teacher understanding essay

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Why Teachers Are Important in Society- Why Teachers Matter

Teachers are arguably the most important members of our society. They give children purpose, set them up for success as citizens of our world, and inspire in them a drive to do well and succeed in life. The children of today are the leaders of tomorrow, and teachers are that critical point that makes a child ready for their future. Why are teachers important? Let’s count the ways…

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Why teachers are important in society, reasons why teachers matter.

Children carry what they are taught at a young age throughout the rest of their lives. They will use what they have learned to influence society. Everyone knows that today’s youth will become tomorrow’s leaders, and teachers have access to educate the youth in their most impressionable years — whether that is in teaching preschool, teaching extracurriculars, sports or traditional classes.

Teachers have the ability to shape leaders of the future in the best way for society to build positive and inspired future generations and therefore design society, both on a local and global scale. In reality, teachers have the most important job in the world. Those who have an impact on the children of society have the power to change lives. Not just for those children themselves, but for the lives of all.

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How teachers bring change in a student’s life.

Great teachers have the ability to change lives for the better.

Teachers can act as a support system that is lacking elsewhere in students’ lives. They can be a role model and an inspiration to go further and to dream bigger. They hold students accountable for their successes and failures and good teachers won’t let their talented students get away with not living up to their full potential.

Teachers of all walks of life and subjects have the ability to shape opinions and help form ideas about society, life and personal goals. Teachers can also expand students’ limits and push their creativity.

Teaching is a tough job, but it is one where you can make the most impact in another person’s life. If you’re thinking of becoming a teacher, here are even more reasons why you should invest in a teaching career .

Role Models

Teachers are the ultimate role models for students. The fact that students come into contact with many different types of teachers in their academic career means that more likely than not, there will be a teacher that speaks to them.

The teacher-student connection is invaluable for some students, who may otherwise not have that stability. Teachers will stay positive for their students even when things can seem grim. A great teacher always has compassion for their students, understanding of their students’ personal lives, and appreciation for their academic goals and achievements. Teachers are role models for children to be positive, always try harder, and reach for the stars.

They Provide the Power of Education

Knowledge and education are the basis for all things that can be accomplished in life. Teachers provide the power of education to today’s youth, thereby giving them the possibility for a better future.

Teachers simplify the complex, and make abstract concepts accessible to students. Teachers also expose children to ideas and topics that they might otherwise not have come into contact with. They can expand on interests and push their students to do better.

Teachers don’t accept failure, and therefore, students are more likely to succeed. Teachers know when to push students, when to give a gentle nudge in the right direction, and when to let students figure it out on their own. But they won’t let a student give up.

Teacher provide guidance to students of all types.Teachers are able to see each child’s strengths and weaknesses and can provide assistance and guidance to either get them up to speed or push them higher.

They will help to reveal student’s best skills and teach valuable life skills as well, such as communication, compassion, presentation, organization, following directions, and more.

They are also a source of inspiration and motivation . Teachers inspire students to do well, and motivate them to work hard and keep their academic goals on track.

One of the most important parts of teaching is having dedication. Teachers not only listen, but also coach and mentor their students. They are able to help shape academic goals and are dedicated to getting their students to achieve them. Teachers have patience for their students and are understanding when a concept isn’t taking.

Teachers do what they do because they want to help others. They are not teaching for recognition or a paycheck but because they have a passion for youth and education. Teachers typically believe in the power of education and the importance of providing children with good role models and are teaching because of that belief. They are dedicated to the cause.

Finally, teachers’ dedication is shown by their ‘round-the-clock work habits. Teachers don’t stop working when the school bell rings. They are grading papers, making lessons, and communicating with parents after school and on weekends. Most teachers arrive earlier than school starts to set up their day and provide extra assistance to struggling students.

Teachers Play a Great Role in the Economic Development of the Country

Education is a fundamental aspect in the development of a country. If the youth of a society is educated, a future is born. Teachers provide the education that improves quality of life, therefore bringing so much to both individuals and society as a whole.

Teachers increase productivity and creativity of students and therefore, of future workers. When students are pushed to be creative and productive, they are more likely to be entrepreneurial and make technological advances, ultimately leading to economic development of a country.

The Most Important Characteristics of a Great Teacher

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The following attributes make the difference between a good teacher and a truly great teacher who becomes an inspiration to their students..

• Compassion: Compassion is important not only when dealing with the students but also other teachers, other school staff, and parents.
• Passion for Learning and Children: Teaching can be incredibly stressful, so great teachers must have a deep passion to keep them going every day.
• Understanding: Teachers need a deep understanding of where their students are coming from — their backgrounds, their struggles, and their abilities.
• Patience: Patience is key. This is very true of teaching, and not just patience with the students! Teachers also need patience in dealing with the school system, bureaucracy, and parents as well.
• Ability to Be a Role Model: Teachers must come into work every day knowing their students will soak up their actions like sponges. They must show how to be a good person not just by telling, but also by being.
• Communication Across Generations and Cultures: Teachers need to be able to effectively communicate with students from multiple cultures and generations, as well as teaching staff and superiors with various backgrounds and from other generations.
• Willingness to Put in the Effort: If a teacher doesn’t care or doesn’t make the effort, their students won’t either. If a teacher shows students that they do truly care, they’ll do the same.

How to Become a Teacher

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All this positive talk about teachers have you thinking you’re ready to become one the following steps will take you there., 1. get experience.

Before you start studying to become a teacher, be sure that you have the patience and temperament to work with children or teenagers for seven or more hours per day. If you still want to teach and make a difference but don’t think the traditional route will work for you, consider teaching after-school classes, coaching, or adult teaching opportunities.

2. Pre-K, K-8, or High School

This decision is an important one because it will make a difference for what degree or certificate you will need. Hopefully by now, you have some idea of the age group or subject matter you would like to teach. If not, get some experience to find out. For high school teachers, you’ll need to decide on a specialization during your studies.

3. Get a Degree

All full-time teaching jobs, even preschool, require degrees nowadays. University of the People in collaboration with the International Baccalaureate (IB) offers a Master’s Degree in Education that is 100% online, tuition-free, and US accredited. Any bachelor’s degree is accepted as a prerequisite so you can start your dream of becoming a teacher, no matter your background.

4. Get a Teaching Certificate

While some independent schools do not require a teaching certificate, the vast majority do. Some graduate programs will concurrently graduate students with a degree and a certificate at the same time but others will not. In some cases, you will only need a teaching certificate and not a degree, such as with teaching English.

Why are teachers important? Teachers truly are the backbone of society. They are role models to children, offer guidance and dedication and give young people the power of education. Because of teachers, countries are able to further develop socially and economically. Next time you or your community achieve something great, take a moment to think of and be grateful for the teachers who made it possible.

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Essay on Teacher: Our Friend, Philosopher and Guide in 100, 250 & 300 Words

• Updated on  
• Aug 31, 2023

Teachers are like the guiding stars in our educational journey. They shine our path with knowledge and encouragement. A teacher is a person who helps us learn and grow. They are the ones who guide us through our education and help us to become the best versions of ourselves. Teachers come in all shapes and sizes, but they all have one thing in common: they are passionate about teaching. In this blog, we’ll explore the enchanting role of teachers through the eyes of a student, celebrating their invaluable contributions to our lives.

Sample Essay on Teacher in 100 Words

A teacher is a person who helps us understand ourselves. They are the supporters who help us through tough times. Teachers are important because they help us to become the best versions of ourselves. They are like superheroes with the power to ignite our curiosity and help us grow. They teach us numbers, alphabets, and fascinating stories. They are patient listeners, ready to answer our questions and wipe away our doubts. They inspire us to dream big and show us that with hard work, we can achieve anything. A teacher’s love is like a warm hug that makes learning exciting and enjoyable.

Also Read: Teacher Self Introduction to Students and Samples

Sample Essay on Teacher in 250 Words

Teachers are magical beings who turn the pages of our books into captivating adventures. Teachers create colorful classrooms where learning becomes joyous. Their dedication is seen when they explain complex problems in simple ways and solve problems in math and science. With smiles on their faces, they teach us history, nurture our creativity through art, music, and storytelling, and help us express our feelings and thoughts.

Apart from books, teachers also impart life lessons. They teach us to be kind, respectful, and responsible citizens. They show us the value of friendship and the importance of helping others. Teachers celebrate our achievements, no matter how small, and cheer us on during challenges.

A teacher is a person who has a profound impact on our lives. They are the ones who teach us the things we need to know to succeed in life, both academically and personally. They are also there to support us and help us through tough times.

There are many different qualities that make a good teacher. Some of the most important qualities include patience, understanding, and a love of teaching. Good teachers are also able to connect with their students and make learning fun. A good teacher can make a real difference in a student’s life. They can help students develop their talents and abilities, and they can also help them to become confident and self-motivated learners.

Also Read- How to Become a Teacher?

Sample Essay on Teacher in 300 Words

In a world, teachers are essential as they bridge the gap between the unknown and the known. They take the time to understand each student’s unique needs and help them modify and hone their skills. In this process of our learning, they become a friend, philosophers, and guides.

Teachers are more than just knowledge sharers. They are like gardeners, nurturing the seeds of kindness, respect, and responsibility in a student’s heart. They teach us to be a good friend and have empathy. They also encourage us to care for our planet, reminding us that we are its custodians.

As we journey through school, teachers become our guides, showing us the various paths we can take. They encourage us to discover our passions, whether it’s solving math puzzles, painting masterpieces, or playing musical notes. They celebrate our victories, whether big or small and help us learn from our mistakes, turning them into stepping stones toward success. 

A good teacher can make a real difference in a student’s life. They can help students to develop their talents and abilities, and they can also help them to become confident and self-motivated learners.

I am grateful for all the teachers who have helped me along the way. They have taught me so much, and they have helped me to become the person I am today. I know that I would not be where I am without them.

Remember, each day with a teacher is a new adventure, a new opportunity to learn, and a new chance to grow. So, young learners, let’s raise our hands and give a cheer to our teachers, the real-life magicians who make education a truly enchanting place to live.

Also Read – Self Introduction for Teacher Interview

A. Here are two lines lines for a good teacher: Teachers are like shining stars guiding us to the path of knowledge. Teachers are our guardian angels.

A. A teacher is not an acronym, so there is no full form for it, yet some students exhibit affection for their teacher. It also allows one to express creativity. Following are some popular full forms of Teacher: T – Talented, E-Educated, A-Adorable, C-Charming, H-Helpful. E-Encouraging, R-Responsible.

A. A teacher is an educator or a person who helps one acquire knowledge and imparts wisdom through teaching methods.

Hence, we hope that this blog has assisted you in comprehending what an essay on a teacher must include. If you are struggling with your career choices and need expert guidance, our Leverage Edu mentors and teachers are here to guide you at any point of your academic and professional journey thus ensuring that you take informed steps towards your dream career.

Rajshree Lahoty

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Redefining the Role of the Teacher: It’s a Multifaceted Profession

A closer look at what being an educator really means.

Imagine a school where teaching is considered to be a profession rather than a trade. The role of teachers in a child's education -- and in American culture -- has fundamentally changed. Teaching differs from the old "show-and-tell" practices as much as modern medical techniques differ from practices such as applying leeches and bloodletting.

Instruction doesn't consist primarily of lecturing to students who sit in rows at desks, dutifully listening and recording what they hear, but, rather, offers every child a rich, rewarding, and unique learning experience. The educational environment isn't confined to the classroom but, instead, extends into the home and the community and around the world. Information isn't bound primarily in books; it's available everywhere in bits and bytes.

