Golden Nuggets for Teachers
I was fortunate to hear Dr. Mark Rasmussen at educational conferences while a teacher at Bob Jones Academy. I was reading one of his books, 101 Tips for Teaching by Striving Together Publications. Some of his practical advice needs to be shared!
As teachers, we must discipline ourselves in the areas of study and personal growth…
The instructor must understand that a humble spirit will open the heart of a student…
One of the greatest attributes an instructor can have is that of a positive and joyful spirit…
A place of instruction should be a place of joy.
As mentors, the greatest gift we can give is our example…remember that the students are watching to see if we are living what we are saying.
If a student cannot trust the teacher, the instructional process is severely crippled.
The greatest compliment a teacher has is the true respect of the student.
As teachers, we should never underestimate the value of a life and the impact one life can make.
Let those you mentor know that you have big dreams for them!
The teacher needs to challenge and motivate students to do their very best.
It is the instructor’s job to strive to be a friend to those he is mentoring…a difference between being a friend and being a “buddy”.
True teaching does not just involve giving of knowledge, but also creating and stimulating (in the mind of the student) a desire to learn, but you cannot force a student to learn… So, what we do to create a thirst that will inspire a student to learn? … Use different teaching methodology…incorporating play acting, using the question as a teaching method, creating a visual aid, or procuring a book or article for students to read…
It ought to be the goal of the instructor to constantly be praising and encouraging the student when others can hear, and then use one-on-one correction.
Teaching is training…teaching is more than just discussing a subject in which the teacher is an expert. It involves training the student to also become an expert in that subject.
Leaders are by their very nature, problem solvers…The teacher can accomplish his goal by explaining how a particular problem could have been avoided in the first place.
The instructor must do everything in his power to encourage people to ask, “What if?” “Why?” “What are the results?” “How does this apply to me?”
The instructor must understand and realize that repetition is truly a great aid in teaching.
One of the problems with today's educational method is the lack of repetition on certain core principles, knowledge, skills…with each additional practice run, the skill level increased until finally it become second nature.
Repetition creates the proper mindset and the proper memory of how to carry out certain actions when an actual event occurs…time spent in practice will always reap great dividends in the performance.
One of the most important goals an instructor can accomplish is to help the student to see where there is need for improvement…how the fault can be conquered and ultimately overcome.
Teaching is preparing students for living. I know the above nuggets will help all of us to teach better. One of my favorite professors used to say “if the student hasn’t learned, the teacher hasn’t taught” (Dr. Walter G. Fremont). William A. Ward gave a challenging quotation to all teachers: “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” A Chinese proverb is also food for thought: “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.”
Joe Sabbadino
President, SCDTSEA