Qualities Of An Ideal Teacher
It would be an axiomatic prerequisite for the teacher to have a sound knowledge and through grasp of the essentials of his subject. Writing skills can be taught best if the teacher can himself write well, much better than his charges. Public speaking skills cannot be imparted if the teacher is not a reasonably good public speaker himself.
The teacher must also have it in him to be able to communicate/transmit effectively what he knows. For that he needs to understand student's level, mindsets, likes, dislikes, the prevailing mood at a given time etc. Total involvement of all the students in the classroom activities should be aimed at and worked earnestly for. His voice should carry loudly and clearly to all the corners, as he acts out his part, pacing up and down with suitable gestures.
He must devise ways to develop receptivity, ensure that students are indeed picking up what is being conveyed. He can frequently or occasionally ask different students to reproduce what he told. Inability to do so should call for a strong or mild rebuke. Right responses can merit a pat on the back. He may even slip in some mistakes, while he speaks or writes on the black board expressly, to have students detect and point them out.
The teacher should step in and banish such thinking. That questions by students are an integral part of the learning process should be stressed. A single good question can lead to other thought provoking ones, opening up vistas and angles unthoughtful of even by the teacher. The inquirer must not be ticked-off if the query is deemed silly or stupid. It may not really be so, rather there may be a lot of sense in seeming nonsense.
The teacher shouldn't straightaway resort to archaic demeaning methods of punishment (corporal, kneel down, cock posture, stand outside etc.), especially without any apparent reason or justification. Not only will the sentiments of the sufferer be injured, the general tone and tenor of class may be wretched. Students will be students. Salutary punishment should be meted out only if other forms of counseling prove ineffective. That too should be commensurate with the degree of wrong doing.
Effective communication of ideas is the key to success not only for the teacher but also for the students. It has to be drummed inside their minds that sound knowledge is only half the picture while writing an exam. The ability to read and gasp precisely what the question requires of the examinee and what it does not and then being able to put down the right relevant answer neatly and tidily on the paper is what matters. The answer 'The sun is round in shape and yellow in color' to the question 'where does the sun rise?' will fetch zero marks. A hurried, haphazard glance will make you put down Canberra as the capital of Austria.
As far as possible, we should aim to be role models for our charges. Healthy respect can be commanded largely by laying down good examples. We cannot endear ourselves to them by resorting to wholesale bluff or self-praise. First practice, only then preach. You can't extoll the virtues of punctuality by yourself habitually arriving late in class.
The teacher must not only be tolerant of errors. He must explain that mistakes are a part and parcel of learning and that the child shouldn't get depressed or frustrated. Rather he ought to take them in his stride, reflect on where and how he went wrong and how he can avoid repeats.
Students need to be motivated to acquire the reading habit. For all round acquisition of language functions, choice of material must be varied and preferably matching the learning the learner level. Story books, newspapers (sports column, Jotting etc.) and other material which can sustain their interest. They must also be subjected to intense language practice in C.W. assignments, which can be marks carrying. Good communication skills should also be taught as they are helpful for students while applying for a job. Students can work in pairs, exchange each other notebooks and evaluate on the basis of answers supplied by the teacher or thrown up by student. Scores can secure as useful continuous assessment records for both teacher and taught.
A well known proverb by Benjamin Franklin:
"Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other"
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