Students aren't consumers of facts. They are active creators of knowledge. Schools aren't just brick-and-mortar structures -- they're centers of lifelong learning. And, most important, teaching is recognized as one of the most challenging and respected career choices, absolutely vital to the social, cultural, and economic health of our nation.

Today, the seeds of such a dramatic transformation in education are being planted. Prompted by massive revolutions in knowledge, information technology, and public demand for better learning, schools nationwide are slowly but surely restructuring themselves.

Leading the way are thousands of teachers who are rethinking every part of their jobs -- their relationship with students, colleagues, and the community; the tools and techniques they employ; their rights and responsibilities; the form and content of curriculum; what standards to set and how to assess whether they are being met; their preparation as teachers and their ongoing professional development; and the very structure of the schools in which they work. In short, teachers are reinventing themselves and their occupation to better serve schools and students.

New Relationships and Practices

Traditionally, teaching was a combination of information-dispensing, custodial child care and sorting out academically inclined students from others. The underlying model for schools was an education factory in which adults, paid hourly or daily wages, kept like-aged youngsters sitting still for standardized lessons and tests.

Teachers were told what, when, and how to teach. They were required to educate every student in exactly the same way and were not held responsible when many failed to learn. They were expected to teach using the same methods as past generations, and any deviation from traditional practices was discouraged by supervisors or prohibited by myriad education laws and regulations. Thus, many teachers simply stood in front of the class and delivered the same lessons year after year, growing gray and weary of not being allowed to change what they were doing.

Many teachers today, however, are encouraged to adapt and adopt new practices that acknowledge both the art and science of learning. They understand that the essence of education is a close relationship between a knowledgeable, caring adult and a secure, motivated child. They grasp that their most important role is to get to know each student as an individual in order to comprehend his or her unique needs, learning style, social and cultural background, interests, and abilities.

This attention to personal qualities is all the more important as America continues to become the most pluralistic nation on Earth. Teachers have to be committed to relating to youngsters of many cultures, including those young people who, with traditional teaching, might have dropped out -- or have been forced out -- of the education system.

Their job is to counsel students as they grow and mature -- helping them integrate their social, emotional, and intellectual growth -- so the union of these sometimes separate dimensions yields the abilities to seek, understand, and use knowledge; to make better decisions in their personal lives; and to value contributing to society.

They must be prepared and permitted to intervene at any time and in any way to make sure learning occurs. Rather than see themselves solely as masters of subject matter such as history, math, or science, teachers increasingly understand that they must also inspire a love of learning.

In practice, this new relationship between teachers and students takes the form of a different concept of instruction. Tuning in to how students really learn prompts many teachers to reject teaching that is primarily lecture based in favor of instruction that challenges students to take an active role in learning.

They no longer see their primary role as being the king or queen of the classroom, a benevolent dictator deciding what's best for the powerless underlings in their care. They've found they accomplish more if they adopt the role of educational guides, facilitators, and co-learners.

The most respected teachers have discovered how to make students passionate participants in the instructional process by providing project-based, participatory, educational adventures. They know that in order to get students to truly take responsibility for their own education, the curriculum must relate to their lives, learning activities must engage their natural curiosity, and assessments must measure real accomplishments and be an integral part of learning.

Students work harder when teachers give them a role in determining the form and content of their schooling -- helping them create their own learning plans and deciding the ways in which they will demonstrate that they have, in fact, learned what they agreed to learn.

The day-to-day job of a teacher, rather than broadcasting content, is becoming one of designing and guiding students through engaging learning opportunities. An educator's most important responsibility is to search out and construct meaningful educational experiences that allow students to solve real-world problems and show they have learned the big ideas, powerful skills, and habits of mind and heart that meet agreed-on educational standards. The result is that the abstract, inert knowledge that students used to memorize from dusty textbooks comes alive as they participate in the creation and extension of new knowledge.

New Tools and Environments

One of the most powerful forces changing teachers' and students' roles in education is new technology. The old model of instruction was predicated on information scarcity. Teachers and their books were information oracles, spreading knowledge to a population with few other ways to get it.

But today's world is awash in information from a multitude of print and electronic sources. The fundamental job of teaching is no longer to distribute facts but to help children learn how to use them by developing their abilities to think critically, solve problems, make informed judgments, and create knowledge that benefits both the students and society. Freed from the responsibility of being primary information providers, teachers have more time to spend working one-on-one or with small groups of students.

Recasting the relationship between students and teachers demands that the structure of school changes as well. Though it is still the norm in many places to isolate teachers in cinderblock rooms with age-graded pupils who rotate through classes every hour throughout a semester -- or every year, in the case of elementary school -- this paradigm is being abandoned in more and more schools that want to give teachers the time, space, and support to do their jobs.

Extended instructional periods and school days, as well as reorganized yearly schedules, are all being tried as ways to avoid chopping learning into often arbitrary chunks based on limited time. Also, rather than inflexibly group students in grades by age, many schools feature mixed-aged classes in which students spend two or more years with the same teachers.

In addition, ability groups, from which those judged less talented can rarely break free, are being challenged by a recognition that current standardized tests do not measure many abilities or take into account the different ways people learn best.

One of the most important innovations in instructional organization is team teaching, in which two or more educators share responsibility for a group of students. This means that an individual teacher no longer has to be all things to all students. This approach allows teachers to apply their strengths, interests, skills, and abilities to the greatest effect, knowing that children won't suffer from their weaknesses, because there's someone with a different set of abilities to back them up.

To truly professionalize teaching, in fact, we need to further differentiate the roles a teacher might fill. Just as a good law firm has a mix of associates, junior partners, and senior partners, schools should have a greater mix of teachers who have appropriate levels of responsibility based on their abilities and experience levels. Also, just as much of a lawyer's work occurs outside the courtroom, so, too, should we recognize that much of a teacher's work is done outside the classroom.

New Professional Responsibilities

Aside from rethinking their primary responsibility as directors of student learning, teachers are also taking on other roles in schools and in their profession. They are working with colleagues, family members, politicians, academics, community members, employers, and others to set clear and obtainable standards for the knowledge, skills, and values we should expect America's children to acquire. They are participating in day-to-day decision making in schools, working side-by-side to set priorities, and dealing with organizational problems that affect their students' learning.

Many teachers also spend time researching various questions of educational effectiveness that expand the understanding of the dynamics of learning. And more teachers are spending time mentoring new members of their profession, making sure that education school graduates are truly ready for the complex challenges of today's classrooms.

Reinventing the role of teachers inside and outside the classroom can result in significantly better schools and better-educated students. But though the roots of such improvement are taking hold in today's schools, they need continued nurturing to grow and truly transform America's learning landscape. The rest of us -- politicians and parents, superintendents and school board members, employers and education school faculty -- must also be willing to rethink our roles in education to give teachers the support, freedom, and trust they need to do the essential job of educating our children.

Judith Taack Lanier is a distinguished professor of education at Michigan State University.

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• Volume 59, Issue 10
• Teaching the teachers: ways of improving teaching and identifying areas for development
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What does “teaching the teachers” mean?

The term refers to ways of enabling teachers to develop their ability to help students to learn. It can denote a range of activities and have a variety of outcomes. Boxes FB1 and FB2 outline some of these activities and outcomes.

Attendance at courses on teaching

Attendance at sessions on aspects of teaching, such as lecturing, running tutorials

Having one's own teaching observed and commented upon

Observing others teaching (learning by example)

Discussion of issues, such as planning and evaluating a session, with a respected teacher

Reflecting on one's own teaching and trying to identify what aspects are helpful to students' learning and which are not

Studying student feedback, whether written or verbal, to identify what students report as being helpful and unhelpful to their learning

Mentoring of a new teacher by an experienced colleague

Better understanding of what helps students to learn

Acquiring techniques—for example, on how to encourage participation or how to lecture effectively

Gaining ideas on ways of structuring information to make it more accessible to students

Feeling more motivated and more able to engage in teaching

Valuing teaching more highly

Well motivated teachers convey their enthusiasm to their students and this encourages them to learn. 1 Teachers can be helped to maintain their motivation by knowing that they are doing a good job: that they are helping students to learn effectively. By enhancing teachers' understanding and abilities, teaching the teachers activities can help to nurture enthusiasm for teaching in the face of competing pressures from clinical and other demands.

How can teaching the teachers offer opportunities to hard pressed teachers to increase their ability to teach well and enjoy the process?

Medical schools, postgraduate centres, and numerous other providers offer courses on aspects of teaching and learning. Attending a course may well be the first thought of someone wishing to improve their teaching or of a colleague offering advice on how to enhance teaching skills. However, it is well worth considering a range of options and matching these to the person's requirements rather than just accepting what first comes to mind. The likelihood of making an appropriate choice is greatly increased by being clear about what one wants. If you want to have a beach holiday, you are unlikely to book a week in the Alps! Yet people often enrol for educational sessions and courses with rather hazy ideas about what they want or what will be offered to them. This is rather like picking a holiday more or less at random, rather then finding out exactly what is available and seeing if this meets your requirements. Spending time in thinking through some simple but important questions can help to ensure satisfaction with the eventual choice. Box FB3 provides examples of questions which might be asked; others that are appropriate to specific teaching situations may occur to readers.

Questions teachers might ask themselves

What is it that I want to be able to do differently?

Do I need more knowledge about the learning process?

Do I need to know more about the techniques and methods of teaching?

Do I need to examine the way in which I view my teaching and, maybe, change this?

Are my problems in teaching mainly organisational? For example, too few patients on the ward who are suitable for my students to learn from, or lack of a reasonable room in which to run an interactive small group session.

Do I need to gain feedback about how I am doing as a teacher?

Do I need more practice in certain areas, such as writing learning objectives or producing a lecture at a suitable level for first year undergraduates?

Having thought through their responses to such questions, teachers should be clearer about what they require in order to develop their teaching. This, in turn, will help with the choice of activity to meet these requirements. For example, if more feedback is desired, then this may be gained in a variety of ways, such as from colleagues observing teaching sessions and offering feedback on prespecified areas; from students through specifically designed feedback sheets or by discussion in focus groups; from videoed teaching and subsequent analysis, with or without the help of a colleague or educationalist.

If more information on the learning process is desired, then a textbook on learning in higher education or on the psychology of learning, perhaps using the recommendation of a friend or colleague in the education department, is a good starting place. The point is that there are a number of ways of enhancing teaching ability besides enrolling on courses. To make good use of a course, or any other way of building knowledge or skills and enjoyment of teaching, it is important to have a clear view about what one wishes to learn and why. This does not imply that unexpected learning is not valuable; indeed it may prove of more worth than the intended outcome. However, time is precious and making a thought-through choice of a learning activity will increase the likelihood that the desired goal is achieved. Additional learning is then a bonus.

What do courses have to offer teachers of medicine?

Having suggested that attending a course is only one of a number of possible ways of teaching the teachers, it may be useful to outline some of the strengths of this method of teacher development as it is a commonly chosen option.

Whatever the aims and content of a course, this way of learning usually offers an opportunity for teachers to meet together to share experiences, ideas, problems, and strategies. This in itself can be immensely supportive and lead to creative problem solving and effective learning. A supportive and challenging group offers an environment that facilitates change and growth, which is why course organisers spend time on building group cohesion and encouraging honest feedback within a climate of respect and good humour. “Good” groups are more often the result of skilled organisation and facilitation than serendipity! Although some course participants may feel impatient about group-building activities, the canny will gain double value by both benefiting from the end product of these and analysing what seems to be effective and seeing how this might be translated into their own teaching situations.

