Reflection 1: On being a teacher

I think people who know me will know how much I appreciate finally being able to join the Microteaching class. It’s been a while… No, really it’s been too long. This subject, along with the ‘Microteaching 2’ subject that I hope to qualify for next semester (I’ve only started to take the last prerequisite subject this semester), is really THE subject to go for in our language Education program, IMHO. I mean, what else would you take up teaching major for if not for enhancing teaching skills? I mean, sure, theories are important, but honestly, aren’t they only as useful as the teachers’ ability to apply them in the classroom?

Which is why, considering the importance I felt the subject holds, I have to say that it’s been quite an embarrassing – and really quite disheartening – experience having to take this much time to qualify for the subject (all my friends have taken this subject a year ago and I’ve only managed to qualify last semester). Now that I’m finally accepted into the class and admitted into that special microteaching lab, however, things are really looking up. I’m finally feeling like I’m nearing the great gate of graduation (which I hope will happen by the end of my next semester!) and I like that feeling. I especially love the fact that you have to dress up for the classes… it really sets you up for a ‘teaching simulation’ session.

But really, the whole thing with the clothing and the special room and the fact that you’ll be teaching your peers soon can be quite overpowering – which is what I felt on our first class. Actually it’s not just me. I think the whole class kind of tensed up throughout the class. Mr. Prast’s jokes were really helping, but I think everybody else just sort of got into this mental mindfreeze. There was minimal interaction and synergy, and it was really dry and barren. Ideas should be flying off the carpeted walls and inspirations should be raging from mind to mind but NO… we’re as stiff as coffin nails. I hope we’ll get over the whole tension in the following classes.

Mr. Prast brought up the question “what makes a good teacher” near the end of the class and I think it’s a really important question that each PBI student needs to constantly ask themselves. I really don’t think a person can be a good teacher if they don’t have a clear idea of what a good teacher is like. After a long process – a lot of us clearly hadn’t been thinking about what makes a good teacher – a list was produced for our class:

A good teacher is someone who:

1.Can facilitate others to learn
2.Is friendly: smiles a lot and remembers names
3.Can motivate students
4.Is inspiring: stories, songs
5.Masters material
6.Is IT literate
7.Creative
8.Innovative
9.Supportive
10.Consistent

…I actually thought that there’s more to being a good teacher that those that we mentioned in the class. I didn’t want to look too much like a smarta**, though, so I kept my input minimum. I mean, I thought people would be racing to answer that “what makes a good teacher?” question, but I was wrong. It really took some time before the list was filled out and I would really stand up like a sore thumb if I offered what I thought to the class. I wrote what I thought down anyway and they are:

A good teacher is someone who is:

1. Inspirational: knows how to encourage students to achieve their best
2.Supportive: provides motivation when things are tough for the students
3.Dedicated: willing to spend extra time and effort for students
4.Challenging: knows how to enable students into higher level materials
5.Creative: employs various techniques to spark learning processes
6.Respectful: of the students’ personalities and private lives
7.Resourceful: knows a lot of relevant information from various sources
8.FUN: able to help students see the joy of learning
9.Kind: willing to provide an ear to understand student’s difficulties
10.Real: provides awareness to things that matter in student’s lives
11.Firm: able to keep classes in order
12.Open to suggestions
13.Fair
14.Acknowledges that they’re simple older, more experienced LEARNERS

Personally, I think I like no. 14 the most. Teachers can get really arrogant with the things that they know and the status that (they think) comes with it. But really, the last few decades or so has shown the world that what really matter in schools are not the materials that students learn, as information can get outdated very fast, but the learning skills that students are able to foster during the years spent in schools – and these skill are highly achievable. Seeing students as future scholars – and therefore, future equals – will help us as teacher candidates to maintain a healthy amount of humility and respect when interacting with our students.

That’s it for now for my reflection, I guess. Live long and prosper everybody. God bless y’all!