What is a teacher? Why are they so important in our society? Growing up I never really liked teachers. To me, they were boring people who had nothing better to do but talk about math, French, geography, English, etc. They use to take my time away from having fun, playing outside, and being with my friends. Teachers prevented me from watching my favourite shows on television, because I was stuck doing homework all night long. I was never a good student. I always had learning difficulties in school. I guess I never really liked teachers because I did not like school. In fact, I remember hating school. The teachers use to always scream at me, because I was “slower” then the others. In that case I rebelled. I did not want to be yelled at for getting a wrong answer all the time, so I would give them another reason to yell at me, bad behaviour.
Ironically enough, I want to become a teacher. I did not have good experiences in school, so my goal is to help students enjoy school, even if they are having learning difficulties. School should be a place where kids want to go every day, especially the kids with problems at home. It should be a happy place, where they go to learn and discover themselves as people. You never know what a child is going through so teachers should never judge a student. Nor should they treat them differently from other students, but be there for them at all times. Try to help them instead of putting them down even more. Every child should be treated equally, with the same amount of respect and the same ambition of helping every student you have on becoming successful.
It’s very important to know that every student learns differently. Creativity is the solution. You will have to teach something in different ways so that all of the kids can grasp what you want them to understand. It’s impossible to be a perfect teacher right off the bat, that’s why it takes practise and other ways of teaching all the time. This way you will be able to see what works better for your students. Activities and games can be a good way, because it will be fun for them and they would be learning at the same time. School should be a fun yet professional place for kids. I believe that education can be enjoyable, it just takes great management. Teachers must be organized and be prepared before every class. If you’re not ready, how will your students learn anything?
Another important aspect on being a great teacher is trust. They must have your trust before they believe anything coming out of your mouth. Make their classroom a happy and a safe environment. Once they feel comfortable and stress free, they will want to know what you have to say. If they trust you, you will be their role model. They will look up to you and want to succeed because they know that’s what you want for them. I say this because during stage, there was a child who was a trouble maker and having a hard time in school, but then he started to trust and respect me, and did everything to get the right answers. He wanted to impress me, and he really did. I was so pleased to see that he also ended up getting a lot better with his French, because he was opening up more, his math problems, he was not getting into as much trouble anymore, making new friends, etc. I think trust is a very important word when you are a teacher; it is what your students need to connect with you.
Respect is another key word for teachers. You must always have respect for your students, other teachers, the school you are teaching in, but most of all, yourself. For you to respect anyone, you must value yourself first. You might not always agree how another teacher educates his or her own students, but it is very important that you show consideration for it. Every teacher has a different way of structuring their class, and it is their own right to do whatever they believes would work for their students. How would you feel if someone came into your classroom, and told you that you were doing a horrible job? It would cause arguments for nothing. It’s important to work as a team as teachers and teamwork requires respect for one another. Every student is different but you must accept them all in the same way. The first thing I learned as a child was to respect others. You must give it to receive it. The same goes with your students. If they see that you care for them and really want to help them, they will admire you. Respect is a necessity in the classroom, because it is what will bring the group together.
My next significant point is love. You must love your profession and your students. To become a teacher, you have to like the job to really be good at it. You have to care and really want what’s best for your students. If you get a trouble maker in your class don’t hate them, but try even harder to connect with this child. Teachers should look at every student as if they were their own. When you are a mother you love all of your children equally. As a teacher you must feel the same way, never have any “favourites”. Caring for your students is so important; you need that kindness so that they feel safe and loved.
In conclusion, answering my question: “what is a teacher and why they are so important in our society” the answer is that a teacher is everything. A teacher is a friend, a parent, a coach, a psychologist, a good listener, someone with patience and knowledge, someone who loves children and wants to help them succeed, someone who is there for you when you are sad, happy or even mad. A teacher never stops learning. They can make mistakes because they are human. Every year their philosophy of teaching will change because they will grow and learn new ways to help their students grow too. They never judge, are very understanding and have respect for their students. Children are the future, and it is a teachers’ job to make a better one. They are the ones who prepare our future presidents, doctors, psychologists, police officers, firemen, secretaries, actors, etc. Being a teacher is a lot of responsibility because they are the ones who will help children discover themselves. Teachers make a big difference in our society because they are in charge of our future.