Courses also often provide opportunities for practical work on issues related to teaching and learning. For example, subgroups might spend time devising a course evaluation sheet that could be copied and taken away to be customised by teachers to fit their own course or medical school requirements. Courses, such as “Training the trainers” run by the Royal College of Surgeons, or those run by a number of medical schools and other organisations—for example, the Medical Education Interview Teaching Association, offer opportunities for participants to run short practice teaching sessions—“microteaching”—with subsequent feedback from other course participants. A commonly used format is for each course participant in turn to offer an episode of microteaching, followed by feedback from the other participants who have been taught during the microteaching. These small teaching sessions may involve interactive, didactic or, where practical skills are involved, hands-on teaching. Examples might be running a short discussion, teaching how to recognise osteoarthritic disease in the joints of the fingers, or training someone to tie a surgical knot. Microteaching may or may not be videoed, according to the objectives and the time available.

The format for giving feedback to the teacher, who is, of course, the prime learner in this situation, varies from course to course. Some use what are referred to as “Pendleton's rules” 2 where the prime learner speaks first, and then other participants relate what they felt went well and what went less well and recommendations for improvement are made. Allowing the person who conducted the microteaching to say how s/he felt about the session before anyone else comments is important. It helps to give a feeling of control and removes the irritation of others commenting on points of which the person was only too well aware. However, Pendleton's format was developed in order to give feedback as part of the process of evaluating consultation skills. Sticking to a “what went well”, “what went less well” structure for microteaching feedback from a number of learners can be less helpful, in the author's experience. The reasons for this are, firstly, that it polarises the comments into “good” and “bad”, whereas feedback needs to reveal to the prime learner what the learner actually experienced, which may be neither negative or positive, or may contain elements of both. Secondly, people tend to pay less attention to the positive points as they wait to hear the bad news which they expect to follow. Box FB4 outlines an alternative format for giving feedback, which works well for microteaching.

An alternative format for giving feedback

The microteaching session takes place with a course participant acting as teacher and therefore the prime learner

An observer who may be the course organiser or may be a course participant takes notes in chronological order

After the microteaching, the prime learner and those who have been taught, make brief notes about the experience

The course organiser invites the prime learner to say how s/he found the experience and whether s/he thinks that the learning outcomes were achieved and to make any other pressing comments

The course organiser then invites each participant in turn to say what they learnt and how they felt about the experience. Participants are asked to use “I” statements and comment only on what they actually experienced, to be specific, and to avoid interpretation (“I think you meant...”) or advice giving (“I think you should ...”)

When all participants have spoken, the observer adds points not already covered, again sticking to what was actually observed and striving to be clear and specific

If appropriate, the course organiser may add comments if there are points which have been missed and to emphasise positive points

Finally, the prime learner has a chance to make any further comments, but is encouraged not to justify or defend. Advice can be invited if required at this stage. The prime learner is invited to note down one or two key learning points at the end of the session

This format enables straightforward, honest feedback to be given within a safe structure, in which the emphasis is on learning from what actually happened rather than on hypothetical situations or remembered experience. The feedback is about what the learners actually did, felt, and thought and they report on this and on what they learnt. This is by no means always what the “teacher”, the prime learner, had planned. It is interesting that things which the learners report as beneficial are sometimes seen as weaknesses by the prime learner. For example, deviating from the planned format to accommodate learning needs is valued by learners but downgraded by teachers if they see their prime task as covering content. The prime learner has control of how much, if any, advice is solicited. S/he also, of course, decides what to make of and how to use the feedback. S/he is encouraged to note and reflect on the comments which have been made, neither to take them on board wholesale or to reject those which may be unpalatable. Part of the role of the prime learner is to use the feedback to evaluate her or his own performance and to make decisions about what seems to encourage effective learning and what seems to hinder it. The more specific the feedback the more able s/he will be to see what may need to be changed and how to effect changes.

Space has been given to this description of microteaching and way of structuring feedback as, in the author's experience, many teachers find it a powerful and useful method of learning. If readers are considering attending a course as a way of enhancing their teaching ability, the use of microteaching is something to look out for. It may sound heavy going. In fact, it is fun as well as useful. “A highlight of the course”, is how microteaching is often described.

Having looked at activities that will enable teaching ability to be developed, the next section considers a way in which teachers can identify which areas of their teaching might benefit from these activities. Stages in the process of teaching are examined.

PIE as a means of identifying areas of teaching which may benefit from development

Teaching may be viewed as an activity that has 3 key phases:

This makes an easily remembered acronym—PIE. Teachers seeking to improve their abilities can ask themselves, “Which bit do I want to focus on?” The three phases may be subdivided to highlight areas of importance.

PHASE I: PLANNING

Box FB5 lists questions appropriate to phase I, planning.

Phase I: Planning—questions

Outcomes (see phase I, 2) and other parts of the plan may have to be modified in the light of what is practicable, which means that the planning phase tends to be iterative as areas are re-examined to accommodate changes. Once questions such as those above have been answered, then a detailed programme will need to be written. Problems in responding to questions in this phase give pointers about where development is needed. For example, if the teacher is unclear about what methods will help fulfil the planned outcomes, then activities which build understanding of how to choose teaching methods and increase the repertoire of these are likely to be helpful.

The planning phase is crucial to the success of a teaching session, yet it is a part which is often skimped. As a teaching the teachers activity for a group, asking for written responses to the prompt questions above is often productive. For instance, the exercise will frequently result in teachers identifying for themselves the need for more precise information about the students and the curriculum. Gaining this can help to avoid unnecessary repetition of material which results in bored, and maybe inattentive, students. It also helps to prevent unplanned gaps in students' learning—for example, where assumptions are made by individual teachers about what the syllabus covers at certain points.

Writing learning outcomes during the planning phase is an area where teachers are likely to need help. Here a short, practical session of a couple of hours working with peers, can be invaluable. This might take the form of definitions and explanation followed by giving the group a set of statements to label as aims or as learning outcomes (that is, behavioural objectives). 3 This can be a lighthearted exercise followed by the more serious activity of teachers writing learning outcomes for their own sessions.

PHASE II: IMPLEMENTATION

Phase II, implementation, covers the actual teaching session and may therefore involve any or all of the types of teaching referred to in box FB6 .

Phase II: Implementation

These three areas are often referred to as skills, knowledge, and attitudes. The literature on the psychology of learning refers to Bloom's 4 three domains: psychomotor, cognitive, and affective. This more precise language may be helpful despite its less user friendly sound. Certainly, there are problems associated with giving a single label of “skills” to an area such as communication, which has elements of more than one domain. Precise language may also help teachers to think more clearly about other complex areas, such as physical examination, which require knowledge and suitable attitudes in addition to physical skill if they are to be performed in a professional and competent manner. Labelling such areas simply as “skills” may mask the richness and variety of the tasks involved and thus hamper adequate planning and implementation of teaching. It may cause teachers to overfocus on certain aspects while underemphasising others, such as attitudes or the role of knowledge in the performance of many tasks in medicine.

Implementation may require the use of teaching aids, such as a Power Point presentation, a computer quiz for students to work on individually, or the basic, yet serviceable, tools of blackboard and flip chart.

Areas within the implementation phase which cause difficulties for the teacher or the students indicate the need for teaching development of some kind. Again, what is required may be anything from simply practice in using teaching aids to reading and reflection on learning and teaching, leading to changes in planning and then alterations to the actual teaching session.

New teachers may need help in understanding the relation between what they plan (phase I) and what actually happens (phase II). An introductory course on teaching or an experienced colleague will point out that keeping to the stated start and finish times is essential, while other aspects of the planned session should be modified to meet students' needs which, almost inevitably, will vary in some respects from expectations. There is little point in running a teaching session, however well planned, if it does not meet the learners' needs. It is important that teachers make active choices about changing their plans and that these changes are firmly based on judgments about the students' needs. This will help to ensure that deviations from what was planned improve the session, rather than allow it to drift and lose focus.

Part of the implementation phase may involve assessment of students. This may range from a written examination to informal comments on performance or could include students' assessments of each other or self assessment, perhaps with the aid of a log book or learning portfolio. Whether assessment is built in or not, students will benefit from feedback on their learning; without this, improving performance is difficult. Feedback on achievements increases students' motivation as well as helping them to build on what has been learnt. 5 Despite this, feedback tends to be hurried or squeezed out of teaching sessions. It is well worth trying to ensure that this element does not get lost during the implementation phase. Many teachers benefit from help in how to give feedback (see section on microteaching above). Both feedback and assessment are potential areas for teaching development.

PHASE III: EVALUATION

This phase requires teachers to undertake structured critical examination of their ability to promote learning. It involves gathering information on what was learnt, making judgments about the effectiveness of the teaching in bringing about that learning and about the usefulness of the learning which has been achieved. As before, questions can help initiate thinking about the topic. Box FB7 provides examples of questions to prompt thinking.

Phase III: Evaluation

Some ways of obtaining the information to help answer these questions has been given earlier (page 760, column 2). Making judgments about the effectiveness and value of what has been taught constitutes the most important part of evaluation. The collection of data merely enables this to happen. Discussion with colleagues, either other teachers or full time educationalists, can stimulate critical evaluation and provide support. A well written textbook 6 may be helpful too. It is worth finding the time to write down a small number of key points to remember when planning future teaching, even if no formal, written evaluation of a course or session is required. Quality assessment processes are increasingly requiring teachers not only to improve their teaching but also to give evidence that they have done so. (All UK medical schools are currently being assessed by the Quality Assurance Agency under the Quality Assessment of Education scheme.) Recording and then using the results of evaluation constitutes an important quality enhancement loop; quality management and enhancement is one of six areas assessed by the Quality Assessment of Education scheme.

Final words!

Teaching is a complex task. Good teaching is vital if we are to have good doctors and medical scientists in the future. There are numerous ways of developing and supporting teachers. The author hopes that some of the ideas discussed in this paper will help teachers to find their work fulfilling and, more often than not, fun.

• Pendleton D ,
• Schofield T ,
• ↵ For a brief introduction to this subject see UCoSDA Briefing Paper Twenty-Eight, December 1995. (The Universities' and Colleges Staff Development Agency, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2GJ, UK.) .

Read the full text or download the PDF:

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• Checking for Understanding

Fostering learning and effective teaching: Checking for Understanding

By: Lindsey Fuller, M.A.T. College of Pharmacy Educational Technology Consultant

As a high school educator, I found myself feeling pressed for time, pushing to deliver all content to my students during each class. I wondered, “How am I supposed to teach all of this content in this short amount of time?” We had a state test at the end of the year. I was the content expert; I had the answers they needed them. It was my job to prepare them. It was easy to fall into routine with lecture mode, while occasionally asking a few call and response questions to the class. Usually, the same people answered, and I thought, “OK, they are getting it”. When it came time to take a high stakes assessment, I was often baffled by the scores and wondered “How did they get this question wrong?! I went over this so many times!” I knew I taught the material, “I did my job”, or so I thought. I would reflect. I would go back in my head, look at my presentations and notes. I gave great examples, connected the content to real-world examples, modeled what was needed to pass the exam. Why didn’t they learn it? I realized I was only doing part of my job and not allowing the students to do theirs. I did provide the content, but I didn’t leave any facilitated time for the students to interact, practice, reflect, or analyze it. I assumed they were doing this through homework and reading at home. After all they were high schoolers, they should be doing this on their own!

Merriam Webster’s definition of the verb learn is, “to gain knowledge or understanding of a skill in by study, instruction, or experience”.

