Friday, October 18, 2013

Passion and Commitment: Two Qualities of Highly Qualified Teachers



This week, I was able to get to the World Forum Radio through google and was able to download a podcast through itunes. Passion is a quality important for teachers, so this week I chose a podcast related to keeping a person’s passion for teaching alive. Three teachers, including Nancy Flanagan, shared with the host of “Teacher’s Aid” their thoughts on what has helped them keep their passion and enjoyment for teaching alive. Here is the link to that podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/rae-pica/id368754208
 
The author of Real Talk for Real Teachers suggested that teachers not just do what they were supposed to do, but instead include their own interests in the classroom . He also wanted teachers to know that all teachers have bad days and all teachers fail and make mistakes. He mentioned that fifteen years ago he was not able to “get to” all the students that he “gets to” now.  He said that one reason he believed students enjoy his classes was that the students knew that he had been teaching a long time, that he is committed. He said that students appreciate commitment and want to emulate it. He said it affects students when they think a teacher will just go get another teaching job somewhere else.  Another teacher mentioned noticing what is good about your class and focusing, for example, on who did their homework rather than on who did not. Another teacher said do something the kids will remember in 20 years, and another said to make sure we as teachers take care of ourselves.

4 comments:

  1. Hello Elizabeth,
    You mentioned that a quality teacher does something "the kids will remember in 20 years"; I think that is an important characteristic. Actually, I had an amazing grade 1 teacher and I still remember activities we used to do in the classroom!
    Thank you for sharing
    Ghayna Alsafadi

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  2. Hi Ghayna,

    My second grade teacher is a model for me. Most of my Catholic faith has resulted from her wonderful story telling ability. I also remember some activities from first grade.

    Thanks for the response!

    Liz Thomas

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  3. Hi Liz,
    I think that teachers deserve emotional support, at last we are human beings. and we all need support. Teaching is a challenging job, and yes I do agree that teachers must take good care of themselves so that they can fulfill their duties. I share with you and Ghayna the same opinion, I had a teacher that had a great influence on me in my first and second grade. Recently, I was so lucky, I had the opportunity to find and contact her through a social network.

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  4. Hi Rawana,

    That's a great idea! I wonder if I can contact my teacher. She might not be alive. She would be very old.

    Liz Thomas

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