To Teach
By wallacb3
@wallacb3 (88)
United States
November 26, 2009 11:30am CST
What do you think qualifies someone to be considered a teacher? In most school systems, a teacher or professor is someone who gone to school to become certified. So they in essence are a certified student? They still have to attend classes and conferences now and then to learn about new concepts. They still get graded from review boards and parents. What about a parent? They teach their children. In the old days, and still in some communities today- elders or religious leaders are considered teachers. How do you define teaching, without using the verb to teach in the definition? The dictionary defines teaching as instruct or training somebody. How do you define instruct? And how do you train someone to think for themself?
3 responses
@raynejasper (2322)
• Philippines
27 Nov 09
..hi.. for me, a teacher is somebody who can teach a child with love and care.. I have had so many experiences with different kinds of teacher and I would say that being certified is not a guarantee that a person will become a good teacher.. although being certified or licensed is one consideration in entering the teaching profession, however, for me, the very important consideration is how the teacher is going to teach.. there are teachers who just teach because it is their responsibility and they don't bother at all even if their students are not learning much.. what is important is they attend their daily class.. I salute those teachers who extend their services to their students by being the second parents of the child.. you see, the first teacher is the parents and teachers are expected to continue teaching the students to become responsible and other important humane personality.. teaching profession for me is a calling that requires much sacrifice and love from the teacher.. teaching is educating students with knowledge and developing their skills and talents that will help them in build their future.. instruct is giving guidelines to students.. It is very hard to train someone to think for himself.. because of the personal differences in attitude of every individual.. however, I believe teachers can teach someone to think for himself by developing self confidence and trust for one's capabilities by giving them activities that could unleash these types of personalities..
@wallacb3 (88)
• United States
27 Nov 09
You make a good point...there are plenty of teachers that teach simply for themself, especially at the collegiate level. I think a lot of professors forget what motivated them to teach in the first place. They get so consumed with their own agenda, whether it be to reach tenure or to publish research... they speed through lectures and leave the teaching assistants to handle the confused students. Then there are others who seem to be a magnet for struggling students. They become their mentors and truly give those students a chance. It's unfortunate that you can't necessarily pick your teachers. An experience with a teacher could make or break your future liking for a subject. For example, if you have an amiable chemistry teacher (as I did in high school) you'll be more motivated to strive in that course, through the hard parts and all. Then again, if they are mean or forceful in their teaching....you may grow to hate and avoid that subject at all costs.
@ghembhabes (3)
• Philippines
27 Nov 09
wow.. good question well as what i haved read, a teacher is someone who educate others. Their task is to teach children after their parents but, teacher is said to be our second parents. We spent most of our time at school arent we? And they are the one who looks after us. They can also be our friends. Actually for me all of us has this qualification on being a teacher. Teacher is just a profession name. Our parents is also a teacher, a friend can also be a teacher, someone who gave us an idea, giving advises,share experiences, etc, that enchance our mind of being a person is also a teacher. For my self teacher is a big part of what i am today, eventhough i dont take them seriouly and for me i believe that the best teacher is an EXPERIENCE. thank u and good day
@madteaparty (2748)
• Japan
27 Nov 09
There are many kinds of teachers, and not all require a certification. For example, I've been working as a teacher for a while, and I didn't study anything related to teaching. Just the experience and my ability to communicate my knowledge made me be able to teach.
I think certifications are overrated. Many people even having lots of papers saying "I'm qualified to be a teacher" aren't. If you want to teach, you need to be able to make other people actually understand what you want them to learn :)
