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Cindy: OK, everyone. We’ve been asked to think of the characteristics of good teachers and those of good learners. Mike and myself volunteered to look at the former whilst Janet and Tim took on the latter. Mike, you’ve got our list.
Mike: OK everyone. This is what Cindy and I came up with. First, the teacher needs to be a good communicator. The teacher needs to be able to speak clearly and to explain what things mean. Taking this idea a bit further, the teacher should have an interesting voice. Schoolwork is often boring enough, without having a teacher with a boring voice.
Cindy: Yes. The teacher should sound interested in the subject. This might help the students to be a bit more lively and interested.
Mike: We also thought that a good teacher should get to know his or her students. We don’t mean that he or she should try to make friends with the students—that’s generally considered a bad idea at primary and secondary, schools. We mean that the teacher needs to know something of their backgrounds and their interests.
Cindy: The third thing is that a good teacher must know his or her subject inside out at the required level. It would be a disaster if the students knew more than the teacher! This means that the teacher must be well trained and fully familiar with the curriculum not only at the current level he or she is teaching but also at the previous levels, so that he or she knows what the students already know.
Janet: Or at least should know! You could say that a good teacher is aware that what is taught is not always the same as what is learnt.
Mike: Good point, Janet. Our next point is that a good teacher pulls you up one step at a time. They see that the gap between where you are and where you need to go is small enough to breach, so you can move up steadily, one step at a time, but large enough to signify true, real progress. Another thing is that teachers are guides, sometimes even role models, for students. Much of one’s character is shaped by teachers. So, as a good teacher, you must be honest and be patient. In addition, a good teacher must dress tidily, so as to set an example and to look professional.
Cindy: So, Janet and Tim—over to you.
Janet: Well, we came up with a whole list of things. First, a good student is active. This encompasses a wide range of things—not only getting on with the work assigned to them. For example, a good student will ask questions, particularly when they don’t understand something or for confirmation. He or she is motivated to learn and has study goals—either general goals such as getting into university or specific goals for things that he or she wishes to learn in the next month. A good student is disciplined. Now, we don’t just mean good behaviour—we mainly mean that he or she has the discipline to stick to a good study routine. This includes reviewing and previewing work. Tim will tell you what else we thought of.
Tim: We also thought that a good learner focuses on finding reasons why to do something not on reasons not to do something. Poor students usually tend to offer the immediate response "But..."
Mike: Yes, I’ve seen that a lot.
Tim: Haven’t we all? A good student is aware that learning often happens days or months later. It is not always linear and it is not always immediate. He or she sees learning as a long-term ’project’ rather than ’modulising’ it if you like into clusters of ’to do’s’, e.g. preparation for an exam. Many students will not do anything until about two weeks before a test and then cram.
Mike: Then I wonder why they didn’t do well!
Tim: Exactly! Any other ideas?
Cindy: I think that a good student doesn’t criticise teachers who have seen it all and done it all and actually have a better idea of what students need.
Janet: Nor do good students blame a teacher for his or her own lack of application. He or she accepts suggestions and tries to incorporate them into their learning.
Tim: I think that the key point is that a good student sets up his or her learning to be enjoyable.