Comments on: Teach us something please! http://www.nfgazette.info/2010/03/07/teach-us-something-please/ An online magazine just for Nerdfighters! Sun, 04 Jul 2010 16:49:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: jsumner http://www.nfgazette.info/2010/03/07/teach-us-something-please/comment-page-1/#comment-167 jsumner Sun, 04 Jul 2010 16:49:56 +0000 http://www.nfgazette.info/?p=217#comment-167 I remember reading this article and thinking it very helpful for new and upcoming teachers. When you mention the vocabulary words in a sealed envelope, that is used in an elementary school setting (I assume), so of course that's going to be more exciting to a little kid than to a high schooler, which I'm assuming (I assume a lot!) you are - sorry if I am wrong! I do agree that what makes a good teacher is someone who is knowledgeable and willing to impart decent and necessary knowledge to the students. Teachers also need to create connections with students; friendship is the best key. However, that is FAR more difficult than what it seems like from our perspective as a student. I have spent much of my time with two of my teachers, creating a deep bond that few students have the time or willingness to do. I see how they try to reach students by speaking congenially about the small stuff in our lives - just trying to be a good friend, you know? I then see the immense amount of disrespect given to them, from the students AND the administrators. Life is not easy, for anyone, but it hurts me to see them dejected after a hard days work. It's not only the teachers fault that education is running into a quagmire. It's the school boards, the administrators, the colleges responsible for training these teachers, and it's the students. Everyone needs a tune up in this system. I'm paying close attention to all of this, since more than likely I will become a high school social studies teacher, like my two best teacher friends. I can't afford not to pay attention to the changing times. Thank you for reading my rant, if anyone else is out there! I remember reading this article and thinking it very helpful for new and upcoming teachers. When you mention the vocabulary words in a sealed envelope, that is used in an elementary school setting (I assume), so of course that’s going to be more exciting to a little kid than to a high schooler, which I’m assuming (I assume a lot!) you are – sorry if I am wrong!
I do agree that what makes a good teacher is someone who is knowledgeable and willing to impart decent and necessary knowledge to the students. Teachers also need to create connections with students; friendship is the best key. However, that is FAR more difficult than what it seems like from our perspective as a student.
I have spent much of my time with two of my teachers, creating a deep bond that few students have the time or willingness to do. I see how they try to reach students by speaking congenially about the small stuff in our lives – just trying to be a good friend, you know? I then see the immense amount of disrespect given to them, from the students AND the administrators. Life is not easy, for anyone, but it hurts me to see them dejected after a hard days work.
It’s not only the teachers fault that education is running into a quagmire. It’s the school boards, the administrators, the colleges responsible for training these teachers, and it’s the students. Everyone needs a tune up in this system.

I’m paying close attention to all of this, since more than likely I will become a high school social studies teacher, like my two best teacher friends. I can’t afford not to pay attention to the changing times.
Thank you for reading my rant, if anyone else is out there!

]]> By: MammaMia http://www.nfgazette.info/2010/03/07/teach-us-something-please/comment-page-1/#comment-134 MammaMia Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:22:24 +0000 http://www.nfgazette.info/?p=217#comment-134 I did not completely read that article because as soon as they mentioned that the teachers might have something to do with the scores I went "duh" and decided not to spend any more time on something I apparently knew more about that the wise oldtimers at the New Yorker. Teachers always make a difference. I know when I was in high school the teacher would say, when you're in college you'll need to learn things for yourself because the teachers won't help you as much as I do" to which I would think, then why the heck do we need them? Teachers are there to take information and mold it in an interesting and easily learned way. If you shove textbooks at kids and then test them on it, of course their test scores are going to be lower because they don't know what they are supposed to be looking for! My favorite teachers, like you said, are ones who talk about the subject and are excited about what they are teaching. They listen to their students and explain the material to them in multiple ways in order to get it out to the largest amount ofstudents. Now obviously, no one teacher can teach everyone as everyone learns differently but it is the person in front of the classroom, not the book, not the activity, that really teaches students. It is the person to person contact that determines how much the student gets from the class. I did not completely read that article because as soon as they mentioned that the teachers might have something to do with the scores I went “duh” and decided not to spend any more time on something I apparently knew more about that the wise oldtimers at the New Yorker.

Teachers always make a difference.

I know when I was in high school the teacher would say, when you’re in college you’ll need to learn things for yourself because the teachers won’t help you as much as I do” to which I would think, then why the heck do we need them? Teachers are there to take information and mold it in an interesting and easily learned way. If you shove textbooks at kids and then test them on it, of course their test scores are going to be lower because they don’t know what they are supposed to be looking for! My favorite teachers, like you said, are ones who talk about the subject and are excited about what they are teaching. They listen to their students and explain the material to them in multiple ways in order to get it out to the largest amount ofstudents.

Now obviously, no one teacher can teach everyone as everyone learns differently but it is the person in front of the classroom, not the book, not the activity, that really teaches students. It is the person to person contact that determines how much the student gets from the class.

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