A Good Teacher, My Students’ Definition
Friday, July 4th, 2008
Do you ever wonder how your students are grading you? Or what they really want from you? To begin the new term, we made posters of what it meant to be a good student, a good group member and a good teacher. To me, the most interesting poster was what it meant to be a good teacher. Look at their poster!
A good teacher:
- is on time
- respects students
- helps students
- makes students happy
- has good behavior
- is a friend to students
- teaches well
- explains the work
- makes students do group work
- is happy
Some of these qualities were exactly the same as the qualities they listed for a good student. They thought both good students and teachers should be “on time,” “respect” one another, and have “good behavior.” To me these answers were the least thought out and the most generic. (Although they are true.)
I was more excited by how important students thought happiness was. They said a good teacher was happy, that a teacher should make students happy and that students and teachers should be friends. I guess, I am pretty lucky that I love my job and my students because my students think that is a big part of being a good teacher. And sometimes all I have is my love for the job. Luckily, that is enough. So if you aren’t happy with teaching right now, take this holiday weekend to relax. Because your students expect a happy teacher. And they deserve one too.
