"Describing Teachers"

Welcome back to my blog! We are starting the 3rd part of the register, which means we are almost done. 

We actually watched a movie because the class started 30 minutes later than usual. It was funny because the teacher was surprised when he arrived.😂

For today's class (4/25/23), we had a brief recap of the previous topic "Describing Learners", and we went over the details we need to keep in mind when describing them and so on, but now we move to the student perspective to teachers.

So, we talked about what a teacher is normally like inside and outside of a classroom. Inside the classroom a teacher will typically give examples, move around during class, etc. Outside the classroom, most will be approachable. 

In addition, teachers have a role in the classroom, for example, being a mediator who has control of the class. 

They are usually referred to as:

Classgivers - Facilitators - Tutors - Mediators

Some of the aspects that we should take into account when describing teachers are: 

                                                             The teacher's role in the classroom

1. 

 As an organizer prior to a lesson

As performers (activity-behavior) 

Their rapport (+ or -) 

As teaching support (input, gestures)

As a native or non-native speaker

In addition to the teacher's role in the classroom, we can say:

A. Controller - Leading from the front.

B. Prompter - When students forget something, such as the instructions of a task, the teacher is there to remind them.

C. Participant - Taking an active role; for example, in a class discussion.

D. Resource - When students ask the teacher’s help. For example, when they don’t know how the meaning of a word.

E. Tutor - When giving feedback about a large project.

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04/27/23

Now, we move on to Part 2 of "Describing Teachers," in which we learned more about the role of the teacher:

The teacher as an organizer.

Teachers always plan their lessons and reflect on them before, during and after they are developed. An organizer first engages, then instructs (demonstrates), initiates and, finally, organizes feedback.

                                                           The teacher as performer.

Teachers vary their behavior. In other words, the activity that is taking place inside the classroom shapes the way teachers act. The following image illustrates this picture:

Rapport

Rapport means "the relationship that students have with the teacher and vice versa" (Harmer, 2007, p. 113). It is, in a sense, a magical connection. The following characteristics help to achieve a successful interaction:

A. Recognize students  Students love it when their teachers know their names and try to understand their character and preferences. 

B. Listen to students  Students respond very well to teachers who listen to them. 

C. Respect students Especially when being corrected. Teachers who do not react angrily do their best to see their students "in a positive light" (Harmer, 2007, p. 115).

D. Be evenhanded Although some teachers have "some students whom they love more than others" (Harmer, 2007, p. 115), they should try to treat all students equally because it not only helps to establish and maintain a good relationship, but it is also a sign of professionalism.

The teacher as a teaching aid.

Although most teachers always have many resources at their disposal, they sometimes have to convey meaning and instruction through their expressions, body language and pronunciation (especially when modeling dialogue). For example:

Native-speaker teachers VS Non-native-speaker teachers 

For many years, non-native teachers have felt a sense of injustice, have experienced a kind of inferiority and have struggled to prove their credibility as English teachers. All this happens because some people still have a couple of preconceived ideas of superiority in favor of native teachers. The following story had a big impact on me: 

It is important to highlight the differences between the strengths of one and the other: 

Strengths of non-native teachers: having previously gone through the process of learning a foreign language, they can better understand the feelings and concerns of their students at the moment of being instructed. This can help them readjust their teaching performance when necessary.

Strengths of native teachers: Their linguistic confidence about their language in the classroom and their cultural knowledge. For example, an American English teacher may have many enriching anecdotes to share when teaching about "Thanksgiving in America."

So that would be my blog for this week. Of all the points I liked the Rapport part, as I think very few teachers go that extra mile, from just teaching to truly caring and showing interest in the well being of their students. So, I believe that a genuine friendship between student and teacher is a gift. I can definitely say that you truly support your students, and that sets you apart from others. Keep it up!👏