When it comes to your education, a good teacher is paramount. When a teacher is inept, your learning is hindered, your expectations are lowered, and your drive to succeed is crumpled.
At some point in our life, most of us will deal with a bad teacher and will find ourselves in a class of half-explained assignments and unpredictable tests. This period inevitably turns into one devoted to completing other classes assignments, chatting with your friends, or creating a new model of paper airplane.
However, the fun is somewhat diminished by the poor grades you begin to receive on your tests and assignments; the teacher still has to test the students on the material, even if the students don't understand it (probably due to all that messing around). Ultimately, you are stuck in a class that is shrouded with confusion, where little work is completed and minimal understanding of the subject is achieved.
So what sets a good teacher apart from a bad teacher?
A key difference between the two is the impression that the instructor has upon the students. Regardless of what kind of teacher you have, the impression he or she has on you will define how you act in that class: whether you pay attention all period, or doze off using your jacket as a pillow; whether you complete the work in a thorough manner, or scribble down whatever you can manage to copy from your equally lazy friend.
So, how can a teacher sustain a beneficial impression? Firstly, a teacher must not tolerate disrespect or disorder from pupils; if such problems arise, they must be quelled with firm words, and, if necessary, punishment. Students will respect the teacher for their ability to control and regulate the classroom.
In addition, its important for a teacher to have a planned lesson for the day, every day. It is necessary for the teacher to be aware of what they will be instructing, and how they will instruct it. They must teach the lesson with authority and confidence, not uncertainty and doubt.
Bad teachers generally have a poor impression on students, which results in the students holding less respect for the teacher, class, and subject. It is vital for a teacher to maintain a positive impression, to keep the structure of the class intact and protect it from descending into chaos.
Descent into chaos can be averted not only if the teacher practices maintaining a positive impression, but also by perfecting their method of teaching. They must find a method of teaching that both suits their personality and is student-friendly, interactive, and challenging.
Another clear dividing line separates the good teacher from the bad: how they teach.
Every teacher has a unique way of instructing, which every student must become accustomed to. However, some methods aren't quite so good-- for example, the much detested "assign book work all period" approach.
AP US History teacher Samuel Espinosa, shares some insight about his personal teaching methods-- methods which have resulted in a very successful class and an astonishing pass rate on the AP US History exam.
"It is important for a teacher to explain thoroughly and to be open for questions," Mr. Espinosa advises. "Also, a teacher should review with students material previously learned. Keep in mind that direct instruction is far more helpful than solely using the book."
Mr. John Bruno, a popular math teacher whose classes include AP Calculus and Honors Trigonometry, shared his opinions.
"I use daily warm-ups and practice every day," he said.
Mr. Bruno also believes that a book should be used solely as a supplement to teaching-- it shouldn't serve as the basis of the lesson. So, next time a teacher makes you bury your face in a dull textbook all week, you know what to tell them (please, no profanity).
The kind of teacher you have makes a powerful difference; getting a bad teacher for freshman year math can destroy your confidence in your math skills, and prevent you from trying, just as being gifted with a good teacher can give you confidence and encourage you to strive for more challenging courses.
Struggling teachers need only to remember two vital components of successful teaching: maintaining a positive impression, and perfecting their own unique way of teaching. Most teachers will improve as each year passes; within time, the gap between the good teacher and the bad should close.