What Makes A Good English Teacher?

Keywords: english teacher skills, english teacher qualities

It is absolutely true that we are those who choose what we want to be. Sometimes we choose to be someone that we can not be. If we talk about professions, with no doubt we can say that teaching is like no other profession. In my opinion not every person who wants to be a teacher should be a teacher. Some people list teaching as one of easiest professions, they often thing to change their own professions with teaching profession. These people think that the process of teaching is very easy, with no difficulties and they think that teachers do not have a lot of things to do. But for sure it’s not true.

Even as every other profession teaching has it’s specifics. Before I start speaking about process of teaching, I would like to mention some of essential (basic) qualities that teachers should have.

First of all, they have to know their subject. Now is considered that good teachers should not only know the subject matter because nowdays the teacher is not considered the only source of information, I certainly agree with this theory, but I consider that you should not be a good teacher of English language if you don’t know English, by this I mean that good teacher expect other specifics he/she should know the subject. Then other quality that the teacher must possess is the quality called “knowing your students”, by knowing our students we will know what do they need, what do they know and what they don’t know. Of course by knowing our students we will use the appropriate method for them during the process of teaching. And the third quality which I wanted to mention is being prepared for the class. The last one is related with both the first and the second one. And by this we would not be possible to fail at, because we know the subject matter, we know our students, and we are prepared well. In my opinion being prepared means that we know what we are going to lecture, which method we will use, then we know how long we will speak to students etc.

When we talk about teaching, should be said that there are a multitude of elements that satisfy it. In my future as a teacher, I would like to be a teacher that inspires students to love learning, explore new fields of study, and miss the school, not the other one who does just the opposite. Of course I would like to be defined as a good teacher, and as a good teacher I would like let my students know that I am the one who pushes them to do their best and at the same time I’ll try to make learning interesting as well as creative. I would like my students to be open with me, to discuss things with me. I’ll be there to help them. I would like to encourage my students to be not just good students, but to be good people too. I don’t want them to be good memorizers of texts. I want them to learn and be able to apply what they learned, not just to pass the tests. I don’t want to stop teaching when the bell rings. I am going to hold extra sessions for them if it is necessary. Some students need extra attention. I’ll take my job seriously because one day I would like to be proud with my students. Expect these things good teachers should know well how to talk to their students.

From my experience I learned that teachers who talk loudly and teachers who usually knock with a chalk or a stick on a table or blackboard they usually disturb students then they get afraid of their teachers. So great importance as future teacher I will also dedicate this topic, I will try to eschew things that make students feel confused. It is important students to feel good during my communication with them. The truth is that every thing in schools should be made in favor of the students. In the beginning of this essay I said that it is important for teachers to know their subject, but expect this they should know how to interpret things they know to their students. As every good teacher in my future I will try to be simple and logical. Even more I’ll try to give to my students all kinds of information that they need. Another interesting and important issue for which it was debated a lot, is the issue of who should talk more students or teacher. It’s good to have a balance between STT (Student Talking Time) and TTT (Teacher Talking Time). While we are talking about English teachers it is better to have the maximum of STT because students will practice words that they learn during debating and they will be more freely, but teachers’ assistance will be welcome.

In this case as a future teacher I will organize the class and the time in that way that my role to be just as an assistant, I’ll just give instructions to students in the beginning and then I’ll let them work in groups or other methods, but I’ll assist them every time they need my help. So by this I think they will be more independent. Another important point is the way we organize our lectures. We have to choose different styles of teaching. Teachers especially at elementary level, need to be very creative with their teaching style, because not every child learns the same way, nor are they interested in same things.

Teachers should use variety lectures, because students need surprises, they get bored writing all the time or listening all the time. Despite this teachers need to be careful, they have to find a balance in which all students will feel good and satisfied. Some students like changes some not. Some of them feel unsafe in these changes and are afraid to speak or be part of classroom activities. Nowdays teachers use plans for each class, but in my opinion we should not use plans, because good teachers should be always prepared or better say they should be flexible.

I decided to become a teacher, because for me being a teacher is a pleasure. It is good to know that there is a child that adores and loves you. And I’ll be more satisfied when I’ll know that they are learning things from me. I do not like to be adorable from my students just because I’m their teacher, but I would like them to value my work. I thing that I have sufficient reasons to become a teacher. I hope one day to be the most successful teacher.