Focus on Qualities of A Good Teacher

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The blog of Eden A. Avila https://cbanga360.net/category/blogs/eden-a-avila/

One week after the grand school opening hereabout, we expect students and teachers will have started slowly settling into their comfort zones.

I should know. I am a classroom teacher for more than two decades in different private schools in Legazpi city and Rizal province. At one time and for a very personal reason, I turned my back from teaching to support my husband in his business pursuits. His demise made me come back. Such cliche that “Once a teacher is always a teacher,” holds true for me. Teaching, I think is the only job that suits me and I am happy and feel proud of it.

What is in being a mentor that I can’t stop myself from coming back? Some teachers may consider it a ministry, a calling, a job or simply, a bread and butter endeavor, depending on one’s perception and needs.

So what makes an enduring and effective, well, at the most, a good teacher?

Let me share this short video:
(Note: Video not available. Updated Feb 28,2017. Instead, the same story is told through a short film below.)

Such a touching story! But this should be the personality of a teacher. One who touches the lives of her students but also learns from them. To do this, a teacher must take her vitamin C in the class; C-ommitted, C-ompassionate, C-ompetent, C-ontemplative, and C-heerful.

A good teacher must love all the three elements in the classroom. She must love themselves, love the students and love what is being done- teaching.

A good teacher must have a good memory, sense of humor, facility with words, agility with facts and figures, in-depth knowledge of the subject and rapport with each of the students in class. Every student gets attention and no one is ignored. The creed is “Justice to all, and malice to none.”

The voice of the teacher is also an important factor. The vocal chord is believed to be the most important part of the teacher’s anatomy. It must be pleasant and used with appropriate modulation. A teacher with a monotone voice will send his class to slumber and even in dream.

The epitome of a good teacher is effective communication; gestures support the words and lend meaning, the body language more eloquent than words. But it’s not always enough to have the comprehensive knowledge, one needs intense passion and involvement resulting to an effective communication.

Poise, preparation and presentation are vital ingredients of a successful teacher. Proper preparation and presentation with poise. The right demeanor, of calm and relaxed appearance and attitude, the mental agility and equilibrium and sound judgment, will make an effective teacher.

The Chinese saying “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand,” is very apt. We bear in mind that a good teacher is one who “could concretize the abstract, demonstrate, simplify, give examples and apply the concepts learned.” This makes learning easy and interesting.

Miss. Thompson is a role model for me. Miss Thompson believed her students are important and they can make a difference in their lives and that her students can also make a difference in her life.

All these are old stuffs in teaching but it’s good to read a handful of reminders once and again. As a teacher, I am not merely delivering the craft but touching the lives of students. And a teacher marks the life of a student for a lifetime. For this school year, I am blessed to be teaching the grade six students who were my previous students in Tanza Elementary School in Navotas city. I am thrilled, delighted at touching and enriching their lives twice or even more.

To all the teachers especially those who belong to my batch in CSAC S/Y 1981, welcome back to school. Be the best teachers that we are and should be. This again is our chance to shine and let the light shine forth in the open mind, heart and soul of our students.

Eden A. Avila

3 thoughts on “Focus on Qualities of A Good Teacher”

  1. A second look to what a good teacher should be…something that I myself have never done perfectly till now but what is important is the effort of trying to be.Always, our lives is a process of becoming…and not being ONE.HAIZT!tO ALL MY CO-COLLABORATORS,CO-WORKERS AND CO-MIRACLE WORKERS, THIS ONE’S FOR YOU…HAPPY TEACHERS’ DAY TO ALL OF US.

  2. Thanks for the 1,461 views. LOLS. That means my work is read and somehow i am reaching out with other people. I hope they’re teachers like me, too. THANKS MY DEAR FB FOLKS.

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