THE TEACHER AND HIS PROFESSION

Teaching is the noblest and the most important profession in the world. It is in this
context that teacher is considered as the key figure in the educational system. In the hands
of the teacher lies the development and intellectual growth of an individual. With this
teacher should possess the qualifications and qualities needed to make her teaching
effective, efficient, productive, and meaningful in the life of the learner. What is a good
teacher?

Aside from educational preparation a teacher should possess the professional

qualities, instructional competencies, personal qualities and characteristics to be able to
be considered a good teacher.

Professional Qualities of a Teacher ( Lardizabal, A., et al., 200:-2-3.)

1. Mastery of the subject / field one teaches

2. Understanding of the learner
3. Understanding of teaching principles and skills in the use of techniques for their
implementation
4. General understanding of other branches of knowledge
5. Understanding and appreciation of the teaching profession

Instructional Competencies of a Good Teacher ( Calderon, I., 1998: 14-17 )

1. Mastery of the subject matter

2. Mastery of the methods, strategies, approaches, techniques and tools in teaching
3. Mastery of the medium of instruction
4. Mastery of lesson planning and organizing instructional materials and other resources
5. Mastery of the psychology of learning or educational psychology
6. Mastery of the formulation of goals and objectives
7. Mastery of classroom management including discipline
8. Mastery of measurement and evaluation
9. Mastery of the techniques of motivation

Personal Qualities of a Teacher ( Lardizabal, A. et al., 200:6 )

1. pleasing personal appearance, manner, courtesy, pleasant voice

2. intelligence, emotional stability and self- control
3. sympathy, kindness, helpfulness, patience
4. integrity, trustworthiness, honesty, loyalty
5. flexibility, creativity, resourcefulness
6. sociability, friendliness, cooperativeness
7. fairness, impartiality, tolerance
8. sense of humor, cheerfulness, enthusiasm

Personal Characteristics of a Good Teacher ( Calderon, J. 1998:17 – 20 )

1. Intelligence
2. Punctuality and enthusiasm
3. Good physical and mental health

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 4. Loyalty and commitment
5. Respect for the dignity of the individual
6. Fair level of tolerance, firmness and impartiality
7. Adaptability
8. Alertness, resourcefulness, creativity
9. Appropriate grooming
10. Christian outlook, missionary spirit
11. Clean sense of humor
12. Good professional and human relations
13. Good and moral and ethical character
14. Desire to grow professionally
15. Leadership and fellowship
16. Love for children
17. Observes the Code of Professional Ethics

The Teacher’s Job

1. Guiding the learning process

2. Counseling and guiding
3. Sponsoring extra class activities
4. Working with parents and the community
5. Professional responsibilities

DESCRIPTIONS OF BEST TEACHER ( G.W. Probst)

There are many characteristics, techniques, etc. that make for a successful teacher.
These may be as varied as the teachers themselves. However, there are certain time-tested
attributes, characteristics, and practices which contribute immensely to teacher success.
The following list contains items that students have used to describe their best teachers.
1. Enthusiasm
o Students can feel the excitement
o Students easily detect the teacher's love for job and subject
2. Preparation
o Teacher knows the subject
o Teacher plans and prepares lessons daily
3. Punctuality
o Always arrives on time
o Begins and ends class on time
o Expects and encourages students to arrive on time
4. Support and concern for students
o Lets students know that he/she cares about their success
o Takes time with students
o Allows for creativity
o Is friendly and courteous
o Is supportive and encouraging
o Is smiling, caring and loving
5. Consistency
o Does not miss class
o Is consistent in attitude and dealings with students
o Is always well prepared to teach class

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6. Politeness
o Treats students with respect
o Does not condescend
o Avoids embarrassing students in class
7. Firmness and control
o Is firm in a kind manner
o Avoids tangents in teaching
8. Does not play favorites
9. Provides personal help
o Takes time to explain concept
o Gives individual attention
10. Accepts individual differences
11. Employs an effective delivery
o Clarifies for understanding
o Creates a sense of fun with the learning task
o Eliminates bad, irritating and/or distracting habits
12. Does not make students lose face
o Avoids criticizing students
13. Has high expectations of class members
14. Is humble
15. Is fair
16. Uses variety
o Uses a variety of learning activities
o Experiments
o Allows for spontaneity
17. Has a sense of humor; is relaxed
18. Use of engaged time
o Sets a good pace and provides for a change of pace
o Avoids engaging students in "busy work"
19. Use of text
o Is not a slave to the text
o Uses text as a road map
20. Keeps within 1-2 days of the scheduled course outline
21. Field trips and other activities
o Applies student experiences to class work
22. Does not always teach from a sitting or leaning position
23. Interpersonal relationships with students
o Does not allow students to call him/her by first name
o Does not try to win a popularity contest
o Maintains a healthy teacher-student relationship
o Respects students (remember that sometimes what you think is healthy,
fun joking with students may be interpreted by them as disapproval and
dislike.)
24. Does not allow one or two students to monopolize or dominate the class
25. Keeps accurate records of
o Work completed
o Attendance
o Test results
o Grades