Read that definition again… “to gain knowledge or understanding of a skill by study, instruction, or experience.” Students must have time to take the content, concepts, and/or skills being taught and do something with it. As educators, we need to allow students a chance to gain understanding by doing. Merriam Webster’s definition of the verb teach is, “to cause to know something”. What a powerful role that is, to cause to know something! Now that I understood where I was in my teaching, I sat down and realized I needed to find out what the students know, what can they do? In my own education in becoming a teacher, I was taught that checking for understanding is a crucial part of teaching. It allows us to ensure their learning is actionable and that our teaching is effective. I was instructed this over and over, yet it wasn’t until my own teaching experience that I actually learned it. See what I did there? We know we need to check for understanding, but how do we do it effectively in higher education? It is easy to name the challenges: large class sizes, classrooms set up for lecture style teaching, limited class time, content overload, unengaged learners, etc. Take a step back and think about things you can control as an educator. Checking for understanding can:

• provide evidence of student learning allowing you to better guide your teaching in real time.
• increase learner engagement with the content and material.
• help you build stronger, more in-tune, relationships with your students.
• help bring a clear picture of the learning objectives to the students.
• provide students a chance to reflect on their own learning through low-stakes assessments and feedback.

When and how should you check for student understanding? Effective teachers use continuous checking for understanding. To do this, it must be in real-time using assessments to measure student learning. Checking for understanding using various questioning techniques should occur at least three times during a class. This should happen at least once before, during, and after class. Best practice would be to check understanding multiple times during class. Remember these do not have to be formal or graded assessments. Do not get overwhelmed! Let’s break it down.

Before Class

Checking student understanding before class helps gage prior knowledge to guide teaching as well as awaken students’ prior knowledge! This decreases the amount of content delivered if students already have a foundational understanding of it.

Example Strategies:

• Pre-quiz: test your students’ knowledge on the material before class. See if there is anything you can cut out, build upon, or further challenge your students on. This can also help you identify common misconceptions, or areas of real strength. This can be done online using Brightspace or Examsoft. Address areas of strength, celebrate knowledge out loud in class.
• Pre-reading with guided questions: Assign students a short reading, video, and/or lecture material before class. The key component here is also assigning them 3-5 guided open-ended questions. Questions that make them pull from the material, challenge their thinking, and guide them toward the learning objective(s). Once in class, start a discussion with these questions. Challenge as many learners to share what they got from the material. Don’t be afraid of the silence during discussion. Allow for “wait time”, give the students time to think and try not to fill in the silence with your thoughts or answers. This was my personal favorite when teaching! You could ask students to submit these answers online as an assignment before the beginning of class.
• Student made questions: Tell students to come up with questions about previous material or pre-class material. Be prepared to ask and share at the beginning of class. Have other students try to answer those questions before you do. Try asking students to raise their hand if they had a similar or the same question.

During Class

Checking for understanding during class keeps learners engaged and accountable for their learning. This provides real time data which is essential for teacher reflection regarding the lesson and students who are excelling or struggling to understand. Additionally, this enables teachers to adapt the lesson during class to meet student needs.

• Peer teaching: Ask students to teach someone they are sitting near a concept from previous material or material learned in class that day. Tell them to teach it in less than 3 minutes. Then have the students switch and teach another concept or add onto the first one. Discuss as a class if someone got a different perspective from their classmate or if they struggled with a certain concept.
• Metacognitive metaphors: During or after the lesson, ask students to come up with an object or animal that represents what they learned. Have the students submit this using something like a virtual word cloud so the objects/animals can appear on the screen in front of the class. Call out a few of them and ask students to explain why they chose the object or animal. This allows students to summarize their learning, dive into their own understanding and thinking on a concept or presented material. Encourage classmates to challenge their peer’s answers. This was one of my favorites when teaching. It is interesting to hear how the students are interpreting your teaching and introduces multiple perspectives and levels of understanding to the class.
• Use PollEverywhere or Nearpod multiple times during class to quickly check knowledge anonymously. Students are more inclined to pay attention and offer up what they think their answer is if they know it is anonymous and if it is happening regularly.
• Solve the question: Give students a solution, or an answer to a question. Give students the opportunity to discuss with a partner or work individually to come up with a question that would have that solution or answer. Then call on students randomly to discuss their ideas. This could be a math problem, lab values, diagnosis, etc.
• Connect to the real word: Ask students to connect content to real-world experiences or problems. This can be through verbal or written form. You could also provide a real-world scenario and ask students to pick out concepts from the taught material and discuss.
• What is missing? Give students a scenario, case, or problem and ask students to apply their knowledge to come up with what is missing. What needed number, history, questions, values etc. are not answered or provided? What do they need before they can solve it or fully understand it? Students could work individually or in groups.
• Physical response: Ask students to give a physical response to questions in class. This could be a thumbs up or down, a number, or a certain color index card. This allows students to show their understanding without speaking up or raising their hand alone. This will quickly show you if you need to further explain or can move forward in teaching. Or even say, “if you have your thumbs down, get with a classmate that has their thumb up. Work together to answer any questions to have”. After a few minutes, ask again and see if the number of thumbs down decreases. You could do this virtually teaching as well, using emojis.
• Gamification: Play a competitive game like bingo, jeopardy, Nearpod’s Time to Climb, Kahoot, 4 corners, role playing, simulations, etc. Allow students to work in groups or individually. Overall, I’ve found students are competitive and usually enjoy gamification review or checking for understanding because it is low-stakes and fun. It keeps them engaged and gives you solid data about their learning.

After Class

At the end of class or after class, allow students an opportunity to reflect on their learning. This type of checking for understanding will allow the instructor and the students to know if the skill or content was mastered. It can also give students time to practice what was learned and/or to prepare for a summative assessment.

• Post-class quiz: Compare to the pre-class quiz. Analyze the performance to guide your teaching. Students can validate their learning through post-class quizzes. 
• Exit ticket: Ask students to quickly write something they didn’t grasp in class or don’t fully understand. Read these and address at the beginning of the next class.
• Student recorded mini lesson - Ask students to record themselves giving a lesson the concept or material taught. Ask how they would teach the more important information/concepts to someone that was absent for that class. They can record and submit this as an assignment on Brightspace.
• Student written exam questions - Ask students to write a few higher-order thinking exam questions from the material they learned. Give them a few examples of good questions they can reference. Give students feedback on any errors you see. Maybe even include a few on your exam.
• Provide the rationale: Provide students with sample exam questions with the correct answers. Ask the students to write rationales for the correct answers and explain why the other answers are incorrect.
• Concept map - Assign students to create a visual concept map of the material learned. Model an example of a concept map during class or attach one to the assignment. This gives students the freedom to put their thinking on paper and form original connections to concepts and ideas. Allow students to be creative.

We know checking for understanding is best practice, we know educators should do it consistently for the benefit of the student and instruction. We also know a few strategies that could work in a higher educational setting. I challenge you to reflect on your own teaching. Ask yourself the following questions and make small goals from there.

• Do I know what my students understand about the content? What are they struggling with?
• Am I giving them facilitated time to engage with the content before a high-stakes assessment?
• Have I used any of the data from my checking for understanding to modify or guide my teaching?
• Have I challenged my students to higher order thinking?
• Have I given them any feedback on their learning before a high-stakes assessment?

In my short time as an Educational Technology Consultant at the College of Pharmacy I have seen a desire to increase active learning and push for higher order thinking from our faculty members. Some of our faculty members feel more comfortable trying innovative ways of teaching than others. I suggest you seek out those individuals you know for the extra push and peer support in trying something new with your teaching. I believe that risk taking, and collaboration are crucial to effective teaching. Let me know if you try a new check for understanding strategy or would like to discuss your successes and/or pain points in the classroom! You can reach me at [email protected] or send me a chat on Teams!

References:

• Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2015). Checking for understanding: Formative assessment techniques for your classroom (2nd ed.). Hawker Brownlow.
• Lumpkin, A. (2022). Checking for understanding strategies using formative assessments for student learning. Global Research in Higher Education, 5(1), 50–58. https://doi.org/10.22158/grhe.v5n1p50
• Yale Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning. (n.d.). Classroom Assessment Techniques. Retrieved from https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/Classroom-Assessment-Techniques

Essay On Teacher

Explore the qualities that make a great teacher in our insightful essay on teachers – a must-read for educators, parents, and students alike.

Table of Contents

Essay On Teacher (Set 1)

Essay on teacher (set 2), recommended book, essay on teacher (set 4), essay on teacher (set 5), frequently asked questions (faqs).

As a teacher, I understand that building relationships with students is of utmost importance. Not only are we educators; we’re mentors, role models, and guides as well – helping young people navigate the complexities of the world while offering support as they grow and learn. In this essay on teachers, we will explore all facets of this important profession; whether you’re a teacher yourself, a parent of students in our schools, or a student yourself this post will shed some light on this essential service and offer tips for becoming the best possible instructor possible!

We will explore what qualities make a great teacher, such as patience, empathy, and passion for learning. Additionally, we’ll address some of the challenges teachers are currently facing – from managing classrooms to dealing with difficult students and parents – before exploring what impact teachers can have both academically and personally on their students.

At the bottom of this post, you’ll find links to resources that can help you further explore teaching. These may include books, websites, or products designed to strengthen your teaching abilities while connecting with fellow educators.

So whether you’re an experienced educator looking to hone your craft, or an interested parent or student looking for more insight and information into this profession, we hope this essay on teachers will provide some insightful and educational materials. Let’s get down to work!

Teachers are special people who help us learn and grow. Teachers teach us the fundamentals such as reading, writing, and problem-solving; but more than that they inspire us to be kind, curious, and creative individuals.

A good teacher is patient and kind. They understand that learning can be challenging for everyone and always offer assistance when we need it or provide encouragement when we feel discouraged.

Teachers work tirelessly to create an atmosphere in their classroom where all children feel included and valued, encouraging us to work collaboratively, respect each other’s differences, and find peaceful solutions to problems.

As students and educators ourselves, we should express our thanks and appreciation for their hard work by working hard, being kind and respectful, and thanking them for all they do.

Remember, teachers are special people who make an enormous difference in our lives – take the time now to appreciate all they do! Let’s thank them for everything!

Teachers are like superheroes – with the power to transform our world through education. Their guidance inspires and motivates us all, helping us realize our fullest potential and reach it faster than ever before.

An exceptional teacher is someone who cares deeply for their students and wants them to succeed. They’re patient and understanding, taking time to get to know each student personally.

Teachers use their creativity and expertise to make learning fun and engaging for their students in the classroom, coming up with games, projects, and activities to help us understand complex ideas and concepts.

But being a teacher can be hard work; teachers spend long hours grading papers and planning lessons; they face challenges due to challenging students or limited resources – yet remain dedicated to both their craft and students.

Showing our appreciation for teachers can take many forms; listening carefully, asking thoughtful questions, and working diligently in class are all ways we can show our gratitude and show them we appreciate all they do for us. Additionally, saying thank you and showing how much we value their contributions can also show our thanks.

Conclusion Teachers are true superheroes in education; they shape our future through caring, creative teaching methods that lead to our success. Let’s thank them for all they do to make our world a better place!

Essay On Teacher (Set 3)

Teachers play an incredibly valuable role in our lives. They’re there to guide our growth and enable us to prepare ourselves for what lies ahead.

An amazing teacher is someone who is passionate about their subject matter and enjoys teaching it, with the ability to make even complex topics accessible and interesting for students.

Teachers play an essential part in our personal growth. They teach us fundamental values such as respect, kindness, and perseverance while inspiring us to pursue our dreams and believe in ourselves.

Teaching can be an exhausting career; teachers encounter unique challenges such as difficult students, tight budgets, and an ever-evolving curriculum. But teachers remain committed to making an impactful difference in the lives of their pupils every day.

Teachers deserve our thanks for showing respect, hard work, and engagement during class time. Additionally, it would be nice if we took time out of each day to thank them and acknowledge how much their efforts are appreciated.

