in making their future brighter by making proper decisions. As described by Friere ‘Education is a practice of freedom’. This clearly shows that Education should not be dominated on one individual but should rather be taught in such a manner that the student has the freedom to think. The professors nowadays are not putting in their efforts in enhancing the performance of the educational system. They are rather constricting the thinking of an individual. Thus a proper system of teaching should be introduced which would help both the students and the teachers to learn. The educational system should be changed unanimously. Both the students and the teachers should realize their duties and should perform them properly. The professors should provide the students with such a way that the students are able to perform well and give in their own views. The professors should not dominate their own views in the class but should rather talk neutrally. This would fulfill the task of equating the education system. At the present time, people mostly lay emphasis on learning instead of teaching. However, the best way to educate is to understand the inter-relationship between teaching and learning. This study further explains the strong connection between the two and emphasizes the methods to speed up the learning process. Four families of teaching models have been described (i.e. processing social personal and behavioral). The study suggests that “for optimum opportunity to learn, students need a range of instructional approaches” (Joyce, Calhoun & Hopkins, 2002 p 37). The study of Joyce, Calhoun & Hopkins further reveals that a book is like a mirror to teachers and it depends on them as to what and how they forward the information through their own teaching style and thoughts. The teaching model suggests the teachers to have sufficient time not for their administrative tasks but basically for the time to think both independently and jointly in order to start such strategies which would help in promoting the learning process. To make the learning faster and more efficient the teachers’ must motivate the students to work in groups (Muijs & Reynolds, 2001). The idea of grouping develops a sense of responsibility, friendly environment, concern and competition in the students. The aim to obtain a higher performance from other groups enhances their creativity and strengthens their success. It depends on the teacher to follow a teaching strategy which suits the students. The teacher must use the researching skills of the students for the class presentation and examination. The development of self confidence and creativity should be one of the motives of teachers. Along with acquiring the basic requirements of the profession teachers need to have some extra qualities. These qualities include the skill to encourage, hope and confidence, and motivate learners. A skilled teacher always gets a hold on a complete knowledge about the student’s individual educational, social and cultural requirements. A teacher must be aware about the multicultural study system. He must be excellent in transmitting even the most complex topics in the easiest possible words. He must have the skill to converse effectively with the staff members, students, parents and administration (Wragg, 1984). He must use clear accent and efficiently chosen words to describe every situation. A teacher must be quick and clear in replying to the queries. Researches have clearly examined that good teachers make even the most boring topics interesting for the students. The appropriate use of sense of humor is a part of successful teaching technique. Humor must be used in a reverential manner it must not disgrace any community, race or culture. A good and skilled teacher keeps an eye on the activities of each and every student. He does not ignore any of the student while giving lectures, presentations and during assessments (Stobart & Gipps, 1997). Teachers must not discriminate on the basis of races, cultures, traditions or religions. A teacher creates a bias less environment for the students. This helps the students in maintaining their performance regardless of the fact that they are poor or belongs to a lower community. All students are equally important for the teacher and need equal treatment. A teacher must always be ready to take the advantages of teaching opportunities. They must devote themselves to their profession. They must not act rigid if a student needs help in the off timings of school. Moreover, a teacher must not stick to any instruction or opinion; in fact he must acquire a flexible attitude. He must always be ready to understand student’s problems and be able to make necessary changes in his attitudes and decisions. He must be tolerant and imaginative. A teacher must examine students as per their performance and not on their individual character. However he can praise some students on performance basis but in a manner that he does not discourage or insult other student. He must praise or give rewards to outstanding students in order to promote an environment of competition and to create a desire in the students to get good remarks. A good teacher not only demands from himself but also from his students. He always sets performance criteria and tries to reach it. He also encourages and foretells his students about what he expects from them and sets some goals for them individually and collectively. It is a well-known phenomenon that students try to achieve what their parents, friends and teachers expects from them. So, a teacher must always expect higher and must also declare it clearly before them (Maslow, 1970). A person, who does not organize things in his personal life, does not give a good performance in his profession as well. So a teacher must be well-organized in his private life and must allocate time for each and every thing in his life (Trubowitz & Robins, 2003). A teacher works as the leader of a particular group. So he must have all the abilities of a successful leader (i.e. a good ruler, schemer, companion, educator, controller, organizer and commander). In conclusion, a marvelous teacher does not merely needs a degree but some skills which are highlighted in order to aid the learning process. Students alone are not responsible for the learning process, however, the mutual understanding and strive of teachers and students lead to a faster learning process and an ideal learning experience for both of them. Experience and personal interest in the profession, speeds up the development rate more rapid and precise. A teacher must be goal oriented, loyal and faithful. He must not use this profession as a way to make money because this profession takes the responsibility of many children, who are the future of the country and world. The government should give incentives to teachers in order to motivate more and more skilled people towards this profession. Teachers must be rewarded for their good performances and students’ success (Pugach, 2006). Teachers nowadays work hard as the administration of schools and other educational institutes are getting strict against the rules of the system. The stress on the teachers must be lessened and they must be provided with appropriate time to systematize their work. Teachers must not be accused for the bad performance of any student as it may be a fault of student’s family or some health problem. Teachers are an important part of our society and they are revered for their hard work and loyalty. Bibliography: Freire, Paulo. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. [New York]: Herder and Herder, 1970. JOYCE, B. R., CALHOUN, E., & HOPKINS, D. (1997). Models of learning: tools for teaching. Buckingham [England], Open University Press. CAPEL, S. A., LEASK, M., & TURNER, T. (2005). Learning to teach in the secondary school: a companion to school experience. Learning to teach subjects in the secondary school series. London, Routledge. STOBART, G., & GIPPS, C. V. (1997). Assessment: a teachers guide to the issues. London, Hodder & Stoughton. MASLOW, A. H. (1970). Motivation and personality. New York, Harper & Row. MUIJS, D., & REYNOLDS, D. (2001). Effective teaching: evidence and practice. London, Paul Chapman. WRAGG, E. C. (1984). Classroom teaching skills: the research findings of the Teacher Education Project. London, Croom Helm. PUGACH, M. C. (2006). Because teaching matters. Hoboken, N.J., John Wiley. TRUBOWITZ, S., & ROBINS, M. P. (2003). The good teacher mentor: setting the standard for support and success. New York, Teachers College Press. Read More