Two days ago, a friend and I got into a discussion over good teachers at our school that got me thinking. Although most are decent, there are some that are mediocre and a few that are excellent. From these, I have seen a few qualities I feel make an exemplary (public school) teacher:
Depth of knowledge: Obviously, a teacher has to know the subject well. Those that have gone over the material enough understand the intricacies and subtleties of the subject. They have seen enough to not need to check back on resources to clarify for themselves but are a walking encyclopedia for their subject. They have studied their subject so intensively that they can explain it with clarity and simplicity. At this point, a teacher is an expert in the subject and serves as a fallback for students' questions and problems.
Breadth of knowledge: There is a point where the teacher knows the material so well that he views the subject in its entirety: breadth of knowledge. Usually, when you study something, you break it into pieces do make a daunting task less so. In school, a teacher does this by splitting the material into units of related material. Although this can cover the material in depth, it severs the connections between units that otherwise would be kept if the subject were viewed as a whole. A good teacher understands not only a unit as a standalone but how it is connected to the overall spirit of the course. He can make connections between not only different units but also other subjects.
My chemistry teacher explained equilibrium and solubility with analogies based on non-chemistry subjects, connecting it with visible phenomena my class and I could easily understand.
Humility: A good teacher knows the limits of his knowledge. He understand that his students may have other interests at heart or priorities over the material he is teaching and that he is not the center of their world.
I have a teacher who is a doctorate in chemistry, and although she of all my teachers probably knows the most about the subject, she is the most humble. She's one of the few teachers I have had that actually says "I don't know" when a student asks a stumping question. She is willing to admit when she is wrong and correct her error.
Humility is not solely personality-dependent. Generally, the more a person knows about something, the more aware they are about their lack of knowledge. So humility not only indicates a better personality but it points to greater knowledge.
Reasonableness: A good teacher understands the limits of his students to challenge but not exceed their capabilities to not squeeze interest out of them.
My math teacher this year, although the smartest I have ever had, has turned me off from math because of the exactness she expected on tests. Nowhere else besides my math tests do single-digit errors drop my grade by over 5%.
Understanding: A good teacher understands how his students think and view the world so that he can tailor his lessons to them. He knows his students' workload and adapts accordingly because the best work is not done without the time constraints of other classes.
Consistency: A good teacher is consistent in grading and attitude. He should be depended upon when it comes to fairness and justice.
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Self-esteem boosting?
Brought to my attention by a BBC article.
Now, one of the most strongly emphasized "skills" in a young child is self-esteem. A young student is supposed to believe and trust himself. Educators and parents are emphasizing this, telling young children that they are always right or at least in the right direction. Instead of scolding their children, parents are pampering them. All of this was done in the interest of a child's emotional security and mental confidence. However, the problem is that children are taking what they constantly hear to heart and truly believe themselves to be the center of the universe.
Before, a child actually had to own up to his mistakes. Now, he can just cower behind and let his parents do the brunt work. He can do low-quality, slow work and still be praised for it. Children feel entitled to things: praise, good grades, attention, and later in life, a job or promotion. The problem is, not everybody deserves these. Not every person is special and worthy of special acclaim.
Asking a child to change is too hard and would take away their self esteem, they say. A child needs to be confident in his own abilities to succeed in life, they claim. The problem is, the result of this is a generation of students who are told to be themselves, even when they produce bad work. They aren't compelled to change for the better, just continue in the incorrect way.
This form of teaching turns out bad students. It is the the opposite of strict traditionalist teaching methods and for that reason is too lenient. The best way is with moderate strictness.
Now, one of the most strongly emphasized "skills" in a young child is self-esteem. A young student is supposed to believe and trust himself. Educators and parents are emphasizing this, telling young children that they are always right or at least in the right direction. Instead of scolding their children, parents are pampering them. All of this was done in the interest of a child's emotional security and mental confidence. However, the problem is that children are taking what they constantly hear to heart and truly believe themselves to be the center of the universe.
Before, a child actually had to own up to his mistakes. Now, he can just cower behind and let his parents do the brunt work. He can do low-quality, slow work and still be praised for it. Children feel entitled to things: praise, good grades, attention, and later in life, a job or promotion. The problem is, not everybody deserves these. Not every person is special and worthy of special acclaim.
