First and foremost, allow me to enlighten you all readers on what the job of a teacher entails. A teacher's main obligation is to educate young minds, impart knoawledge readily and most importantly to inculcate good values in students. As long as you have the required knowledge, you are able to "teach" a person. There is, however, a great distinction between a good teacher and an average one. Do you know what it takes to take on this noble profession? (Future teachers, take note!) Here a few criteria on which you can evaluate yourself whether you are cut out for the job.
1. One of the many qualities that a good teacher should possess is a lively personality. A teacher who is bubbly in character is able to liven up the somnolent atmosphere of a classroom, especially during History lessons. It is a common consensus among students that History is the most boring subjecft on Earth, so to speak. If a teacher drones on about even the most interesting wars that took place in the 19th century and whatnot, students would find it difficult to keep themselves awake, let alone remain attentive during the lesson! On the contrary, if the teacher is able to weave stories and bring up an anecdote or two relating to the subject. I believe the students would be more interested in his or her lessons.
2. A good teacher should also possess a genuine capacity for sympathy and empathy. A good teacher should bear in mind that there are less priveleged and fortunate students in the class. A good teacher should sympathise with weaker students and not under any circumstances whatsoever, ridicule them in the classroom (trust me, I know a victim of this very well). A good teacher should be able to tune in to the minds and feelings of children. He or she should be more understanding to the needs and woes of children and render due assistance and attention to them. Children are vulnerable individuals and hence require proper guidance and help from the teachers when the need arises.
3. A good teacher should be mentally alert of the needs of students. While teaching, a good teacher should be cognisant as to whether the students are able to process the information or knowledge rendered to them. He or she should also be aware of whether a student is feeling uncomfortable and is in need of medical attention.
4. One of the salient features of a good teacher is his or her never-ceasing patience (this is one very important quality, people!). A good teacher should be very patient to his or her students when imparting knowledge to them. A teacher should be able to keep his or her temper in check when teaching a student a particularly difficult question. A weaker student would require a teacher to explain a problem several times and that is when one's patience comes into play. It would be immensely satisfying for a teacher if he or she is able to make a student understand a problem thoroughly even if it takes up a lot of patience! :)
5. A good teacher should ALSO possess an inquisitive mind (THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO ME!) and want to go on learning beyond the scope of the school syllabus. A good teacher should keep abreast with the latest information as students(or most of them) prefer teachers who are knowledgeable.
6. A good teacher should also go down to the level of teenagers so as to be able to interact with them well. A student would not feel so intimidated by the teacher and would instead treat the teacher as a friend. And that's where this Chinese idiom comes in: "亦师亦友”. Nothing can be more apt than this!
7. A good teacher should help students develop a new way of looking at the world. He or she should not curb students' creativities where their outlook towards life are concerned (of course, a good teacher should also ASSESS a students character, "psychoanalyze" them if possible, to ascertain whether he or she is too pessimistic for his or her own good, too much morbid thoughts is no good, it's a bad sign!)
8. A good teacher SHOULD encourage his or her students to break out from their comfort zones and speak up (I speak up a lot but please as good teachers, warn them not to go overboard as they may risk getting sent to Kamunting without trial...) As the saying goes, the students of today are the leaders of tomorrow (cliched. I know)
FELLOW READERS(again, if any! Or is this some sick form of self-entertainment?) Do you have what it takes to be a teacher? Do not feel unnerved by the "brevity" of this post. If the aforementioned qualities are inherent in you, do consider this profesion as there is, in my opinion, a dearth of good teachers in this country.
I'll have the French version posted AFTER my monthly test. I've to work on a French essay entitled "Why is being multilingual important?"
Again, to all readers of my humble blog (if any), please leave a comment or two, constructive criticism in any shape or form is welcomed, I'm very liberal and I won't send you to my jail/lair/dungeon/Norton Anti-virus virus vault if you go overboard. :)
CHEERS
J.Y. Sim
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