Teachers

Daily Prompt: We Can Be Taught! What makes a teacher great?

Teaching is one of the noblest professions. Teachers influence and shape the minds of future generations. But they are grossly underpaid, especially when you consider the money made by gangsta rappers and drugged up athletes.

Teachers are role models for countless kids who may not have good role models in other parts of their lives. A good teacher and the lessons they impart will be remembered throughout life, just as a bad teacher will.

My son loves his teacher. He has him now for a second year, which is part of what the school aims to do – they use grade splits so that the same group of kids will spend two years together and with the same teacher. It is working really well and my son declares, without exaggeration, that his teacher is the best teacher ever.

What makes a good teacher, I ask him.

This is the list of criteria he gives me, in order:

Strict
Kind
Patient
Respectful
Firm
Doesn’t yell
Listens
Friendly
You can talk to them
A parent as well, so they know how to deal with kids

I think that’s a pretty good summary of the qualities one would want in a teacher. And a teacher is more than just a person kids leant from at school – they are coaches, instructors, camp counsellors, after school programmers.

Parents are also teachers, as are grandparents and other family members. And there are people in my life still who fall outside these definitions but who continue to teach me many valuable things about myself and the world.

A love of learning is likely to be bolstered by a good teacher. I see my son’s favourite teacher having this effect on my son and I hope that he will carry this experience with him and will want to continue to learn throughout his whole life. I believe it opens the mind to so many possibilities.

Already he is a huge reader, and that goes a long way to fostering a respect and interest in lifelong learning. I’m glad that we, as other teachers in his life, have held fast to our principles and have not indulged him in video games or TV. We have neither at home, though we do allow him to watch TV and movies online and to play the odd game on the computer or in the arcade. We just don’t make screens part of his daily life. It is a hard rule to follow at times, but so rewarding when you see the results.

My personality does not naturally lend itself to teaching. I find it hard to explain concepts, especially verbally, and I find the patience necessary to be a good teacher rather elusive. To my son’s list above, I would add the qualities of consistency and even-handedness. As my husband will attest, I find it hard to be consistent. I see its value in teaching (and that term in this case includes parenting) but it’s a struggle for me. My emotions get tangled up in my interactions with my son. And, yes, that may be natural as I am his mother, but for a while in my early twenties, I thought I’d like to be a teacher and I had the same difficulties in the classroom then that I have at home with my son now.

A teacher must be able to emotionally remove themselves from the situation so that if a child is upset at being disciplined, the teacher doesn’t relent out of guilt nor allow their anger to get the better of them. That speaks to the qualities of both consistency and even-handedness.

I’m afraid I struggle with both. I either feel guilty or I raise my voice in frustration.

But where I may lack in these areas, I believe I make up in others. I am reliable as a mother, always there and ready to ensure my son makes it to activities, events, birthday parties. I am kind and caring, supportive and empathetic. I am friendly and he knows he can bring his problems to me. And as much as I can’t explain things very well, I can teach him by example.

I have taken him geocaching, kayaking, biking, hiking. I write and read all the time, which has helped him to develop an interest in these as well. I have taught him about caring for the environment, something he has taken on as a cause of his own. And I am very proud to have taught him from the beginning to consider all people based on who they are inside, to see beyond religion, appearance, nationality and beliefs.

Overall, the teachers in life are like a network, or a net, ready support, catch and lift you up.

My First Teacher (crookedeyebrows.wordpress.com)
The Kind of Teacher I Want to Be (pgceponderings.wordpress.com)
I, As Your Teacher… (inkhammer.wordpress.com)

Further thoughts on teachers:

8 thoughts on “Teachers”

alienorajt says:

September 22, 2013 at 07:10

Lovely, Silverleaf; I quite agree. xxx

- Silverleaf says:
  
  September 22, 2013 at 15:34
  
  Thank you! I’m glad you liked this one. xx
  
suesconsideredtrifles says:

September 22, 2013 at 07:42

It can be really surprising how our interests as mothers influence our children. Growing up in a booklover’s house is an advantage to start with! Sue

- Silverleaf says:
  
  September 22, 2013 at 15:35
  
  Yes, definitely! I’m delighted when something like that is passed on to the next generation.
  
crookedeyebrows says:

January 7, 2014 at 09:44

Truth is that mother’s are the greatest teacher and you are one because you imbibe value in your son through your actions. It is far better then just sermonizing.

- Silverleaf says:
  
  January 7, 2014 at 16:48
  
  Thank you, that’s reassuring to hear. I may sermonize a bit too, though.
  
girlychristina says:

January 7, 2014 at 17:50

I couldn’t agree more with you and your son =) great post!!
❤
Christina

- Silverleaf says:
  
  January 7, 2014 at 20:09
  
  Thank you!