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What really makes a good teacher and why should it matter? Apart from your own parents and immediate family, the next most influential person in your life when you are growing up is a teacher. For the first 18 years of your life you are either being taught, disciplined or molded and for most of those years a teacher is like a third parent in your life. Teachers play many roles and wear many hats in the classroom and have a great influence on one’s life be it negative or positive. To be a teacher in my opinion is a calling and if you honestly don’t have the passion for children, then you have no business teaching. We hear countless stories of the damage a teacher can do to a child’s self-esteem. I even remember being so afraid of a certain teacher that going to her class was a nightmare. What are the different hats a teacher wears? 1. A third parent – A teacher plays a critical role in developing good habits and correcting behavior. They teach them the rules of how things are done and that is correct and acceptable in a social setting. 2. Mediators – At times there will be disagreements or heated arguments amongst students and the teacher then has to act as a mediator in order to advocate both parties and help unify the students and order in the classroom. 3. Nurse – When a student is not feeling well they go to the teacher who then needs to see that they get proper care. 4. Counselor – Students will often open up to a teacher if they feel that they can trust the teacher with their private problems. 5. Leaders – students look up to their teachers to lead and to inspire. They need to set good examples to the students. 6. Educators – Teachers are obvious educators as this is what they do for a living by educating students. In the classroom as well teachers take on a variety of roles namely: 1. As a prompter – This is where the teacher encourages students to participate and only then helps students when needed. Basically the teacher then prompts in a supportive way when a student gets stuck and is at a loss for words basically. The teacher then just nudges with a word or a suggestions that puts the student back on track. 2. As a controller – In this instance it is when the teacher is teaching something new and a drilling technique is used and the teacher has to make sure that that what is being taught is accurate and fully understood. 3. As an assessor – Here a teacher will assess what the students are doing and whether they understand and then guide them and correct in a way that’s non- invasive to the student in that it does not leave the student feeling diminished but rather to guide gently so as to still build up the students self confidence in speaking and learning the new language and task. 4. As the tutor – Here the teacher will advise and give guidance to help the students when they are involved in project work. 5. As an organizer – Teachers often have to organize students to do various activities and give instructions and to initiate activities and then bring it all to a close. 6. As the role model – in some cases the students only point of reference is the teacher and so they need to be a good role model to the students. 7. As a participant – Sometimes the students are uneven in the class and so the teacher will pair up with a student and then becomes a part of the class rather than draw attention to themselves and acts as one of the students. The role that the teachers takes on for each class depends on the lesson plan and activity and what needs to be achieved. A good teacher will know what role to be playing for different class activities. A good teacher should have certain qualities such as: 1. Being kind and patient 2. A teacher must really love teaching and love children 3. A teacher should be able to keep the class interesting and encourage participation and learning. 4. A teacher should be able to motivate students and correct them without offending them. 5. A good teacher will know the pupils and know their strengths and weakness and bring the best out in the student. In my opinion a teacher is someone who is caring, loves to see students grow and develop and fully committed and dedicated in seeing the minds and personalities of the children absorb and grow. Children are like sponges and it is such a privilege to be a part of their growth and developing their curious minds.
