School was never easy for me, but it becomes even harder when your teachers don’t encourage, inspire or enthuse. You would think that by 2019, teaching methods and attitudes would have changed for the better. Sadly, that’s not always the case.
My School Years
Looking back on my school years, I remember how uninspiring my lessons were. Many teachers failed to enthuse us, and as a result, many of my classmates struggled to succeed. With 37 pupils crammed into a single class, there was also little chance of getting the help you needed. If you found the work difficult, you were often left behind. Not all teachers were good, and not all students were given the support they deserved.
A Good Teacher Changes Everything
A good teacher can change everything. Encouragement, patience, and enthusiasm make a world of difference. Without them, school feels like an uphill battle.
Politics and Teaching
You may hear the odd student saying it was because my teacher enthused my love of science that I decided to become a scientist, but it’s not something you hear all the time. Times are changing, politics has now come into teaching in a big way and is a big turn off for many teachers.
Teachers' Enthusiasm is Crucial
But teachers’ abilities, enthusiasm, skill set and knowledge are crucial in determining the success of the children they teach. Teaching is about engaging, feeding student's minds, getting students to listen and switch on, for them to realise their endless possibilities.
It is important teachers enthuse and connect with the students they teach. They have to be interested in themselves and enthusiastic and interested in the students they teach. They must understand how to engage with students and teach them by inspiring and challenging them to think outside the box.
Teaching and Freedom of Speech
But teaching isn’t just about learning what you’re being taught or told. Teaching is about helping students think independently, form their own viewpoint, allowing them to ask questions that encourage freedom of speech and free thought.
Students work harder for teachers they respect and admire and on the part of the teacher, they should encourage their students to learn in an environment that enthuses and therefore encourages free thought.
My generation were hardly taught, never mind taught by enthusiasts. I cannot remember one single teacher or university lecturer who took any interest in me as an individual, or in my work.
I feel that I succeeded in spite of my teachers and that is a shame, as teachers are hugely influential and have a great responsibility.
I know from speaking with my children and with friends about their children's teacher, there are great teachers out there, it's unfortunate there are so many who aren't so great.
Thanks. Yes, I'm in the same camp as you, I don't remember any teacher enthusing their students, but add a learning disability to that equation and it's a disaster waiting to happen.
With capabilities and you managed, but so many students could have done better. There was less pressure in those days, less competition so it should have been easier to teachers and lecturers to teach.
There are so many students who slipped could have done better. I on the other hand completely slipped through the net.
It would have been nice if I had been able to take advantage of the few teachers who showed any interest in me when I was growing up.
We moved around a lot, so we never had that luxury. Most of the time we fell through the cracks. Today they would report parents who put their kids through what my parents put us through.
It seems like most people, including teachers, don't give a damn for anyone but themselves, so they don't go out of their way to help others.
My daughter's teachers didn't do much to push her to do better than she did, so I'm not impressed by teachers. Maybe someday that will change.
Thanks Randy. Yes, I share your sentiment. We must all come together and support one another.
You can only do what you can do. It's a shame your daughter also didn't get the help she needed, but rather than us dwell on the past and what didn't happen, we must work on ourselves.