Teachers are born, not made

The Conservative leader stated he wanted the highest qualified graduates to be teachers.

My cousin gained a double first at Oxford in mathematics and went teaching in Liverpool.

Within one year in education he left suffering a nervous breakdown. Teachers are born not trained, and it’s the same with nurses and policemen.

University education cannot guarantee a natural teacher with good communication skills.

Education is bogged down with bureaucracy and political meddling.

Let the teachers teach, not be left filling in forms.

Teachers as Role Models

1) Model positive choice-making: Little eyes are watching and little ears are listening. When it comes to being a role model, you must be aware that the choices you make don’t only impact you but also the children who regard you as their superhero. Someday, they will be in the same predicament and think to themselves, “What did s/he do when s/he was in the same situation?” When you are a role model it’s not enough to tell your charges the best choices to make. You must put them into action yourself.

2) Think out loud: When you have a tough choice to make, allow the children to see how you work through the problem, weight the pros and cons, and come to a decision. The process of making a good decision is a skill. A good role model will not only show a child which decision is best, but also how they to come to that conclusion. That way, the child will be able to follow that reasoning when they are in a similar situation.

3) Apologize and admit mistakes: Nobody’s perfect. When you make a bad choice, let those who are watching and learning from you know that you made a mistake and how you plan to correct it. This will help them to understand that (a) everyone makes mistakes; (b) it’s not the end of the world; (c) you can make it right; and (d) you should take responsibility for it as soon as possible. By apologizing, admitting your mistake, and repairing the damage, you will be demonstrating an important yet often overlooked part of being a role model.

4) Follow through: We all want children to stick with their commitments and follow through with their promises. However, as adults, we get busy, distracted, and sometimes, a bit lazy. To be a good role model, we must demonstrate stick-to-itiveness and self discipline. That means; (a) be on time; (b) finish what you started; (c) don’t quit; (d) keep your word; and (e) don’t back off when things get challenging. When role models follow through with their goals, it teaches children that it can be done and helps them adopt an “if s/he can do it, so can I” attitude.

5) Show respect: You may be driven, successful, and smart but whether you choose to show respect or not speaks volumes about the type of attitude it takes to make it in life. We always tell children to “treat others the way we want to be treated” and yet, may not subscribe to that axiom ourselves. Do you step on others to get ahead? Do you take your spouse, friends, staff or colleagues for granted? Do you show gratitude or attitude when others help you? In this case, it’s often the little things you do that make the biggest difference in how children perceive how to succeed in business and relationships.

6) Be well rounded: While we don’t want to spread ourselves too thin, it’s important to show children that we can be more than just one thing. Great role models aren’t just “teachers.” They’re people who show curiosities and have varied interests. They’re great learners and challenge themselves to get out of their comfort zones. You may be a teacher who’s also a student of martial arts or yoga, a great chef, a good sportsman, a father and a treasured friend. You may be a coach who’s a gifted dancer, a solid rock climber, a celebrated singer, a mother and a curious photographer. When children see that their role models can be many things, they will learn that they don’t need to pigeon-hole themselves in order to be successful.

7) Demonstrate confidence in who you are: Whatever you choose to do with your life, be proud of the person you’ve become and continue to become. It may have been a long road and you may have experienced bumps along the way, but it’s the responsibility of a role model to commemorate the lessons learned, the strength we’ve amassed, and the character they’ve developed. We can always get better, however, in order for children to celebrate who they are, their role models need to show that confidence doesn’t start “5 pounds from now,” “2 more wins on top of this one,” or “1 more possession than I have today.” We must continue to strive while being happy with how far we’ve come at the same time

Teachers as Role Models: Seven Ways to make a Positive Impact

1. Model positive choice-making: Little eyes are watching and little ears are listening. When it comes to being a role model, you must be aware that the choices you make don’t only impact you but also the children who regard you as their superhero. Someday, they will be in the same predicament and think to themselves, “What did s/he do when s/he was in the same situation?” When you are a role model it’s not enough to tell your charges the best choices to make. You must put them into action yourself.

2. Think out loud: When you have a tough choice to make, allow the children to see how you work through the problem, weight the pros and cons, and come to a decision. The process of making a good decision is a skill. A good role model will not only show a child which decision is best, but also how they to come to that conclusion. That way, the child will be able to follow that reasoning when they are in a similar situation.