Additional Suggestions

1. Provide for activity changes -- perhaps something not on the lesson plan; for
example, scrabble, hangman, pictionary.

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 2. Be somewhat unpredictable -- Students will not know what comes next. Keep
students in some suspense.
3. Variety -- In teaching, variety provides for renewed interest in the subject matter.
Use variety in how you have students work together. Do not always pair the same
ones together. Provide for a variety of learning activities.

Some suggestions are:

o Assignments
o Brainstorming
o Buzz sessions o Charts and maps
o General discussion o Displays and mobiles
o Panel discussion o Filmstrips
o Problem-solving discussion o Flannel board
o Music o Flashcards
o Instructional games o Motion pictures
o Questioning and quizzes o Opaque projections
o Overhead transparency projections
o Reports and talks
o Role playing o Pictures, posters
o Worksheets o Tape recordings
o Demonstrations o Video tape recordings
o Dramas o Videodisk recordings
o Videotaping class presentations or
o Storytelling
o activities
o General chalkboard use
o Guest appearances
o Combined activities with
o Chalkboard illustrations another class.
4. Instant Involvement -- Create a variety of instant involvement techniques that can
be used to capture students attention for what will be presented.
5. Give eye-to-eye contact.
6. Change teaching style for variety.
7. Pace -- A change of pace is refreshing and helps students re-enter the learning
process.
8. Change of setting -- At appropriate times it is stimulating and interesting to meet
in a different location or setting for a specific learning task.

Teaching Styles

1. Formal Authority

Teachers who have a formal authority teaching style tend to focus on content.
This style is generally teacher-centered, where the teacher feels responsible for providing
and controlling the flow of the content and the student is expected to receive the content.

One type of statement made by an instructor with this teaching style is "I am the
flashlight for my students, I illuminate the content and materials so that my students can
see the importance of the material and appreciate the discipline."

Teachers with this teaching style are not as concerned with building relationships
with their students nor is it as important that their students form relationships with other
students. This type of teacher doesn't usually require much student participation in class.
"Sage on the stage" model.

2. Demonstrator or Personal Model

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 Teachers who have a demonstrator or personal model teaching style tend to run
teacher-centered classes with an emphasis on demonstration and modeling. This type of
teacher acts as a role model by demonstrating skills and processes and then as a
coach/guide in helping students develop and apply these skills and knowledge.

A teacher with this type of teaching style might comment: "I show my students
how to properly do a task or work through a problem and then I'll help them master the
task or problem solution. It's important that my students can independently solve similar
problems by using and adapting demonstrated methods."

Instructors with this teaching style are interested in encouraging student

participation and adapting their presentation to include various learning styles. Students
are expected to take some responsibility for learning what they need to know and for
asking for help when they don't understand something.

3. Facilitator

Teachers who have a facilitator model teaching style tend to focus on activities.
This teaching style emphasizes student-centered learning and there is much more
responsibility placed on the students to take the initiative for meeting the demands of
various learning tasks.

This type of teaching style works best for students who are comfortable with
independent learning and who can actively participate and collaborate with other
students.

Teachers typically design group activities which necessitate active learning,

student-to-student collaboration and problem solving. This type of teacher will often try
to design learning situations and activities that require student processing and application
of course content in creative and original ways.

4. Delegator

Teachers who have a delegator teaching style tend to place much control and
responsibility for learning on individuals or groups of students.

This type of teacher will often give students a choice designing and implementing
their own complex learning projects and will act in a consultative role.

Students are often asked to work independently or in groups and must be able to
maintain motivation and focus for complex projects. Students working in this type of
setting learn more than just course specific topics as they also must be able to effectively
work in group situations and manage various interpersonal roles.

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF TODAY’S TEACHING ( Mehl, Mills and Douglas )

1. Children learn by doing.

2. Motivation should be intrinsic and natural, not artificial

3. Learning should be gradual and continuous, not discrete.

4. Instruction should be adapted to individual needs.

5. natural social setting should constitute learning situations

6. Learning depends upon the child’s ability.

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7. Learning comes through sense impressions.

8. The child can best be educated as a whole, as a unit organism.

9. Teacher-pupil and inter-pupil relationship should be cooperative.

10. Education means improving the quality of living.