Teachers are unsung heroes in our society, educating students and shaping our collective future one at a time. Let us all take the opportunity to thank them for all they do and show our appreciation for their hard work!

Some More Topics

ESSAYS & LETTER WRITING FOR JUNIORS AND MIDDLE SCHOOL

Teachers serve as guides along our life’s path, leading us through challenges of learning and growth to discover our passions and advance our skills.

An exceptional teacher is someone patient, kind, and supportive. They understand the challenges associated with learning can be hard; everyone has unique strengths and weaknesses – yet still encourage us to keep trying when we become discouraged.

Teachers also help us develop vital life skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, teamwork, and effective communication. In addition, they demonstrate ways to be contributing members of society while at the same time being responsible members.

No matter the obstacles they encounter such as long hours and limited resources, teachers still show up each day determined to make an impactful difference in the lives of their students. Their dedication is truly inspirational for us all.

Teachers deserve our appreciation for being respectful, engaged, and enthusiastic learners. We should thank them for all they do and express how much we value their hard work.

Teachers are indispensable guides on our life’s journey. They instill invaluable values and skills into us that we will carry throughout our lives, so let’s thank our teachers for helping us become the best versions of ourselves!

Teachers are champions of education, fighting tirelessly to ensure every child has access to learning and growth. Teachers inspire us all to be our best selves and strive towards reaching our dreams.

An incredible teacher is someone who demonstrates both enthusiasm and care for the subject being taught, resulting in learning that is exciting, and encouraging us to explore new ideas while encouraging critical thought.

Teachers play an essential part in our emotional growth. By creating a safe and welcoming learning environment where we can freely express ourselves without judgment from teachers, they help develop resilience and self-confidence by teaching us to trust ourselves and push through challenges to meet goals.

Teachers remain unsung heroes of society; shaping our future through one student at a time. Despite facing many obstacles such as limited resources and demanding schedules, they still work tirelessly to make a difference for their pupils. They truly make a positive contribution.

Respect, engagement, and enthusiasm can help us show our appreciation for teachers. Additionally, we should thank them for everything they have done to assist in our success and to improve society at large.

Teachers are the true heroes of education, fighting tirelessly to secure our society’s future. Their wisdom inspires challenges and supports us – helping us all be our best versions. Let’s thank our teachers for everything they do and honor their important efforts!

Essay On Teacher (Set 6)

Teachers are at the core of education, providing us with knowledge and skills that help prepare us for lifelong success. Teachers help us discover our interests and talents while leading us toward an enriching future that promises fulfillment and satisfaction.

An exceptional teacher is someone who embodies patience, kindness, and empathy; someone who connects with their students on an individual basis by understanding their unique challenges and providing assistance throughout their journey. An ideal learning environment should enable children to safely explore, take risks, and develop as individuals.

Teachers play an invaluable role in our social development. They teach us how to interact with others ethically and respectfully, building strong relationships while working effectively as a team. Furthermore, teachers foster an environment in which all of their students feel valued and respected for who they are as individuals.

Even when faced with limited resources and overcrowded classrooms, teachers still show up each day with great passion for their profession. Their commitment inspires us to be our best selves and have an impactful impact on the world.

Teachers deserve our appreciation for being responsible and respectful students, arriving on time, completing our assignments on schedule, and being open-minded toward learning new material. Additionally, we should thank them for their dedication and hard work; acknowledging how integral their role in our lives may be.

Teachers are at the core of education, providing us with the knowledge, skills, and guidance we need for success in life. Teachers are unsung heroes in society who work tirelessly to make an impactful difference in students’ lives – let’s thank our teachers and recognize their important work!

Conclusion Teachers are unsung heroes in society, shaping the minds of our youth to prepare them for brighter futures. Hopefully, these six essays on teachers have shed some light on the significant roles they play and inspired you to show your gratitude.

If this post has been informative and beneficial to you, please share it with someone who could gain from its content. Also, visit Playway Teacher for additional insights into education as well as resources.

Thank you for stopping by our site; we hope to see you back again soon! We thank you for choosing to visit us, and hope that soon after visiting again we may meet again soon!

What qualities make a great teacher?

A great teacher possesses qualities such as patience, empathy, and a passion for learning. They inspire students to be kind, curious, and creative individuals.

How do teachers contribute to students’ personal growth?

Teachers play a crucial role in students’ personal growth by instilling fundamental values like respect, kindness, and perseverance, and by inspiring them to pursue their dreams.

What challenges do teachers face in their profession?

Teachers face challenges like managing classrooms, dealing with difficult students and parents, and working with limited resources. Despite these challenges, they remain committed to making a positive impact on their students.

How can students show appreciation for their teachers?

Students can show appreciation by being respectful, engaged, and enthusiastic learners. Additionally, expressing gratitude through words and actions, such as asking thoughtful questions, is a meaningful way to appreciate teachers.

Why are teachers considered unsung heroes in society?

Teachers are unsung heroes because they work tirelessly to shape the minds of the youth, facing challenges like limited resources and demanding schedules, yet remain dedicated to making a positive difference in students’ lives.

What role do teachers play in social development?

Teachers contribute to social development by teaching ethical and respectful interactions, building strong relationships, and fostering an environment where students feel valued and respected for their individuality.

How can parents support teachers in their efforts?

Parents can support teachers by encouraging their children to be respectful and engaged in class. Additionally, staying involved in their children’s education and expressing gratitude for the teacher’s efforts are ways to provide support.

What impact can teachers have academically and personally on students?

Teachers can have a significant impact academically by imparting knowledge and skills. They contribute to students’ growth by instilling values, inspiring them to pursue their dreams, and building their confidence.

Why is teaching considered a challenging career?

Teaching is considered challenging due to managing diverse classrooms, facing limited resources, and adapting to an ever-evolving curriculum. Despite these challenges, teachers remain dedicated to their profession.

How can educators further enhance their teaching abilities?

Educators can enhance their teaching abilities by exploring resources such as books, websites, or products designed to strengthen their skills and connect with fellow educators. Links to such resources can be found at the bottom of the provided content.

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Becoming a Teacher: What I Learned about Myself During the Pandemic

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Introduction to the Article by Andrew Stremmel

Now, more than ever, we need to hear the voices of preservice teachers as well as in-service teachers during this pandemic. How has the pandemic affected them? In what ways has the pandemic enabled them to think about the need to really focus on what matters, what’s important? What were the gains and losses? These are very important questions for our time.  In this essay, Alyssa Smith, a senior studying early childhood education, attempts to address the lessons learned from her junior year, focusing on the positive aspects of her coursework and demonstrating an imaginative, growth mindset. This essay highlights the power of students’ reflection on their own learning. But I think it does so much more meaningful contemplation than we might expect of our students in “normal” times. Alyssa gains a new appreciation for this kind of active reflection—the opportunity to think more critically; to be more thoughtful; to stop, step back, catch her breath, and rethink things. As a teacher educator and her mentor, I believe this essay represents how the gift of time to stop and reflect can open space to digest what has been experienced, and how the gift of reflective writing can create a deeper level of thinking about how experiences integrate with one’s larger narrative as a person.

About the Author

Andrew Stremmel, PhD, is professor in early childhood education at South Dakota State University. His research is in teacher action research and Reggio Emilia-inspired, inquiry-based approaches to early childhood teacher education. He is an executive editor of  Voices of Practitioners .  

I’ve always known I was meant to be a teacher. I could feel my passion guide my work and lead my heart through my classes. So why did I still feel as if something was missing? During the fall of my junior year, the semester right before student teaching, I began to doubt my ability to be a great teacher, as I did not feel completely satisfied in my work. What I did not expect was a global pandemic that would shut down school and move all coursework online. I broke down. I wanted to do more than simply be a good student. I wanted to learn to be a great teacher. How was I supposed to discover my purpose and find what I was missing when I couldn’t even attend my classes? I began to fret that I would never become the capable and inspirational educator that I strived to be, when I was missing the firsthand experience of being in classrooms, interacting with children, and collaborating with peers.

It wasn’t until my first full semester being an online student that I realized the pandemic wasn’t entirely detrimental to my learning. Two of my early childhood education courses, Play and Inquiry and Pedagogy and Curriculum, allowed limited yet meaningful participation in a university lab school as well as engagement with problems of substance that require more intense thinking, discussion, analysis, and thoughtful action. These problems, which I briefly discuss below, presented challenges, provocations, possibilities, and dilemmas to be pondered, and not necessarily resolved. Specifically, they pushed me to realize that the educational question for our time is not, “What do I need to know about how to teach?” Rather, it is, “What do I need to know about myself in the context of this current pandemic?” I was therefore challenged to think more deeply about who I wanted to be as a teacher and who I was becoming, what I care about and value, and how I will conduct myself in the classroom with my students.

These three foundations of teaching practice (who I want to be, what I value, and how I will conduct myself) were illuminated by a question that was presented to us students in one of the very first classes of the fall 2020 semester: “What’s happening right now in your experience that will help you to learn more about yourself and who you are becoming?” This provocation led me to discover that, while the COVID-19 pandemic brought to light (and at times magnified) many fears and insecurities I had as a prospective teacher, it also provided me with unique opportunities, time to reflect, and surprising courage that I feel would not otherwise have been afforded and appreciated.

Although I knew I wanted to be a teacher, I had never deliberately pondered the idea of what kind of teacher I wanted to be. I held the core values of being an advocate for children and helping them grow as confident individuals, but I still had no idea what teaching style I was to present. Fortunately, the pandemic enabled me to view my courses on play and curriculum as a big “look into the mirror” to discern what matters and what was important about becoming a teacher.

As I worked through the rest of the course, I realized that this project pushed me to think about my identity as an educator in relation to my students rather than simply helping me understand my students, as I initially thought. Instead, a teacher’s identity is formed in relation to or in relationship with our students: We take what we know about our students and use it to shape ourselves and how we teach. I found that I had to take a step back and evaluate my own perceptions and beliefs about children and who I am in relation to them. Consequently, this motivated me to think about myself as a classroom teacher during the COVID-19 pandemic. What did I know about children that would influence the way I would teach them?

I thought about how children were resilient, strong, and adaptable, possessing an innate ability to learn in nearly any setting. While there were so many uncertainties and fear surrounding them, they adapted to mask-wearing, limited children in the classroom, and differentiated tasks to limit cross-contamination. Throughout, the children embodied being an engaged learner. They did not seem to focus on what they were missing; their limitless curiosity could not keep them from learning. Yet, because young children learn primarily through relationships, they need some place of learning that helps them to have a connection with someone who truly knows, understands, and cares about them. Thus, perhaps more than any lesson, I recognized my relationship with children as more crucial. By having more time to think about children from this critical perspective, I felt in my heart the deeper meaning children held to me.

My compassion for children grew, and a greater respect for them took shape, which overall is what pushed me to see my greater purpose for who I want to be as an educator. The pandemic provided time to develop this stronger vision of children, a clearer understanding of how they learn, and how my identity as a teacher is formed in relationship with children. I don’t think I would have been able to develop such a rich picture of how I view children without an in-depth exploration of my identity, beliefs, and values.

In my curriculum course, I was presented a different problem that helped me reflect on who I am becoming as an educator. This was presented as a case study where we as students were asked the question, “Should schools reopen amidst the COVID-19 pandemic?” This was a question that stumped school districts around the nation, making me doubt that I would be able to come up with anything that would be remotely practical. I now was experiencing another significant consequence of the pandemic: a need for new, innovative thinking on how to address state-wide academic issues. My lack of confidence, paired with the unknowns presented by the pandemic, made me feel inadequate to take on this problem of meaning.

