Teach English in Wanghao Zhen - Nantong Shi

THE ROLES AND ATTRIBUTES OF A GOOD TEACHER Safiya Ibrahim Solomon-Ugbaja Introduction A Teacher is someone who impacts knowledge or one who helps a person to understand and learn about a subject matter. Although in some regions of the world teaching is the least appreciated and well paid jobs but Teachers are the most indispensable set of people in our world and in every aspect of life as there is no profession or any professional who passed through the process of learning without being under the tutelage of someone who served as an instructor whether through direct contact or indirect contact i.e. Text books, Encyclopedias, Journals, Internet etc. A teacher is known for who he is because of his role of imparting knowledge and helping his learners to learn. A good teacher is known for who he is because of his positive attributes and characteristics while imparting knowledge to his learners. Below are some key roles of a teacher: • Impartation of knowledge: To impart knowledge is to help a person acquire information, understanding and skills about a subject matter. It is the process of bringing the learner to an awareness of something he did not know before or something he had little knowledge of. This is one major role of a teacher, bringing his learners to the light of a matter he is not aware of. • To teach how to reason: A teacher does not just impart knowledge to his learners and leave them that way, if he leaves them that way then his teaching will be ineffective. When teaching, it is the role of the teacher to engage the learners sense of reasoning by asking thought provoking questions such as “how did it happen?” or “why do you think it work this way?” this will help to develop the learners cognitive ability which includes thinking, perception, judgement, memory as well as his instrument of thought. • Helping in developing student’s creativity: The quality of being creative is the ability to think of new ideas and bring it to reality. This is another key role of a teacher, he helps the students to see creativity as part of learning by being creative too, he also allow the learners a free atmosphere to express their thoughts no matter how insignificant or unreasonable it may be. This will give the learners hope for improvement and better innovation next time. Other roles of a teacher are participant in some classroom activities, class controller/Manager, Observer, Resource person, Model, Assessor etc. ATTRIBUTES OF A GOOD TEACHER It is one thing to be a teacher and another to be a good one. A good teacher must have the following attributes: • Patience and Kindness: one who impacts knowledge should be able to do that in a gracious manner such that his learners will be free enough to relate with him. This will make the learners to be confident enough to seek help or advice from him when they have academic challenges. • Friendly Rapport: A teacher who move around with the face of a sadist will scare his learners away from him, rather he should be able to initiate a friendly rapport with his learners in a cheerful manner. This will create a conducive and friendly atmosphere to learn. • Carry every one along: Rather than focusing on some specific set of learners he must be able to carry every along, ensuring that every pupil is following while he is teaching and every one of them understand. If not then he should find out what the problem is and render help appropriately. Focusing on some set of learners make others feel inferior, he must be able to involve everyone (the brilliant, average and seemingly dull ones) equally in the class activities. • Motivation: he ought to have the ability to make his learners see reasons why they should work at becoming better as well as fulfilling their dreams and aspirations. At some point in my life, I always felt I am never good enough and that made me to always settle for whatever comes my way. Whether good or bad, better or worse, best or worst. I lived with the mindset that whatever happens in life is what was meant to be. Until my believe system was addressed by my teacher. He had observed that I had fear for the unknown and as a result would prefer not to work on becoming better but will be fine with whatever the future turns out to be. So he would say “you must sit up, face reality and make the future what you want it to be.” And today his motivational words have made me worked at becoming my best. That is a good teacher. • Knowledgeable, Lively and Entertaining: He should have a good knowledge of the subject he is teaching and should be humble enough to let his learners know when he doesn’t have an answer to their question rather than giving a wrong answer. He can as well say he will get back to them on the matter and try to find out what the answer to their question is. He should also be able to make the class/learning fun, such that he uses the learners’ area of interest as a medium to impact knowledge into them. CONCLUSION Teachers are the most responsible and important members of society because their professionals efforts affects the fate of the earth. - Helen Caldicott Are you a teacher already or you are aspiring to be one, it’s a good idea but don’t resolve to be just a teacher rather work at becoming a good teacher.