What makes a good teacher?
статья по английскому языку по теме

WHAT MAKES A GOOD TEACHER?

Pedagogy has come a long way. The teacher is no longer conceived of as the fount of wisdom. Teachers are called to be “facilitators” whose job is to create the right conditions for learning. What actually constitutes a good teacher? It seems quite easier to answer the question "What makes a rotten teacher?" Well, a rotten teacher is surely the one who insults and patronises pupils all the time, sees himself or herself as omniscient, never considers changing teaching style and on the whole doesn't care for pupils' performance. Conversely, a genuine and dedicated teacher is supposed to treat pupils with respect, be flexible, make the most of every learning opportunity and encourage or motivate pupils to learn. Sounds pretty bookish and dry ... Worse still, such a simplified definition casts little light on the qualities of a good teacher. To hear some people talk, a teacher's personality may well be replaced by computer which is becoming more and more available today. Its teaching potential, accompanied by moving pictures and audio, seems alluring. The question is whether computer can be called the panacea? Admittedly, computer is second-to-none when it comes to drilling and various testing methods (which are already too prevalent and off-putting for children). But is computer in power, for instance, to assess the level of pupils' creativity in provide any meaningful feedback? How about the individual approach, which is still the issue number one in the present-day pedagogy? Can computer pursue the individual development of a child to the extent a teacher does it and present the material in accord with the child's interests? More importantly, computer exercises are aimed primarily at the scientific aspect of the subject matter. However, few would deny that education isn't just about pupils' advancement in science - it implies their spiritual enrichment, it deals with human values and shapes pupils' outlook and life priorities. Is computer a Suitable asset for this? Can it substitute for such a subject application which has always been contextual and conversational, and therefore – a teacher's lot? By all means, computer is here to stay because society cannot move backwards. Though, we can't overlook the limitations of computer. With its present confines it would be too early to say that human teachers are in danger of being redundant. But doesn't the key to the question "What makes a good teacher?" rest in computer's limitations then? What a teacher can do that a sophisticated machine fails to is to offer a genuinely caring and selfless presence, to enthuse pupils by turning a classroom into a rich learning environment and to make use of a finely-tuned sense of sensitivity to the child's needs. The model teacher's personality is something fleeting and hard to articulate. Even pupils who are strongly attracted to their teacher fail to explain the nature of their attachment because this is something inexplicable and out of grasp. But one knows for certain that being a genuine teacher definitely goes beyond the call of duty. It's something more... If the sense of commitment is deeply rooted in your soul you will find out for yourself what it is.