Asking a child to change is too hard and would take away their self esteem, they say. A child needs to be confident in his own abilities to succeed in life, they claim. The problem is, the result of this is a generation of students who are told to be themselves, even when they produce bad work. They aren't compelled to change for the better, just continue in the incorrect way.
This form of teaching turns out bad students. It is the the opposite of strict traditionalist teaching methods and for that reason is too lenient. The best way is with moderate strictness.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
College application triangle
The bottom level is the core and absolutely necessary for an application. These need to be solid before moving on to the next tier of application necessities. The second level allows a student to stand out and express individuality. The top demonstrates excellence and stands out the most.
The bottom left includes all the Collegeboard/ACT testing. These show preparedness for the test, but not much else. The problem with these is that once you are in the range, you look exactly the same to an admissions officer as any other applicant in this area.
SAT I: 2200-2400
SAT II: 720-800 for most, although there are some where nothing but an 800 cuts it
ACT: 30-36
AP: 4-5 gives credits for most schools
The middle section, school, includes grades and the like. Your transcript basically consists of this. It is unreliable in a college's eyes because the difficulty of the courses offered in a school vary by region and within a school teachers vary. However, it still needs to be solid to look good in a college's eyes.
The essay, recommendations, and possible interview give the college insight into how you act and express yourself. In the essay, you get to express your voice and experiences from your point of view. The recommendations give the college a look at who you are from other people's perspectives. The interview allows you to just be yourself.
The activities you do show your passions to the school. Leadership is better than participation; being a member of 5 clubs < style="font-style: italic;">Sports: Not just the common interscholastic sports, but uncommon sports such as archery, sailing, and rowing
Speaking: Speech and Debate, Junior Statesmen of America, Slam Poetry, Model UN
Writing: School newspaper, yearbook, and literary publications
Internships/jobs: The harder the position is to get, the better
Summer experiences: Stuff like AMIGOS and other volunteer abroad opportunities cost money but are fun
Volunteering: I personally despise volunteer clubs (because many people at my school join them just for the mindless community service), but they serve the purpose of appearing dedicated to helping society
Music: Either in a school or community symphony/orchestra/band/ensemble or privately. For a symphony, generally all wind instruments except the flute and clarinet as well as violas and double bass are in demand.
Awards show excellence and dedication. These are what make a student stand out above the rest as these awards are very difficult to attain and hard to attain a lot of.
Science: There are the Science, Bio, Chem, and Physics Olympiads as well as others
Math: There are many math and computing contests
English: There are numerous essay and poetry-writing contests
History: The National Geographic Bee as well as other historical competitions
Music: There are many music competitions available, more so for the piano than any other instrument
Collegeboard: There are AP-based awards, the PSAT National Merit Scholarship, and a few others
Language: There are many English and foreign language competitions
The bottom left includes all the Collegeboard/ACT testing. These show preparedness for the test, but not much else. The problem with these is that once you are in the range, you look exactly the same to an admissions officer as any other applicant in this area.
SAT I: 2200-2400
SAT II: 720-800 for most, although there are some where nothing but an 800 cuts it
ACT: 30-36
AP: 4-5 gives credits for most schools
The middle section, school, includes grades and the like. Your transcript basically consists of this. It is unreliable in a college's eyes because the difficulty of the courses offered in a school vary by region and within a school teachers vary. However, it still needs to be solid to look good in a college's eyes.
The essay, recommendations, and possible interview give the college insight into how you act and express yourself. In the essay, you get to express your voice and experiences from your point of view. The recommendations give the college a look at who you are from other people's perspectives. The interview allows you to just be yourself.
The activities you do show your passions to the school. Leadership is better than participation; being a member of 5 clubs < style="font-style: italic;">Sports: Not just the common interscholastic sports, but uncommon sports such as archery, sailing, and rowing
Speaking: Speech and Debate, Junior Statesmen of America, Slam Poetry, Model UN
Writing: School newspaper, yearbook, and literary publications
Internships/jobs: The harder the position is to get, the better
Summer experiences: Stuff like AMIGOS and other volunteer abroad opportunities cost money but are fun
Volunteering: I personally despise volunteer clubs (because many people at my school join them just for the mindless community service), but they serve the purpose of appearing dedicated to helping society
Music: Either in a school or community symphony/orchestra/band/ensemble or privately. For a symphony, generally all wind instruments except the flute and clarinet as well as violas and double bass are in demand.