To address this problem, I considered more intentionally and reflectively what I knew about how children learn; issues of equity and inequality that have led to a perceived achievement gap; the voices of both teachers and families; a broader notion of what school might look like in the “new normal”; and the role of the community in the education of young children. Suddenly, I was thinking in a more critical way about how to address this problem from the mindset of an actual and more experienced teacher, one who had never faced such a conundrum before. I knew that I had to design a way to allow children to come back into a classroom setting, and ultimately find inspiration for learning in this new normal. I created this graphic (above) to inform families and teachers why it is vital to have students return to school. As a result, I became an educator. I was now thinking, feeling, and acting as a teacher. This case study made me think about myself and who I am becoming as a teacher in a way that was incredibly real and relevant to what teachers were facing. I now found inspiration in the COVID-19 pandemic, as it unlocked elements of myself that I did not know existed.

John Dewey (1916) has been attributed to stating, “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” Learning may begin in the classroom, but it does not end there. Likewise, teaching is not a role, but a way of being. The ability to connect with children and to engage them meaningfully depends less on the methods we use than on the degree to which we know and trust ourselves and are willing to share that knowledge with them. That comes through continually reflecting on who we are in relation to children and their families, and what we do in the classroom to create more meaningful understanding of our experiences. By embodying the role of being an educator, I grew in ways that classroom curriculum couldn't prepare me for. Had it not been for the pandemic, this might not have been possible.

Dewey, J. 1916. Democracy and Education: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education . New York: MacMillan.

Alyssa Marie Smith  is currently an early childhood education student studying at South Dakota State University. She has been a student teacher in the preschool lab on campus, and now works as a kindergarten out of school time teacher in this same lab school. In the fall, she plans to student teach in an elementary setting, and then go on to teach in her own elementary classroom.

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Home — Essay Samples — Education — Teacher — What Makes a Great Teacher

What Makes a Great Teacher

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Published: Sep 12, 2023

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Respect for students, creating a sense of community and belonging, providing a welcoming learning environment, commitment to ongoing learning and professional development, adaptability to diverse learners, challenges in teaching, opportunities for growth.

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Book Reviews

The Importance of Philosophy in Teacher Education: Mapping the Decline and Its Consequences by Andrew D. Colgan & Bruce Maxwell (Eds.), New York: Routledge, 2020

• Nicolas J. Tanchuk

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Nicolas J. Tanchuk Iowa State University

Online publication: July 27, 2021

A review of the journal Philosophical Inquiry in Education

This article is a review of another work such as a book or a film. The original work discussed here is not available on this platform.

Volume 28, Number 1, 2021 , p. 66–69

© Nicolas J. Tanchuk, 2021

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The essays collected in The Importance of Philosophy in Teacher Education: Mapping the Decline and Its Consequences , edited by Andrew D. Colgan & Bruce Maxwell, tell the story of a discipline’s fall from prominence in teacher education and some ways this trajectory might be meliorated or reversed. In the mid-nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries, philosophical study was “widely recognized as essential to the craft of teaching” (Colgan & Maxwell, 2020, p. 1). During this period, nearly all pre-service teachers were required to take a course in the philosophy of education. Compare this today with Canada, the only country for which there is data, where less than 10% of educator preparation programs require a course in philosophical thought (p. 5), and the decline is obvious.

The anti-philosophical bent in teacher preparation programs, of course, is not anomalous. As Alasdair MacIntyre (2007), Philip Kitcher (2012), and others have noted, we live in an age that is generally skeptical of philosophical inquiry. The Importance of Philosophy in Teacher Education does not spend much time reflecting on this broader context. For Kitcher and MacIntyre, at least, some of the blame for our present age’s philosophical skepticism falls at the feet of philosophers. Kitcher laments a drift in academic philosophy from a Deweyan focus on the “study of the good life” and seeking “to understand how opportunities for living well can be promoted by social institutions” (2012, p. 345) towards “arcane puzzles” (p. 346) of metaphysics and epistemology. MacIntyre’s worries point to a deeper anxiety: that seemingly unavoidable methodological tendencies in ethics and political philosophy – where the problems of life are defined and rooted – make it unlikely that philosophers are likely to make progress on these problems.

Specifically, MacIntyre (2007) observes that in contemporary ethics and political philosophy it is standard to appeal to conflicting starting points – basic judgments, perceptions, or intuitions – to establish what purport to be “normative” ethical and political conclusions. But problematically, the inferences drawn from these disparate starting points leave us with conflicting conclusions – all purporting to be “normative.” Philosophical inquiry into “normative” ethical issues can thus appear to boil down to a purely preferential choice between internally coherent but conflicting views. MacIntyre refers to the non-cognitive ethic we are left with amidst such fragmentation as “emotivist” (p. 8). MacIntyre’s insight, if well founded, bears directly on the predicament of the philosophy of education. The empirical study of preferences and their satisfaction is a canonical domain of social scientific inquiry. So, if MacIntyre is correct, then it should be no surprise that philosophy in general and philosophy of education in particular have witnessed a decline not felt in the same way by the social (and natural) sciences. The latter but not the former, one might think, are more conducive to solving the problems of life.

The chapters in Colgan and Maxwell’s edited volume – divided into three sections – largely abstain from such meta-philosophical questions and their practical consequences. Nevertheless, the chapters shed light on the decline in prominence of the philosophy of education, what has been lost, and how the field is already rethinking and re-establishing its place in the unique context of teacher education. A common theme that emerges across the volume’s sections is a shift of the sort Kitcher recommends towards the concrete problems of life and theorizing on terrain closer to that studied by social scientists. This, of course, is one response to problems in the epistemology of philosophy noted by MacIntyre: if the most philosophers can hope to do is reframe possibilities for interpreting and practically satisfying preferences, then focusing one’s work on interpreting what people descriptively think, desire, and do allows the philosopher of education to be made useful to at least some public or other’s interests. Philosophy, in this picture, gives up the role of “queen of the sciences” and is instrumentalized in the service of the public’s present problems.

The first section of the volume, “Diagnosis and Prognosis,” lays out some of the features of philosophy of education’s current predicament in educator preparation programs that motivate this empirically oriented shift. In the first chapter, Robin Barrow argues that while claims to do “philosophical work” have proliferated in faculties of education, little of this work would be recognized as such by analytic philosophers. The “4Cs” that characterize analytic philosophy – an argument’s being “clear, coherent, complete, and compatible” (Colgan & Maxwell, 2020, p. 19) – are, in Barrow’s view, neglected, leaving much educational debate and practice to proceed without sufficient analytic rigor.

The volume’s second chapter, by David Waddington, traces a different decline, this time not in current analytic philosophical work in education, but in John Dewey’s status as an educational scholar. Waddington, a Dewey scholar, suspects that Dewey’s status is unlikely to persist into the twenty-first century. The reason, according to Waddington, is Dewey’s ethical, political, and epistemic modernism, which involves a commitment to a form of “liberation through science” (p. 34) that seeks to control nature for the sake of satisfying human desires. Dewey’s modernism, according to Waddington, entails an unwarranted ethical assimilation and integration of other cultures – most notably those of Indigenous peoples – that see nature as bearing inherent worth (p. 37). By Waddington’s lights, this modernist tendency makes Dewey less well suited to our present moment, in which the modern liberation of human desires through science has led to a near total collapse of natural life and in which many inside and outside educator preparation programs are rightly worried about colonialism. An opportunity is missed in Waddington’s insightful essay to signal awareness of Indigenous ethical and political thought as an alternative to Dewey’s, to post-Marxist critical theorists, and to European postmoderns’ views (e.g., Borrows, 2016; Kruse, Tanchuk, & Hamilton, 2019; North, 2021; Simpson, 2017). Nevertheless, Waddington, like Kitcher, and Dewey himself, can be read as calling philosophers to attend to the most pressing public problems of our day. Ironically, if Waddington is correct, the problems of the public now cut against Dewey and his pragmatic, problem-focused form of scientific modernism.

The third chapter, by Matthew J. Hayden, rounds out the first section, but with a more favourable outlook on the Enlightenment project, as it is reinvigorated by Jürgen Habermas. For Hayden, the neoliberal enemies of philosophical thought are largely to be found outside the walls of faculties of education (although technocrats within educator preparation programs are also a concern). The enemies within and without, according to Hayden, have failed to attend adequately to the critical “emancipatory interests” (Colgan & Maxwell, 2020, p. 51) of students. In Hayden’s view, Habermas rigorously articulates these interests. Read in dialogue with Waddington’s piece lamenting the Deweyan attempt to liberate humanity through scientific and communicative exchange, Hayden’s chapter calls us in the opposite direction: towards the discursive and political conditions for rational emancipation, as they are spelled out by Habermas.

This dissensus between Waddington and Hayden, both well-trained philosophers of education, exemplifies MacIntyre’s metanormative anxiety that philosophers (including philosophers of education) lack a genuine basis upon which to adjudicate the normative dimensions of the problems of life. Where one despairs of answering questions such as “Is a modernist ethic (of some form or other) true?,” it can be tempting to reduce the scope of analysis and turn towards more concrete concerns. The bulk of rest of the volume takes this line as the most promising pathway forward for philosophers of education.

In the middle section of the volume, “Philosophy and Teacher Development,” all four chapters recommend, in different ways, a tighter tie to empirical problems of educational practice. The Philosophy for Teachers (P4T) movement described by Leonard Waks in the fourth chapter and by Janet Orchard & Carrie Winstanley in the fifth, the problem-based approach to philosophy of education championed by Dianne Gereluk in the sixth chapter, and Michael R. Matthews’ focus on concrete problems in science education in the seventh, all evince a focus on building teachers’ philosophical literacy within the context of the present practice of teaching.

This trend continues in the third section of the volume, “Historical Perspectives.” In the eighth chapter, Douglas Yacek and Bruce Kimball argue for a return to an approach to teacher education based in the liberal arts. Yet, rather than unseating the current marginalization of philosophy in schools of education, Yacek and Kimball claim that philosophers more realistically might seek “to widen our understanding of what it means to embody a philosophical spirit and to teach for liberal sensibility” (p. 160) within the constraints of existing courses. In chapter 9, Lee S. Duemer similarly argues for a vision of educational foundations that allows policy and practice to be placed in a broader “epistemological and theoretical framework” (p. 173) that illuminates the human condition. By contrast, the final chapter of the volume, by David T. Hansen and Megan J. Laverty, recounts how the Philosophy and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University has largely resisted the trend towards problem-based inductive approaches to the philosophy of education in favour of a historical curriculum focused on the “Great Books.” Yet, even at Teachers College, where admissions are highly selective and placement rates are strong, Hansen and Laverty report that the program faculty intend to reflect on ways to deepen the curriculum’s connection to the empirical realities of teacher education in response to graduate feedback (p. 195).

This wealth of perspectives on how to reinvigorate the field through deeper engagement with the problems of life is a strength of the volume. Such a shift towards problems that are both empirical and philosophical, in my view, aptly characterizes some of the most vibrant and thoughtful work in the philosophy of education today. Extending these insights, one might look to recent work that not only starts in worldly problems, but that features philosophers of education themselves engaging in empirical data collection and analysis as part of their research agendas. In recent books like Jen Morton’s Moving Up Without Losing Your Way , qualitative data collected by Morton herself figures prominently in the context in which theoretical considerations are unpacked. In a similar spirit, Lauren Bialystok, et al. (2019) have conducted empirical research on the teaching of philosophy in schools, Doris Santoro (2018) has empirically researched the way the demoralization of teaching has affected teacher retention, and David Hansen (2021) draws on his own field work to articulate his vision of the ethics of teaching.

