Happy Teachers Day

What makes a good teacher? 

In the age of technology and super computers, what makes a good teacher? Someone who can make good power points, or Google search brilliant lessons  or create creative ideas for project work? If this is teaching then computers can do it too, why are there teachers? To teach is to touch a life forever, this is the meaning of a good teacher. A teacher must understand that she touches the student for life, whether she teaches him for one period, one week or one year. A teacher is a role model, a teacher is a mentor, a teacher is a guide, a teacher is a friend, a counselor and lots more. And the best part is that a teacher knows when to play which role!

On teacher’s day, it has become a mandatory ‘rule’ that children will buy cards and gifts for their teachers, teachers will have a holiday etc. but is that all?  Teacher’s day is a day when you recollect all that your great teachers taught you and then try to weigh it with what you have taught your children. Think about what your teachers or great teachers of the world achieved and weigh it with your work and you will realize that your work has just started and so it is not the time to just rejoice but is also the time to rejuvenate your teaching values. It is not the time to only celebrate but also the time to select your goals for the coming year.

What makes a good teacher? 

Some one said, teachers are born and not made, well if that was the case then there would be no teacher training colleges!   So what makes a good teacher? Definitely a qualification because the actual theory tells us about teaching philosophies, children’s development, teaching methods etc. so a teacher must be qualified. A good teacher needs to have certain personality traits like patience , commitment, dedication, hardworking, creative, happy, ability to resolve problems etc as this will impact the budding personalities of all the children whose lives she touches. A good teacher is well read and continues to read and be abreast to all latest trends both in the classroom and in child development and research. A good teacher must have an understanding about cause and effect, as this will impact her behavior, choice of words, actions, selection of teaching aids etc. a good teacher must have ‘teacher presence’, she must have the heart to teach.  

A good teacher must never be patient! She should be understanding, because in handling children and their issues and problems one needs to have an understanding of children. Patience will run out, understating will help you find the solution. A good teacher is proud to be a teacher and is in the profession because she wants to be teacher and not because she could not qualify for any other profession. Such teachers are the death of education.  A good teacher is not judgmental, neither about her students nor about the subjects that she teaches.   The same with current events, she should encourage students to think for themselves. And for this a good teacher always engages the students in discussions and allows them to question.

A good teacher is passionate about rights and responsibilities both of her profession and the students that she teaches. 

A good teacher is an important part of the change in society, and if we want society to change for the betterment of our children then we need good teachers, and good teachers are made by society!

So what is the formula for a good teacher?

A bowl of qualification

A dollop of good personality traits

A serving of knowledge about the field

A dash of cause and effect

 A mix of teacher presence

A  spoonful of job satisfaction

A sprinkling of thinking skills

A topping of good language skills

Simmer on a fire of rights and responsibilities

Garnish with latest technological advances

And you will have the perfect good teacher that can touch the lives of children and contribute to a better nation.

At Early Childhood Association- India we serve you the above ‘teacher preparation’ on this teacher’s day and wish you many more years in this noble profession.

Swati Popat Vats

President

Early Childhood Association- India