Awards show excellence and dedication. These are what make a student stand out above the rest as these awards are very difficult to attain and hard to attain a lot of.
Science: There are the Science, Bio, Chem, and Physics Olympiads as well as others
Math: There are many math and computing contests
English: There are numerous essay and poetry-writing contests
History: The National Geographic Bee as well as other historical competitions
Music: There are many music competitions available, more so for the piano than any other instrument
Collegeboard: There are AP-based awards, the PSAT National Merit Scholarship, and a few others
Language: There are many English and foreign language competitions
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Take APUSH
This post is aimed towards the sophomores at my school who have to decide between APUSH (advanced placement U.S. history) and normal history.
Although it says 5 hours of homework per week in the course catalog, APUSH really doesn't give that much. In reality, it probably only takes 5 hours of note taking to finish the homework for an entire 2-3 week-long unit. And, that's only if you take moderately good notes. Your notes are up to you--Mr. J mostly checks that you have done them, not exactly what you have written. To him, the notes are for you to learn the material. However, the better the notes you take, the better you do on your tests, pretty much guaranteed.
The multiple choice tests are the hardest I've ever taken. Nowhere else do I ever find questions where I can eliminate none of the options. The plain recall questions pale in comparison to the historical analysis ones. For example, putting disconjoined events in chronological order when the American Pageant, our textbook, throws information in some convoluted thematical progression is tough. Pairing people up with their ideas and matching quotes to people are other tough questions. There are answer choices that have a date intentionally different so as to make that choice invalid. Getting a 75ish% on this section equals a 5 on the AP test, so the actual AP test should be simple.
Essays are actually your friend on the AP test. Two in 70 or one every 35 minutes is not too bad (remember that the SAT asks for one in 25 minutes). As long as you can flow your ideas well and logically tie everything back to the thesis, you will do well. The third essay, a 60-minute section with a mandatory 15-minute reading period, is basically an essay with a cheat booklet that you can pull information from. Getting around a B+ on an APUSH class essay correlates with a 5 on the actual AP test.
Do not be put off by the application and summer work--those are supposed to scare you off and do not realistically show the actual workload.
The benefits of taking APUSH far exceed the hardships. From this class, I developed skimming and notetaking skills that will help in upper-level courses. I've learned to look at everything thematically. Your views of the world will be completely changed once you take the class. You'll not only gain insight into why the world works the way it does, but you learn about cyclic trends that are still recurring. Liberalism to conservatism, expansion to decline, boom to bust all are occuring today and are even more relevant as they cycle faster and faster as technological innovation in communication and transportation speed our world up. By looking at the way groups have behaved in the past, you'll see how and why people act and think the way they do today. To me, APUSH was a life-changing course.
Although it says 5 hours of homework per week in the course catalog, APUSH really doesn't give that much. In reality, it probably only takes 5 hours of note taking to finish the homework for an entire 2-3 week-long unit. And, that's only if you take moderately good notes. Your notes are up to you--Mr. J mostly checks that you have done them, not exactly what you have written. To him, the notes are for you to learn the material. However, the better the notes you take, the better you do on your tests, pretty much guaranteed.
The multiple choice tests are the hardest I've ever taken. Nowhere else do I ever find questions where I can eliminate none of the options. The plain recall questions pale in comparison to the historical analysis ones. For example, putting disconjoined events in chronological order when the American Pageant, our textbook, throws information in some convoluted thematical progression is tough. Pairing people up with their ideas and matching quotes to people are other tough questions. There are answer choices that have a date intentionally different so as to make that choice invalid. Getting a 75ish% on this section equals a 5 on the AP test, so the actual AP test should be simple.
Essays are actually your friend on the AP test. Two in 70 or one every 35 minutes is not too bad (remember that the SAT asks for one in 25 minutes). As long as you can flow your ideas well and logically tie everything back to the thesis, you will do well. The third essay, a 60-minute section with a mandatory 15-minute reading period, is basically an essay with a cheat booklet that you can pull information from. Getting around a B+ on an APUSH class essay correlates with a 5 on the actual AP test.
