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Mar
11
What makes a teacher a good teacher?
Filed Under The Way I See It
It’s Tuesday the second day of The March Break , and I’ve been able to start catching my breath after the first five weeks of a busy, busy second semester. Little Lauryn, granddaughter #1 , is staying with us for a couple of days. I love it when she comes to stay. I learn so much from her. Yesterday while on the way to the craft store to buy some more wool to finish the sweater I’m knitting for her mom ( I didn’t have enough to finish the sleeves. Luckily I was able to get what I needed) I asked Lauryn if her grade three teacher Miss M. was a good teacher. Lauryn didn’t hesitate one second to say that yes Miss M. was a good teacher. I asked her how she knew that. She told me ” because she makes great elephant and monkey noises”. I wonder what Miss M. would say if she knew that her ability to make great elephant and monkey noises makes her a good teacher. I would say that her willingness to make those great elephant and monkey noises is what helps make her a good teacher.
Lauryn’s answer reminded me of what I’ve been reading about on that very topic- what makes a good teacher. It’s interesting how everything seems to be linked. Over at Fireside Learning: Conversations About Learning a group of us is exploring Parker Palmer’s book The Courage to Teach. The book’s a great read and so are the comments about the topic made by Connie and others providing lots of food for thought by challenging some of the commonly held assumptions, mine included, about what makes a good teacher. If you have a moment, I invite you to check the discussion thread out or even participate in the discussion. I think it would be of interest even if you haven’t read the book.
Back to Miss. M. Now, I don’t know Miss M at all. I’ve never met her, but I do know that Lauryn thinks she a good teacher. After reading the first 2 chapters of The Courage to Teach I think that Palmer would probably agree with Little Lauryn that making great elephant and monkey noises in class is one of the signs of a good teacher. Why? Because by making those great sounds she is connecting to her students through her enthusiasm for her subject . You have to be enthusiastic about your subject, and you have to be comfortable with yourself if you’re willing to make great elephant noises to help bring a poem to life for your students. Actually, I’d like to hear Miss. M. recite that poem. She’s obviously very comfortable with herself and according to Parker being comfortable with yourself is another sign of a good teacher. “Good teaching cannot be reduced to techniques; good teaching comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher” he argues. Isn’t it ironic that so much of teacher PD is about teaching us new improved teaching techniques and not about helping ” us uncover what fits us and what doesn’t; who we are and who we’re not; what gives us life and what kills our spirit”- the really important things according to Parker.
I think it’s crucial to know what fits you as a teacher. I learned the hard way what fits me and what doesn’t. A few semesters ago I volunteered to teach a new program at our school that is designed to help kids who need extra support to recover credits for subjects that they almost passed. Instead of just failing the student, the credit would be deferred until the student did or redid whatever part of the course was the problem. The Credit Recovery Program was created to help those kids who are at risk of dropping out of school because they haven’t earned 16 credits by the time they are sixteen. Studies have shown that kids who do not have 16 credits by the time they are sixteen tend to drop out of school and not graduate.
Now I was so excited about teaching Credit Recovery classes, but unfortunately it turned out that I liked the idea of teaching Credit Recovery classes more than actually teaching them. Let me tell you, teaching Credit Recovery Classes was not a good fit for me. But I didn’t know that at the time. When I found myself teaching eight different students eight different subjects or levels at the same time, I started to clue in. I realized that I liked taking a group of kids from point a to point z. I didn’t like taking individual students from points a,b, c to points x, y, or z. I didn’t like the individual tutoring aspect of teaching the Credit Recovery Classes. Some teachers do. Some teachers love it, but I hated it, absolutely hated it. Teaching those classes was killing my spirit. Tutoring all those kids in all those subjects wasn’t a good fit for me even though teaching that type of student is a good fit .
Now, happily I’m teaching classes and kids that are a good fit for me, and I love it. I’m energized by it. I know that I’m lucky to be able to do this because I know that there are teachers out there that are teaching classes that aren’t a good fit for them and their spirit is dying. It’s easy to say if the class doesn’t fit, then don’t teach it. But, we all know that sometimes our options are very limited to the point that it’s either teach what isn’t a good fit or don’t teach at all. That’s a hard choice for someone who wants to teach or maybe it isn’t that hard given that more than 50% of new teachers quit within the first five years. Teaching is not for everyone. It’s important to follow your bliss. Life’s too short.
At this point I just want to say that at long last Sean Donahey and I have finally gotten together to do that interview I’ve been wanting to do for so long. We’ve both been so busy and didn’t seem to have time to get together. finally Sean said let’s just do it, and we did. I’m going to edit it later this week and hope to have it ready to post by the weekend.
Sean’s a really cool guy and has done many other cool things other than teaching . I know you’ll find the interview interesting. It’s amazing what you don’t know about people you pass in the halls everyday and sit with at committee meetings each month. I’ll be posting show notes so check here for any links.
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9 Responses to “What makes a teacher a good teacher?”
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I agree with the points you make in your post. I also believe that compatibility with one’s educational setting and environment also make one a good teacher. I have worked in four independent schools, and at three of the four, it was the proverbial square peg in the proverbial round hole. When one forces herself to fit in and to belong, I believe one’s teaching is greatly compromised, because one doesn’t really buy in to what it is she is doing. As I say this, it probably requires more courage to teach in such an environment.
Miss Profe,
I definitely agree with you about teaching being compromised. Most of one’s energy goes into surviving.
I have just started working towards my masters at Walden University. We have been discussing this subject, what makes a good teacher, in my first class. It has been very interesting and has encouraged me to look at my own abilities and consider some revamping. In the book, “On Being a Teacher The Human Dimension” by Jeffry Kottler, Stanley Zehm, and Ellen Kottler, there is a chapter which nicely describes the traits of a great teacher.
J. Smith,
Thank you for sharing that resource. I like the idea of exploring the human dimension. I’ll have to see if I can get the book from our professional library.
Hello,
I enjoyed your positive input. I feel like, as a teacher, I’m in the wrong place/subject right now … but because I know it’s “easier” than my other options, and I’m afraid to start over again, I stay. I am teaching adults in a multi-subject situation that reminds me of your credit recovery situation. Although I enjoy one on one tutoring, I feel like I could be more creative if I was able to focus on one subject in a narrower skill range … maybe I’ll dust off my resume this year.
I agree with your definition of a great teacher. I wholly believe that a teacher’s willingness and love of her subject translates to her students. My try everyday to let my kids see my passion for my subject and for them
Kim,
Thanks for taking the time to comment. Believe me, kids can see the passion a teacher has and it makes a difference.
Here I am late at night googling what makes a good teacher. I love my job and students! I can’t imagine being anywhere else. I have had parents comment on how their child loves to come to school each day…a problem in the past. And how they felt safe to take risks under my guidance. Great! Then come those dreaded test scores. I have lost sleep this summer wondering all over again if I really am a “good” teacher in a “good” fit. There are so many out there who need the encouragement and validation that only fellow educators can give. Thank you for taking the time to write and communicate with us!
Theresa,
Those dreaded test scores! It’s really unfortunate that today in education it’s all about test scores.
There’s so much pressure because of those test scores. There’s a lot of teaching to the test at the expense of a student’s whole education. I think that there’ll be a time soon when the-powers-that-be realize that we cannot measure a students learning just by math and literacy tests scores. There’s so much more to education than that.