Topic: What Constitutes a Real Teacher and Their Actions?

[tob55]

Nemesis Wrote:

I look forward to someone starting a topic on what constitutes a real teachers and the actions of a real teacher.

I have never been one to step away from opportunity, even when a Post like this is bound to create heated discussion on both sides of the issue. With this in mind, I will do my best to create a Post that will help people maintain their focus when responding to the discussion. Here are a few basic ground rules for contributing:

• Make sure you support your response with facts. We all have opinions about what is right, but in a discussion like this it is best to stick with facts.
• Maintain your civility when contributing. It's okay to disagree with someone without slamming them and name calling.
• Make your point and leave it at that. Rambling about things that drive the topic off course is frustrating for everyone.
• If you have a question or need clarification ask for it. There is no reason to jump the gun and begin accusing people if you are unclear about what they are trying to say.
• Keep the conversation light and fun. We are trying to help people understand the original premise of this Post regarding the qualifications and merits of being a "real teacher" if such a person is able to be defined.

Now, just a bit of background concerning why I felt the need to begin the post: I am a trained educator, and have been teaching in some capacity for the past 24 years. That doesn't make me an expert to take on the role of presenting a Post like this, but no one else jumped at the opportunity, so I took it.

Of course I have my personal bias about what constitutes a real teacher and their actions, but I am going to remain open to comments in order to allow people to give their reasons for or against the merits of real teachers.

I have studied in a number of various fields over the past 30 years and find there are very interesting things that can be gleaned from many different areas. I have studied religion, education, music, psychology, and medicine, but in all of my studies I continue to pursue my quest for learning, because we should never stop learning. I currently hold 2 Bachelor's degrees, a Master's degree, a Medical degree, and soon to have a PhD. All of my education has taken place in accredited and recognized Colleges and Universities around the world. My credentials are verifiable, and I have spent a long time building up my academic credentials so that I don't have to tell someone a lie in order to make myself look better.

I have worked in education for the past 24 years at every level of academia, teaching students from pre-school all the way to University. I worked in the USA for 19 years as a licensed educator, and have spent the last 4 years in South Korea where I have been teaching English in private and public school. I did a great deal of public speaking and served in a ministerial capacity for more than 12 years while I was also working as an educator, so I have had plenty of years of experience on which to base an opinion about the subject. However, I will also do my best to stick to the topic and provide proof for my contributions.

Now on to the question of what makes a real teacher, and what is the measure of their actions?

1. Real teachers should have real training and/or experience that is verifiable. (This may be difficult to measure simply because the definition has a wide range of meaning depending on what part of the world you reside.)

2. Real teachers should have credentials that are verifiable. (With the number of training options [legitimate and fake] that are presently available via the Internet, it is becoming more difficult to tell the difference between the real thing and what someone is using to scam their employer.)

3. Real teachers should be able to show proof of their experience. (We all have PCs or we would not be here in this forum. Many people are very good at using photo editors and scanners to copy and paste information onto a well thought out and designed form that looks official, but is far from it. [I am not accusing here, but I am just stating the facts regarding fake diplomas and credentials])

I feel this will be enough to get the Post off the ground, so I will leave the rest of the discussion to others...Remember, I only did this so it would open the door to discussion, so I hope no one is offended or put off from my comments. I am just trying to be honest and begin this conversation on a straight pathway...

[Mods-Rockers]

Kudos Tob55

[bomha]

Thanks for starting the discussion.  I thought you would talk about how a real teacher acts, but you emphasized what s/he constitutes, that is certifiable.  In other words, whilst you may not have intended to, you focused almost completely on what can be verified from their resume.There is nothing wrong with degrees and professional references that can be proven (like 'facts') from proper research of the applicant's data.

[tob55]

Actually, it can go any direction people are interested in taking it, just as long as we keep it on topic and focused. I simply put my two cents worth in to begin with since the issue of credentials seems to be a hot topic world-wide right now. I understand the meaning and clarifications of a discussion like this can go many different directions and it probably should take a few various different avenues...

When we discuss such a debatable topic as what makes someone a teacher, and how they should act, it really opens the door to a wide range of response. I am aware of this and willing to let it go without mod interference unless they see that it is becoming a venting thread rather than an information thread...Thanks for the early comments and I am hopeful that we will see a lot of conversation from a number of different countries...

[RobRoy]

MR on another thread mentioned a couple of items that we could discuss on this thread.

1.   What constitutes a good teacher?
2.   What constitutes good viable reporting of conditions in a school/agency?

I would like to add one more....

3.  What constitutes our responsiblity as a group of teachers supporting teachers to ensure points 1 and 2?

In my poor opinion:
1.  A teacher doesn't need more than a driving passion to pass on what they've learned to others.  Degree's, certifications don't mean anything unless the person has the passion to better their students. 

2.  Verifiable reporting is a must.  It means that more than one teacher has the SAME complaint and these complaints are timely.  Rehashing years months/old complaints do not help teachers get current information about a school.  Its one think to say..when I was there 3 years ago, this was the situation and quite another to post in a manner that could be interpreted as recent conditions at the school.