Do not be put off by the application and summer work--those are supposed to scare you off and do not realistically show the actual workload.
The benefits of taking APUSH far exceed the hardships. From this class, I developed skimming and notetaking skills that will help in upper-level courses. I've learned to look at everything thematically. Your views of the world will be completely changed once you take the class. You'll not only gain insight into why the world works the way it does, but you learn about cyclic trends that are still recurring. Liberalism to conservatism, expansion to decline, boom to bust all are occuring today and are even more relevant as they cycle faster and faster as technological innovation in communication and transportation speed our world up. By looking at the way groups have behaved in the past, you'll see how and why people act and think the way they do today. To me, APUSH was a life-changing course.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Why study language arts?
Language arts is the study of expression. Having knowledge in history, math, and science is one thing, but being able to explain it is another. Now, because of the growth in knowledge, there is increasing specialization. Because of this, there needs to be more people proficient in explanation to bridge the knowledge gap between specialties. Using the right words in the right place is the core of language arts; this, when applied to oratory or literature, is a powerful tool that has been used to sway entire populations.
One of language art's strengths is the ability to paint a picture of a situation. Literature does a good job of this, creating an alternate reality that a reader can visualize. This is essential especially in history, when it is impossible to truly understand the world at a certain time period without being immersed in it. Fitzgerald's Great Gatsby teaches me about the Roaring 20s as much as my APUSH textbook does. As well as being enjoyable, literature can introduce topics in a well-flowed manner that typical readers can comprehend and internalize.
The Internet culture is full of people who are busy, checking blogs during their lunch break or multitasking, posting, surfing, and listening to music at the same time. The language we use indicates our rushed, terse way of life. While it is readable to us, it is a foreign language to those still in the pre-Internet age. This divergence between liberal Internet users and conservative traditionalists will be one of the greatest divisions in our modern society. And all along the way, the differences between the language we use will illustrate the parting.
Even fiction novels have significance. An author does not live in a vacuum-- his writing reflects the views and attitudes at the time it was written. His novel's popularity indicates how controversial its themes are or how well the people connect with it at the time. Its topics show what is on people's minds at the time. Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin, although it was fictional, reflected the anti-slavery mindset of Northerners in the Antebellum. It served to unify them and eventually swayed the nation to confront slavery. Even fiction writing, used as a didactic vehicle to convey greater ideas, can be used to sway readers' opinions.
By studying language arts, you study expression of meaning and explanation. This subject defines the border between book and street smarts; the three others, science, math and history are useful only when they can be communicated effectively to others. By studying writing and applying the themes, ideas, and concepts to oratory and your own prose, you can develop this skill and look better in the eyes of others.
One of language art's strengths is the ability to paint a picture of a situation. Literature does a good job of this, creating an alternate reality that a reader can visualize. This is essential especially in history, when it is impossible to truly understand the world at a certain time period without being immersed in it. Fitzgerald's Great Gatsby teaches me about the Roaring 20s as much as my APUSH textbook does. As well as being enjoyable, literature can introduce topics in a well-flowed manner that typical readers can comprehend and internalize.
The Internet culture is full of people who are busy, checking blogs during their lunch break or multitasking, posting, surfing, and listening to music at the same time. The language we use indicates our rushed, terse way of life. While it is readable to us, it is a foreign language to those still in the pre-Internet age. This divergence between liberal Internet users and conservative traditionalists will be one of the greatest divisions in our modern society. And all along the way, the differences between the language we use will illustrate the parting.
Even fiction novels have significance. An author does not live in a vacuum-- his writing reflects the views and attitudes at the time it was written. His novel's popularity indicates how controversial its themes are or how well the people connect with it at the time. Its topics show what is on people's minds at the time. Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin, although it was fictional, reflected the anti-slavery mindset of Northerners in the Antebellum. It served to unify them and eventually swayed the nation to confront slavery. Even fiction writing, used as a didactic vehicle to convey greater ideas, can be used to sway readers' opinions.
By studying language arts, you study expression of meaning and explanation. This subject defines the border between book and street smarts; the three others, science, math and history are useful only when they can be communicated effectively to others. By studying writing and applying the themes, ideas, and concepts to oratory and your own prose, you can develop this skill and look better in the eyes of others.