3. Apologize and admit mistakes: Nobody’s perfect. When you make a bad choice, let those who are watching and learning from you know that you made a mistake and how you plan to correct it. This will help them to understand that (a) everyone makes mistakes; (b) it’s not the end of the world; (c) you can make it right; and (d) you should take responsibility for it as soon as possible. By apologizing, admitting your mistake, and repairing the damage, you will be demonstrating an important yet often overlooked part of being a role model.

4. Follow through: We all want children to stick with their commitments and follow through with their promises. However, as adults, we get busy, distracted, and sometimes, a bit lazy. To be a good role model, we must demonstrate stick-to-itiveness and self discipline. That means; (a) be on time; (b) finish what you started; (c) don’t quit; (d) keep your word; and (e) don’t back off when things get challenging. When role models follow through with their goals, it teaches children that it can be done and helps them adopt an “if s/he can do it, so can I” attitude.

5. Show respect: You may be driven, successful, and smart but whether you choose to show respect or not speaks volumes about the type of attitude it takes to make it in life. We always tell children to “treat others the way we want to be treated” and yet, may not subscribe to that axiom ourselves. Do you step on others to get ahead? Do you take your spouse, friends, staff or colleagues for granted? Do you show gratitude or attitude when others help you? In this case, it’s often the little things you do that make the biggest difference in how children perceive how to succeed in business and relationships.

6. Be well rounded: While we don’t want to spread ourselves too thin, it’s important to show children that we can be more than just one thing. Great role models aren’t just “teachers.” They’re people who show curiosities and have varied interests. They’re great learners and challenge themselves to get out of their comfort zones. You may be a teacher who’s also a student of martial arts or yoga, a great chef, a good sportsman, a father and a treasured friend. You may be a coach who’s a gifted dancer, a solid rock climber, a celebrated singer, a mother and a curious photographer. When children see that their role models can be many things, they will learn that they don’t need to pigeon-hole themselves in order to be successful.

7. Demonstrate confidence in who you are: Whatever you choose to do with your life, be proud of the person you’ve become and continue to become. It may have been a long road and you may have experienced bumps along the way, but it’s the responsibility of a role model to commemorate the lessons learned, the strength we’ve amassed, and the character they’ve developed. We can always get better, however, in order for children to celebrate who they are, their role models need to show that confidence doesn’t start “5 pounds from now,” “2 more wins on top of this one,” or “1 more possession than I have today.” We must continue to strive while being happy with how far we’ve come at the same time.

“A good teacher is like a candle”

“A good teacher is like a candle, it consumes itself to light the way for others.” This quote by an unknown author embodies every aspect of what my teachers at Mid-Prairie High School do for each of their students. Teaching has always been a big part of my life. My mother is a first grade teacher and my father was an elementary art teacher before his accident. I have always known that teaching could be a career where you can influence the lives of others, but it was not until I got to the Mid-Prairie High School that I discovered how teachers could impact your everyday lives, your entire year, and your future.
You know you have an incredible support system when you look back on a year and realize just how much they have affected your life. I look back on high school and see that I would not be who I am today if it weren’t for every teacher that I have had in my academic career. However I think that it is the work of the High School teachers that have inspired me to pursue a career in teaching. They have not only inspired me to become a teacher, but to become an influential and inspiring teacher.
When I walk in the doors at Mid-Prairie there are no questions of how my day will go. There is a pleasant atmosphere floating in the hallways and around every corner is a smiling teacher. I know that I can go talk to my teachers about my homework, questions from class, or about what happened at the football game last Friday. Our teachers are not merely educators or classroom managers. They are adults who teenagers can trust in a time during their lives where they don’t know who to turn to. In my high school career we have faced many hardships and challenges such as the deaths of a student, two former students, and faculty spouses. The teachers at our school were continually there to support not only myself but also every student in the school as well as fellow staff members. They go above and beyond.
At the beginning of this school year we had an all school assembly. Our principal told us that this year we needed to push ourselves to the point of failure. We needed to push ourselves to where we were learning the most and where we were gaining the most out of our classroom experience. When you have a principal who is speaks to the students with that passion and desire for them to do well you know you go to an amazing school.
When I look at each individual teacher I try and think of why they do what they do. What has inspired them to become a teacher? It seems like each one has a different reason but it always comes back to the same concept. It’s because they love what they are doing. They love to inspire and impact students. They have that true passion for their subject area, their school, and most of all their students. Every teacher is someone a student, like myself, can count on. Every door is open and every ear is ready to listen.
Without the compassion of the teachers at Mid-Prairie I know I would not be where I am today. I would not be as prepared for life after high school or as excited, as I am if it weren’t for them. If it were not for the teachers at Mid-Prairie High School I would not be inspired to become a teacher myself. Each class that I take I know that I am being prepared for the rest of my life.
The mission statement for the Mid-Prairie School District is “Preparing today’s students for tomorrow’s world in a caring learning environment.” Each teacher takes this mission statement to heart. When a teacher is excited and passionate about what they are teaching their students will have that same excitement and passion about what they are learning. They put forth effort that is beyond any student’s expectations and the results are recognized throughout the country. We are recognized as a Blue Ribbon School and in the top 6% of High Schools in the Nation. I am honored to be able to learn in that building and those classrooms.
Looking back on the last three years of high school I can honestly say that I have been shaped into the person I want to be. While this is partly because of life experiences and personal choices it is also due to the passion my teachers have for their profession and individual students. My teachers encourage me to pursue goals higher than what I think I can reach and then work along with me to make sure I get there. When I graduate in the spring I will be fully prepared and ready for life after high school.