Philosophers of education have reason to avoid Dewey’s colonial tendencies. The broadly Deweyan unity of philosophical and empirical educational problems recommended in this volume, nevertheless, strikes this reader as a promising pathway forward for the philosophy of education. The Importance of Philosophy in Teacher Education provides an excellent occasion for the field to reflect on the intersection of these problems, to seek knowledge of the empirical realities that form their backdrops, and to start to deliberate about how we should move forward together.

Bibliography

• Bialystok, L., Norris, T., & Pinto, L. (2019). Teaching and learning philosophy in Ontario high schools. Journal of Curriculum Studies , 51 (5), 678–697. Google Scholar 10.1080/00220272.2018.1563632
• Borrows, J. (2016). Freedom and Indigenous constitutionalism. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. Google Scholar
• Colgan, A. D., & Maxwell, B. (Eds.). (2020). The importance of philosophy in teacher education: Mapping the decline and its consequences. New York: Routledge. Google Scholar 10.4324/9780429426827
• Hansen, D. T. (2021). Reimagining the call to teach: A witness to teachers and teaching. New York: Teachers College Press. Google Scholar
• Kitcher, P. (2012). Education, democracy, and capitalism. In Preludes to pragmatism: Toward a reconstruction of philosophy (pp. 345–362). New York: Oxford University Press. Google Scholar 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199899555.001.0001
• Kruse, M., Tanchuk, N., & Hamilton, R. (2019). Educating in the seventh fire. Educational Theory , 69 (5), 587–601. Google Scholar 10.1111/edth.12388
• MacIntyre, A. (2007 [1981]). After virtue. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press. Google Scholar
• Morton, J. (2019). Moving up without losing your way: The ethical costs of upward mobility. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Google Scholar 10.23943/princeton/9780691179230.001.0001
• North, B. (2021). Philosophy and the ethics of public Alaskan Indigenous education: A normative case study. Journal of School and Society , 7 (1), 35–46. Google Scholar
• Santoro, D. (2018). Demoralized. Cambridge: Harvard Education Press. Google Scholar
• Simpson, L. (2017). As we have always done: Indigenous freedom through radical resistance. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. Google Scholar 10.5749/j.ctt1pwt77c

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Role of A Teacher Essay: Write It Easily

Table of Contents

Teachers stay in the lives of their students forever: either in memories of carefree times or in the form of knowledge they received from a certain teacher. All of us are influenced by teachers from high school or university. And everyone has a different experience. So how to write essays about teachers ? Let’s find out together.

What Is the Role of a Teacher Essay?

This is a type of essay in which students describe the role of teachers in their lives. Many courses will assign you to write an essay about this theme. Also, it may serve as a strong personal statement when applying for college. So no matter what the purpose of the role of the teacher essay is, students always struggle with what to write in this academic piece of writing. If you are one of such students, you definitely need to go on and make it clear for yourself. 

What to Write About in Teacher Essays ?

There are a lot of ideas on what should essays about teachers consist of. Because this is a huge field of discussion, it might be quite challenging to structure the information properly. Let’s get to the simple question: who is a teacher for you? By defining what role a teacher plays in your academic and personal life, you will be able to get your essay written in an appropriate manner. Here are the roles teachers occupy:

• Teachers give knowledge. First of all, a teacher is a person who teaches. It might sound simple but people in that profession are responsible for improving their student’s knowledge in a certain field. 
• They support. Another mission of a good teacher is to support students in their educational journey. Sometimes it is harder, other times it is easier and you can definitely feel that teachers are those who are going along with you through the challenges.
• Teachers inspire. Who is the first standard of knowledge for students? Of course, their teachers. Good ones always inspire students to learn more through their examples. So why don’t you share your experience in having a teacher that is a standard for you?
• They evaluate. Constructive criticism is what is needed for growth. Dedicated teachers always find a way to motivate students for better results. They don’t just put an F grade but explain the growth zones. 

How to Write Essays About Teacher

Essays about teachers don’t have a specific structure or flow. Unless you are given a manual on what to write about in your work, you can be creative in your own way. The following ideas will help you in writing your role of a teacher essay.

Think About a Real Example

When writing your essay, think over the teachers that are standards for you. Analyze what skills they have, and how they teach the material and influence you. You can describe your own example as providing real-life experience in an essay is always a good idea.

Consider This Profession From Different Angles

As we mentioned above, a teacher is not only a person who shares expertise in a certain field. This is a motivator, influencer, evaluator, and supporter in one profession. Describing a teacher from a different perspective will greatly complement your work.

Imagine That You Are a Teacher

In essays about teachers , you can also write about how you would teach if you were a teacher. Thus, you will apply this profession to yourself and see how challenging it might be to become a teacher, even imaginary.

Essay About a Good Teacher: Final Words

Writing the role of a teacher essay requires thorough preparation. Even though this piece of writing is more flexible than other ones, you have to conduct deep analysis to write a professional essay. Use your own examples and look at this theme from different perspectives and you will write a high-quality essay.

What is the role of the teacher essay?

The role of the teacher essay is an essay in which the profession of a teacher is described. Its purpose is to provide readers with a clear understanding of how teachers are valuable and important in our lives.

What is the role of a teacher in the life of a student essay?

In this type of essay, you have to write about teacher-student cooperation. Teachers play a crucial role in the lives of their students. Sometimes they become their “school parents’’. That is what should be described in this type of academic writing. 

What is a good sentence for a teacher?

The best way to describe any teacher is to look at his profession from different angles. Teachers don’t only teach. They perform a lot more functions in the educational process. Describing these functions will be a good sentence for a teacher. 

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Original research article, understanding teacher education students’ research competence through their conceptions of theory.

• 1 Department of Teacher Education, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
• 2 Adjunct, Research School of Humanities and the Arts, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia

Learning a scientific way of thinking is a fundamental aim of university education. It means that there are certain thinking skills that students across all disciplines should learn during their studies. For example, critical thinking and reasoning skills are essential for all university graduates. In addition, students are expected to achieve certain skill levels related to scientific research, for example: learning the basic concepts of science and research methodology, understanding the research process and understanding the nature and origins of scientific knowledge. We call these skills research competence and see research competence as one of the main elements of scientific thinking . We assume that understanding the basic concepts of science is a starting point for the development of research competence and more broadly, for scientific thinking. However, previous studies have shown that scientific concepts are not easy for students to learn. The aim of this study is to increase our understanding of a particular aspect of university students’ research competence by exploring teacher education students’ (N = 179) conceptions of one of these challenging concepts, the concept of theory . The results illustrate that understanding the concept of theory is challenging even for graduating (fourth and fifth year) master students. Only half of them were able to describe the concept of theory in a scientific context suggesting that the other half had unscientific conceptions of theory, named here as non-scientific conceptions . When looking at the students’ who reported scientific conceptions of theory, one quarter of graduating students and a few early stage (first and second year) students had a declarative approach meaning that they were able to describe the concept of theory by using some basic scientific terms. About one fifth of graduating and early stage students had a procedural approach meaning that they were able to describe theory related to research as “doing”. Only a small number of students showed an understanding of the nature and origins of scientific knowledge and the role of research and theory, called here an epistemic approach .

Introduction

Information of many kinds is growing exponentially and social media allows us to share it incredibly quickly. People around the world make decisions based on news and research shared by other social media users. Separating fake news or fake research from scientific reports is difficult without the skills to understand scientific research. Thus, critical thinking skills (see e.g. Hyytinen, Toom & Shavelson, 2019 ) and skills to understand research have become more important than ever before. These skills are especially important for students who are graduating from universities and who will work as experts in their field in the future ( Murtonen & Balloo, 2019 ). Previous research ( Murtonen & Salmento, 2019 ) has shown that there are certain thinking skills that can be seen as common learning goals for university students in all disciplines. We call these scientific thinking skills . Traditionally, scientific thinking has been understood quite narrowly and the words “science” and “scientific” are often associated only with natural sciences. However, when talking about scientific thinking we refer to all disciplines of universities. Based on the theory of scientific thinking in higher education ( Murtonen & Salmento 2019 ), both university teachers and students emphasise the role of research skills (or research competence) as a fundamental part of scientific thinking. The other aspects of the theory were critical thinking skills, epistemic understanding (skills to understand the nature and sources of knowledge), evidence-based reasoning and contextual understanding (disciplinary and more generic understanding in situating knowledge).

Research Competence in University Education

Earlier research suggests that teacher education students are not always able to connect the theoretical parts of their studies with practice ( Puustinen, Säntti, Koski & TammiMurtonen, Olkinuora, Tynjälä & Lehtinen, 2008; 2018 ; van Katwijk, Berry, Jansen, & van Veen, 2019 ). However, students are expected to learn certain research skills during their university education, called here research competence . There is variation in how research competence is defined in the literature. Some of the studies concentrate on disciplinary specific competencies (see e.g. Valter & Akerlind, 2010 ) and some concentrate more on some phase of research process (see e.g. Chang, Chen, Guo, Cheng, Lin & Jen, 2011 ). Some researchers have approached the phenomena more generally and for example Thiel and Böttcher (2014) have created a model presenting research competences across various academic disciplines (see also Böttcher & Thiel, 2018 ). According to their findings, regardless of discipline, higher education students’ research competences comprise for example content knowledge, skills in reviewing the state of research, methodological skills, skills in reflecting on research findings and communication skills.

Previous studies have shown that university students face many difficulties in learning research skills ( Earley, 2014 ; Wagner, Garner & Kawulich, 2011 ) and even the most central concepts are not easy for students to learn ( Murtonen, Aiston & Kiley 2006 ; Murtonen, 2015 ; Kiley & Wisker, 2009 ). For example, students in bachelor’s and master’s programmes have been reported to have substantial problems in the learning of the central conceptions of research methods, such as theoretic and empiric concepts ( Murtonen 2015 ). We assume that understanding the most central scientific concepts, like concept of theory in this study, is a starting point to be able to learn more advanced research skills and thus, forms a starting point for research competence. Because university teachers are very familiar with these concepts, it may sometimes be difficult for them to understand that they are challenging for students to learn. Also, some teachers see students’ research skills as more important than others and use different teaching methods to support their students’ learning ( Brew & Mantai, 2017 ; Lorencová, Jarošová, Avgitidou & Dimitriadou, 2019 ; Brew & Saunders, 2020 ). As Balloo (2019) states, teachers should be aware of the issues with which their students struggle in methodological courses and pay attention to see if the pedagogical approaches they are using are likely to help students to get over the possible barriers.

Understanding the Concept of Theory

Defining the concept of theory is not unambiguous because the concept is used in many different ways ( Kiley 2015 , 52; Kuhn & Pearsall 2000 , 116; Murtonen et al., 2006 , 142; Tight 2015 , 86). Many concepts are understood differently in everyday speech and within academic communities. Understanding the scientific meaning of the concept of theory may be difficult for students because of the way the concept is used in everyday speech, which is more familiar to them than in academic use, especially at the beginning of their studies. According to Kuhn (2010) very young children begin to organize their experience by constructing theories, and the coordination of theory and evidence is common both for early theory revision and scientific thinking. What is different between these is that the early theory revision often occurs implicitly without conscious awareness while scientific thinking is associated with conscious activity. Thus, university students need to have opportunities to deliberately practise to understand and use the concept of theory. In earlier work Kiley and Wisker (2009) argued that theory was one of several threshold concepts in learning to be a researcher (see also Kiley, 2019 ). As Meyer & Land (2006) proposed, a threshold concept is “something distinct within what university teachers would typically describe as ‘core concepts” (p. 6). They elaborated by suggesting that the characteristics of a threshold concept are likely to be transformative, irreversible, integrative, (possibly) bounded in any conceptual space, and (potentially) troublesome (pp. 7–8). Hence, as outlined below, the concept of theory was considered to be critical for research students to fully understand in order for them to progress and develop as researchers.