3.  By members stepping up to the plate to remind the OP that the information is out of date about the school.  Time limits on complaints is another suggestion, unless NEW complaints are received on the same topic.  Mods reminding the poster is putting out information that is out of date and could be potentially seen as an attack on the school, rather than posting about a problem at the school.

These are just some ideas.  I hope a great discussion comes out of this, as I feel this is a topic important to every member of this forum.

Thanks!
RR

[Mods-Rockers]

Well firstly from my perspective, lets keep this thread strictly on the topic ‘what constitutes a real teacher and their actions’ and leave the reporting criteria for the other thread. Although both topics are not mutually exclusive they are apt to make the thread somewhat cluttered.

I am fully aware that I am not going to answer any questions below, more pose them in fact, possibly as areas that may need much more debate before even a working hypothesis can be arrived at!

Tob55 opened with the idea that honest paper makes a teacher, a vex issue and one that could well lead to controversy. Now don’t get me wrong, I also firmly believe that a teacher should be papered if possible. The more training someone has the greater the probability they may turn out good. Equally though I have met completely unpapered teachers who were great.

RR stated Passion as a prerequisite for being a good teacher, but is passion alone viable without an ability to teach?

LT stated elsewhere that total commitment was a given. I and others have mentioned high moral finer, at least within the confines of the school and its locale.

We all have experienced how different classes have different dynamics, indeed they change on an almost daily basis, surely some form of empathy is needed by the teacher to be able to read the class and thus tailor his/her teaching to suit.

I doubt that any of the above is the sole requirement and believe that a mixture of all is required.

[RobRoy]

Perhaps a mixing bowl approach to what makes a teacher....

I would suggest a passion as the base of the recipe, committment is the binder with experience as the compliment to the meal with empathy to deliver the meal so everyone eats...or at least samples the offering.  Without a little of all three, a person will not be successful as a teacher.

Moral fiber reflects back to committment to the students well being.  Committment to morals is what allows the superior teacher to give his best to his students, even when the school isn't. 

[tob55]

RR you mention passion for doing the job of an educator, and I couldn't agree with you more. That is a driving catalyst many are lacking when it comes to instruction. They have gone through the training either at University, OJT (On the Job Training) as many in various countries are forced to do since they do not possess any formal educational background training, or they are well studied and decide this might be a good fit for their time in life and circumstances. Whatever the case, they enter the EFL- ESL or other teaching market and soon find that the thrill they expected is lacking. Why? I personally believe it is because they must bring the passion to teach with them. I have never thought of teaching as a career in all the years I have taught. I have seen it as a calling in my life to do something that makes a difference. I still feel today that when I walk in the classroom, I might possibly change one of the student's lives for ever in some way or by something that is done in the lesson.

If teaching was as easy as doing dot to dot puzzles or paint by number art, then most people might possibly have a wonderful experience, but it just isn't the case. After teaching for so many years there are days when I wonder how my life would have been different if I hadn't taught. Teaching is a profession where one person can make a difference, even in a world where not much attention is given to one person in a crowd.

M-R brought up the subject of paper, and I agree with the general comments. It is vitally important from my perspective that a person have some formal training in order to meet the qualifications of an educator. Most nations in the world have academic standards for educators in their own country that must be met before a person can be called a "teacher." The advent of the training industry focused on EFL- ESL instruction has created a large range of options, giving people who are not trained educators to get their feet wet with regard to educational pedagogy. I would never suggest any short course would qualify anyone to teach, but they do have their place in helping people move in the right direction. So, it is not as much about who is learning what as it is about what do people do with the knowledge they acquire.

For instance, in Korea where I live, my academic and professional background as an educator in the United States has absolutely no weight or importance here because I am not a Korean teacher. With all of my experience and teaching knowledge, I am classified as an "assistant teacher" in this country. The same would be true of a licensed teacher going from Korea to the United States. Why? Because each of the two countries has their own set of standards to determine what they view as a teacher. I'm quite sure this is the case in most other countries where the EFL- ESL area exists. I have worked hard to make a place for myself in this country by doing things I never would have thought of doing when I worked in the USA. I spend a good portion of my time writing curriculum to be used in the public high school in which I work. As I have discovered along with many others, the  Korean educators have written curriculum to be used in their schools, but it is quite sterile and not focused on functional, practical language that will help the students acquire the necessary skills to master English. I develop tests and assessment materials that can be used to measure the actual level of competency students are at. I could go on, but I hope you get the idea.

The conversation has begun on the positive note I hoped it would. Agree or disagree and that will be okay, but if you choose to say nothing, that is when the importance of a topic like this ceases to have an impact on the people who need it most. I am not an old person, but I hope I never get comfortable with old ideas that change much less than they should. I also don't want to take the tide shift approach to teaching that causes much more confusion than it provides help. It is a far more important thing to keep an open mind than it is to maintain a set focus on theories and methodologies that ceased to be useful or effective a long time ago. Great conversation. I hope we can keep it going in a positive direction...