THE TEACHER AS A NATION BUILDER

The teacher can be rightly called a nation builder. Teachers through their perseverance, love and sacrifices has shown us the right path in which great men have built our nation. It is our dear teachers who mould our character, our personality and show us the right directon
which leads us to our final destination.

Flourishing national development and a society truly prosperous with knowledge all begins from its teachers. While the role of knowledge and a skilled society with visions and aspirations in the success of a nation cannot be stressed enough, it should also be remembered that knowledge cannot be acquired if it is not sought and received through the help of the teacher. This is why everyone should put efforts into seeking as much knowledge as possible, and appreciate the teacher’s importance in guiding us and the generations to come, to become knowledgeable and morally upright people.

Knowledge received without a teacher’s guidance can be compared to a blind man walking without his stick. Because of this, teachers need to have a high level of commitment towards their duties and responsibilities which have been entrusted to them. The teacher is a judge who gives marks and ratings. He differentiates children on the basis of their intellectual, and often social skills in preparation for the social and occupational roles which they eventually play. He does this by recommending promotions and demotions within the school, norminating children to take certain examinations and counselling children and their parents with regard to appropriate school courses, and employment possibilities.

The teacher is a representative of the society who inculcates moral precepts. In the development of a country,
great attention has to be paid to education and learning, as well as good morals, and nobody is more suited to assist in this process than the humble teacher. Without teachers, both knowledge and morals would suffer.

The role of the teacher is a multi-faceted one comprising academic, pedagogical and social roles. Academic roles comprise teaching, counselling and supervisory roles while pedagogical roles include instructional, evaluation and facilitating roles. As a facilitator of learning, the teacher is involved in motivating pupils to learn, maintaining control in the classroom and the school in general, and creating a condusive environment for learning to take place. Social roles of the teacher includes among others socializing roles which is preparing pupils to participate in the way of life of the society; others include reference roles, detective roles, parent surrogate (or substitute parent), confidants and affectionate roles.

No other personality can have an influence more profound than that of a teacher. Students are deeply affected by the teacher’s love and affection, his character, his competence, and his moral commitment. A popular teacher becomes a model for his students. The students try to follow their teacher in his manners, customs, etiquette, style of conversation and his get up. He is their ideal. He can lead them anywhere. During their early education, the students tend to determine their aims in life and their future plans, in consultation with their teachers. Therefore, a corrupt and decadent class of teachers can harm a nation more seriously than a class of corrupt and perverted judiciary, army, police, bureaucracy, politicians or technocrats. A corrupt and incompetent teacher is not only a bad individual, but also the harbinger of a corrupt and incompetent generation. A nation with corrupt teachers is a nation at risk; every coming day announces the advent of its approaching destruction.

Teachers therefore , have to play a cardinal role in the building up of the character of the next generation. It is a fact that a civilization cannot rise out of a skeleton of mere ideas and abstract concepts. Civilization finds a concrete shape in the practical behaviour of a nation, based on these principles and concepts. Once the practical aspect is gone, the civilization also disappears and can only be studied through its remnants preserved in museums and chronicles. This necessitates the provision of a learning atmosphere throbbing with life in our educational institutions through the presence of the teacher, with a view to infuse confidence in our students and to enable them to be proud of their culture, to respect their national character and national emblems, and to ornament themselves with societal conduct and morals. They should stand firm on the centuries old foundations of their cultural tradition and at the same time should establish standards of excellence in their academic performance.