SuperTeacher

What are some important qualities of a good school teacher? Use specific details and examples to explain why these qualities are important.

The SuperTeacher

Most of school teacher are an ordinary teacher. An ordinary teacher teaches the same way that their teacher taught. Average teacher reads textbook, show presentation slide, show problem example then they test their student with exam. After the exam, an average teacher grades their students work then the “study” finished. It will be repeated next year and the year after, it will be repeated in many countries again and again.
Since the endpoint of student’s lesson is grade, it is hardly surprising that students learn just to get a good grade for their exam. Student learns that they need to make a good grade, to pass to college, get a degree, and then it will be a ticket for a decent living. It is common that after college, people never learn again. It is no longer extraordinary that an elementary student had better and wider knowledge than their adult counterpart.
A very interesting TV show has pointed this fact. An adult person is contested with elementary school student with elementary education lesson. Both of them are asked with question like, “What is the name of a continent that also being a name for a country?” or question like “Who is the first president of USA?”The adult answer,” Well the name of continent is Asia, Africa, America, Australia but I wonder which one is the answer”. It is not difficult to guess who won the contest.
The problem is not that the adult is stupid. In contrary, he is capable to graduate from his college with a good result. The problem is that he considers his entire lesson as an obstacle to his real life. But it is not his mistakes, his teachers taught that if he made a good grade then he could enter prestigious college and getting rewarding job. This kind of thinking is not bad, but it is very misleading. Education is meant to be an intimacy with great ideas. Education meant to be a window to the world science, art, and cultural heritage, not just something you do to make a living.
I met one teacher with an excellent understanding of this principle. One of his students is gifted in music. He is a very talented musician and he plan to make music as his life pursuit. However, no student in his school can graduate without a good score in mathematics. Unfortunately, how can he score well in math? He does not even like number. Math is big but meaningless obstacle for him. Frustrated, he met his math teacher. The student inquired, “Why should I need to learn math? I do not need them in my music!” His teacher said, “Well, you don’t need them in your music. However, please tell me: how could you tell how much you need to earn for your living? How could you tell how much you spend in your credit, insurance, payroll, daily need?” The student quickly retorted, “I could employ my accountant to do that!” The teacher laughed, “Well, how could you understand your accountant if you don’t understand math at all?”
The student then understood an important point. Even thought his lesson seems meaningless, it is all interconnected. We need to share a wide and diverse understanding of how world work. Education is meant as a platform to open your understanding to world diversity. An absolute important thing for teacher is his/her capability to open the vision of his student. He/her should not only teach about arcane academic theory but also life practical application. He/her should be a facilitator for his student to open their mind and expand their horizon. A good teacher should taught by example not only by textbook.
Well, can you be a good teacher? Sure, you can do it!

Ari Bimo Prakoso
Teknik Fisika – Physics Engineering