Teaching a foreign language is not easy. The teachers should know what characteristics of their students and choose the most suitable techniques for them. In line with this statement, Coller (1991) in Riyan (2012) states that good teachers are constantly searching for a new way to make the school world be meaningful to the student without wearing down the curriculum or presenting material over student’s head.
A teacher takes important role in teaching learning process. Kasbolah (1993) states a teacher is the first figure in the classroom since she/he is the only person who manages any kind of activities in the classroom. It is also supported by Finocchiaro (1964) who states that a teacher is the most vital single factor in teaching at any curriculum area. The teacher is the most influential person in the classroom, because she/he has to create a desirable classroom climate to plan a variety of learning activities to use material effectively.
According to Harmer (2001), in an attempt to find out that we all think about teachers and teaching he recently asked a variety of people the question ‘what makes a good teacher?’. The following answers are representative of the many that were given. (a) They should make their lessons interesting so you do not fall asleep in them; this was said by adult students at a private language school in England. (b) A teacher must love her job when she really enjoys her job that’ll make the lessons more interesting; this was also said by students in England. Teacher who look fed up or unhappy with what they are doing tend to have a negative effect on their students. When you observe good teachers you will notice that, even when/ if they are feeling terrible (outside the classroom), they put on good ‘teacher’s face’ when they enter the classroom. (c) I like the teacher who has his own personality and doesn’t hide it from the students so that be is not only a teacher but a person as well and it comes through the lessons; Students are tending to be interested in their teacher at least at first. The ones who share their personality with their classes often have better results than those who do not. (d) I like a teacher who has lots of knowledge not only of his subject; the preoccupation with the teacher’s personality is reflected here too: teachers should not be afraid to bring their own interests and lives into the classroom (within reason, of course). (e) A good teacher is an entertainer and I mean that in a positive sense, not a negative sense; students enjoy being entertained and amused. However, a balance has to be struck between entertainment (which often gives teachers enjoyable feedback) and teaching/ learning. Sometimes, the former can overwhelm the latter.
Although, as we can see, the character and personality of the teacher is a crucial issue in the classroom, by far greatest numbers of responses to the question ‘What makes a good teacher?’ were not so much about teachers themselves, but rather about the relationship between the teacher and the students. This is borne out in the following responses. (a) It’s important that you can talk to the teacher when have problems and you don’t get along with the subject; these are the words of an adult student. Teacher must be approachable. (b) A good teacher is somebody who has an affinity with the students that they are teaching; successful teachers are those people who can identify with the hopes, aspirations, and difficulties of their students while they are teaching them. (c) A good teacher should try and draw out the quit ones and control the more talkative ones; experienced teachers can tell you of classes which bright, witty, loud, extrovert students dominate. As the EFL teacher implies, it is easy to, be captivated by such students. It takes more effort to ensure that the quiet, shyer students also get a chance. One of the secondary students I questioned said, ‘A good teacher is someone who asks the people who don’t always put their hands up’. (d) He should be able to correct people without offending them; explaining to students that they have made a mistake is one of the most perilous encounters in the classroom. It has to be done with tact. The teacher has to measure what is appropriate for particular students in a particular situation. (e) A good teacher is someone who helps rather than shouts; said by a secondary school student, this was one of the many comments about discipline. The people who resent bad behavior most are not teacher, but other students who feel their time is being wasted. Learning how to manage students and how to control boisterous classes is one of the fundamental skills of teaching. A good teacher is someone who knows our names.
A teacher takes important role in teaching learning process. Kasbolah (1993) states a teacher is the first figure in the classroom since she/he is the only person who manages any kind of activities in the classroom. It is also supported by Finocchiaro (1964) who states that a teacher is the most vital single factor in teaching at any curriculum area. The teacher is the most influential person in the classroom, because she/he has to create a desirable classroom climate to plan a variety of learning activities to use material effectively.
According to Harmer (2001), in an attempt to find out that we all think about teachers and teaching he recently asked a variety of people the question ‘what makes a good teacher?’. The following answers are representative of the many that were given. (a) They should make their lessons interesting so you do not fall asleep in them; this was said by adult students at a private language school in England. (b) A teacher must love her job when she really enjoys her job that’ll make the lessons more interesting; this was also said by students in England. Teacher who look fed up or unhappy with what they are doing tend to have a negative effect on their students. When you observe good teachers you will notice that, even when/ if they are feeling terrible (outside the classroom), they put on good ‘teacher’s face’ when they enter the classroom. (c) I like the teacher who has his own personality and doesn’t hide it from the students so that be is not only a teacher but a person as well and it comes through the lessons; Students are tending to be interested in their teacher at least at first. The ones who share their personality with their classes often have better results than those who do not. (d) I like a teacher who has lots of knowledge not only of his subject; the preoccupation with the teacher’s personality is reflected here too: teachers should not be afraid to bring their own interests and lives into the classroom (within reason, of course). (e) A good teacher is an entertainer and I mean that in a positive sense, not a negative sense; students enjoy being entertained and amused. However, a balance has to be struck between entertainment (which often gives teachers enjoyable feedback) and teaching/ learning. Sometimes, the former can overwhelm the latter.
Although, as we can see, the character and personality of the teacher is a crucial issue in the classroom, by far greatest numbers of responses to the question ‘What makes a good teacher?’ were not so much about teachers themselves, but rather about the relationship between the teacher and the students. This is borne out in the following responses. (a) It’s important that you can talk to the teacher when have problems and you don’t get along with the subject; these are the words of an adult student. Teacher must be approachable. (b) A good teacher is somebody who has an affinity with the students that they are teaching; successful teachers are those people who can identify with the hopes, aspirations, and difficulties of their students while they are teaching them. (c) A good teacher should try and draw out the quit ones and control the more talkative ones; experienced teachers can tell you of classes which bright, witty, loud, extrovert students dominate. As the EFL teacher implies, it is easy to, be captivated by such students. It takes more effort to ensure that the quiet, shyer students also get a chance. One of the secondary students I questioned said, ‘A good teacher is someone who asks the people who don’t always put their hands up’. (d) He should be able to correct people without offending them; explaining to students that they have made a mistake is one of the most perilous encounters in the classroom. It has to be done with tact. The teacher has to measure what is appropriate for particular students in a particular situation. (e) A good teacher is someone who helps rather than shouts; said by a secondary school student, this was one of the many comments about discipline. The people who resent bad behavior most are not teacher, but other students who feel their time is being wasted. Learning how to manage students and how to control boisterous classes is one of the fundamental skills of teaching. A good teacher is someone who knows our names.