Based on a previous study ( Murtonen, 2015 ) there are differences at least in students’ conceptions of the origins and the aim of theory. Students may have problems for example in understanding what theories are, where they come from and what they are needed for. Additionally, students may have very different conceptions of theory and it is likely that many of these arise from the non-scientific way of using the word theory in everyday language. For example, in daily speech it is common to see theory and practice separated from each other. This is quite general and students may have difficulty understanding the link between theory and practice especially in the beginning of their university studies. Furthermore, they may be confused by the role of theory, and as Knight (2015) argues, it is common for students to hope that there was ‘more practice rather than theory’ in their studies. According to him the suggestion that the conception of theory is something that is separated from practice can be seen in the literature. Previous studies have reported, for example that teacher education students have difficulties understanding the value of integrating theory to classroom practice ( Knight, 2015 , 145) On a positive note, however, according to Knight’s (2015) findings, students seem to eventually find the value of theory if given time.

Another conception that is general in everyday thinking is the idea that theories are there to explain practice, for example people’s behavior, different phenomena or events, without requiring any scientific evidence. Students may also be confused where the theories come from. They may have many different kinds of thoughts about the essence of theory, whether theories are certain or uncertain, and whether they are stable or able to change over time. In this way students’ conceptions of theory are linked also with their epistemological beliefs ( Salmento & Murtonen 2019 ), that is, beliefs about knowledge and knowing (see for example, Kuhn & Weinstock 2002 ; Nussbaum, Sinatra & Poliquin, 2008 ). Theories can be seen as existing products created by others or as a fact or truth. For example, the grand theories like Darwin’s theory of evolution or Einstein’s theory of relativity are often understood in that way. Students may find it difficult to understand that new theories can be generated on the basis of each study and research can change the existing theories. During their university studies students need to develop an understanding that the existing theories are able to change and new theories are emerging all the time. It would be important for students to understand that the existing theories are used as a theoretical framework for research and in addition, new theories can be created through the results of the new research.

Research Competence and Conceptions of Theory

Understanding the link between theory and research is causing problems for students as well ( Kiley 2015 ; Murtonen 2015 ). According to Murtonen (2015) theory and research are often linked together, but the link is not unequivocal. Creation or modification of theories can be seen as the aim of research. In a study by Murtonen (2015) , some students made a link between qualitative research and theory in the meaning that qualitative research produces theory while some students made a link between quantitative research and theory in a sense that in quantitative research theories are tested. What made these linkages problematic was that some students thought ‘theoretical’ is only connected to qualitative or quantitative research but not to both. Theory can also be seen as bringing credibility and reliability to research. Kiley (2015) reported in her study that research supervisors reported that it was not uncommon for doctoral candidates to experience difficulties understanding the concept of theory and appreciating the role of theory in research. For example, it was reported that candidates experienced difficulties in using theory as a framework for research, and also in forming a new theory based on research. Given a widespread view of the importance of understanding the concept of theory, and also being able to use theory in research, Kiley argued that this is critical for the development of a researcher.

As described above, many concepts are understood differently in everyday life compared with a scientific context and we assume that it is common for students to have everyday conceptions of scientific concepts especially in the beginning of their studies. Understanding the concepts at an everyday level is a starting point and university studies can then support students to move forward and learn to understand the scientific meaning of these concepts. The results of a previous study analyzing university students’ conceptions of research ( Salmento & Murtonen, 2019 ) revealed that there are different levels of how students’ understand research. Some students had conceptions at the lowest, declarative level , meaning that they used some core concepts of scientific research, e.g. objectivity and repeatability when talking about research. Some students had conceptions at a more advanced, procedural level meaning that their conceptions were related to doing, for example participating in, or conducting research. Some students were able to describe research at the most advanced, epistemic level. These students have the understanding to reflect the nature and sources of scientific knowledge and show understanding that even scientific knowledge is uncertain and created by people. We assume that reaching the declarative level (understanding the core concepts of scientific research) is a requirement to be able to move onto the procedural level (to be able to participate on scientific knowledge construction) and reaching both of these levels is a requirement for being able to move to the next, the epistemic level (understanding the nature and sources of scientific knowledge).

The aim of this study is to increase our understanding of teacher education students’ research competence by exploring how they understand one of the most fundamental scientific concepts; the concept of theory . By exploring how students’ comprehend the concept of theory, one of the core concepts of science, we aim to increase our understanding of how well teacher education students really handle the concept and if there is a need to pay more attention to how university teachers could support their students to develop their understanding of this kind of core concept. On the basis of the scarce prior research on this area, it appears that the concept of theory has been found to be difficult to understand for masters level students ( Murtonen, Aiston & Kiley 2006 ; Murtonen, 2015 ) and even for doctoral students ( Kiley & Wisker, 2009 ). In this study we aim to explore at which levels students understand the concept of theory and if there are differences between students’ conceptions at different phases of their studies.

Given This Background the Research Questions Are

1. What kind of conceptions of theory teacher education students have?

2. Are there differences in conceptions of theory between early stage (first or second year) students and graduating (third or fourth year) students?

Materials and Methods

The participants (N = 179) of this study were Finnish teacher education students. Of the participants, 114 were first or second year students (called here early stage students) and 65 were fourth or fifth year students (called here graduating students). The data was collected by a questionnaire consisting of background information and an open-ended question. Background questions consisted of age, sex, and study year and the open-ended question was: “What do you think the concept of theory means? Describe shortly in your own words”. Approximately two thirds of the participants (N = 126) answered by completing a traditional paper-and-pencil hard copy questionnaire. The first author of this study visited their lectures and told them some basic things about the research and all of the students received the same information before responding to the questionnaire. About one third of the students (N = 53) completed the questionnaire online. They received the same instructions by email. Students were informed that the aim of the research is to explore what they think about some certain concepts. They were told that answering is voluntary and the data will be stored, analyzed and reported by following the university’s ethical recommendations and instructions.

Data-Analysis

Firstly then students’ open-ended answers were transcribed and the data was anonymized by giving an ID-number for each student and then entered into IBM SPSS statistics program. Variables were created also for background information including study year. As detailed below, conceptions of theory were entered by using codes 1 (non-scientific conceptions), 2 (scientific conceptions in declarative level), 3 (scientific conceptions in procedural level) and 4 (scientific conceptions in epistemic level). Differences in conceptions of theory between early stage (first and second year) students and graduating (fourth and fifth year) students were explored by crosstabulations. The length of students’ answers varied between 3–104 words and the total of the transcribed answers was 15 pages. The answers were read and analysed to answer the research question “What kind of conceptions teacher education students have of the concept of theory”. Two researchers read the answers and created individually a preliminary categorisation of the answers. Then, categorisations were compared and a final categorisation was created. It was clear that the data driven analysis showed that there were two kinds of answers: 1) answers, that did not include any scientific concepts and were more related to everyday-conceptions, like explaining practice, being a solution to some practical problem or being a fact or truth and 2) answers that showed some kind of understanding of the concept of theory in a scientific context. Thus, the categoristation was made firstly by separating the answers in two main categories: 1) non-scientific conceptions and 2) scientific conceptions of the concept of theory. Then, the answers that were categorized to the category scientific conceptions were analysed in more detail.

According to previous research results ( Salmento & Murtonen, 2019 ), students’ understand, or are able to describe research at three different levels: 1) declarative , 2) procedural and 3) epistemic . Although these original categorizations were based on conceptions of research , the idea of the categorization showed to be applicable to conceptions of theory . Thus, in this study, students’ answers that showed scientific conceptions of the concept of theory were categorized by utilizing the idea of these levels. Thus, three sub-categories for scientific conceptions of theory were created and were named as declarative level , procedural level and epistemic level. The categorization was conducted by a top-down method meaning, that when reading each answer the researcher checked first, to see if the answer reached the highest, epistemic level. If it did, the answer was categorized to this category. If not but when checked it reached the next, procedural level it was then categorized to the procedural category. If not, when checked and the answer reached the lowest level that is declarative level it was categorized to this category. However, if the answer could not be categorized to one of these three categories, then in conjuction with a co-reseacher it was considered whether the answer should have been categorised as a non-scientific conceptions already in the beginning of the analysis. Note, however, that these cases were scarce in this study.

We assume that these categories describe the developmental stages, meaning that one must have reached declarative level before to be able to understand the concept in procedural level and both declarative and procedural level must have been reached before to be able to understand the concept in epistemic level. In this study we were interested in the level of their current conceptions. Each answer was categorized to only one category because the aim of the analysis was to find out in which of these levels each student’s conceptions currently stand, i.e. what it the highest of these levels that each student’s answer reaches. The first and the second author of this study analysed 30% of the data by coding the answers on the basis of the categorisation. Inter-rater reliability was 86%. The first author analysed the rest of the data. The idea of categorization is explained more detailed in Figure 1 .

FIGURE 1 . The categorization of students’ scientific conceptions of theory.

Students’ Conceptions of Theory

The analysis of students’ open–ended answers showed that there are clear differences in how they understand the concept of theory. The most notable difference was that some of the answers showed the understanding of the concept of theory in a scientific context, but many of the answers did not. Instead, they were more related to ‘everyday thinking’ and did not show any kind of understanding of the concept of theory in its scientific meaning. These students seemed to combine the concept of theory to practical thinking in everyday life, for example explaining practice, being a solution to some problem or being a fact or truth. The first category, named as non-scientific conceptions was created for this kind of conceptions. Examples of students’ answers classified to this category are presented in Table 1 .

TABLE 1 . Examples of students’ answers in the category non-scientific conceptions .

The rest of the answers, that is, answers that showed understanding the concept of theory in a scientific context were analysed in more detail. The data driven analysis revealed that some of the answers showed deeper understanding than the others. Some were very declarative and quite superficial and some were more advanced and showed some kind of understanding of how and where theories come from (i.e. the relation between research and theories, related to doing ). Some of the answers showed deeper understanding of the concept of theory and the nature and origins of scientific knowledge. Similar kinds of differences between students’ answers were found in a previous study exploring students’ conceptions of research ( Salmento & Murtonen, 2019 ). The basic idea of three-step categorization (declarative, procedural and epistemic level) that was created in that study for university students’ conceptions of research showed to be applicable also to students’ conceptions of theory. Thus, in this study students’ answers that showed scientific conceptions of the concept of theory were categorized by utilizing the basic idea of these levels. Students’ answers showing conceptions of theory in scientific context were classified to following categories:

1) Conceptions of theory at the declarative level : some of the students described the concept of theory by using some terms that were related to science, for example the term scientific.

2) Conceptions of theory at the procedural level : some of the students showed understanding of where theories come from, and what theories can be used for. Their answers were related to research and “doing”.

3) Conceptions of theory at an epistemic level : some of the students showed epistemic views in their answers. For example, understanding that theories are pursued through scientific research by researchers using different research methods and that scientific knowledge is uncertain, unstable and created by people.

As noted earlier, we assumed that the levels of understanding, that is, declarative, procedural and epistemic are hierarchical in nature. Thus, the answers were analysed by interpreting that in which of these levels each student is currently able to describe the concept. Examples of students’ answers in these categories are presented in Table 2 .

TABLE 2 . Examples of students’ answers in the categories declarative, procedural and epistemic level.

The total number of students’ answers classified to each category is presented in Table 3 . Strengthening our assumption about the complex nature of the concept of theory, the analysis revealed that over half (53.6%) of all the students’ were not able to report their conception of theory in a scientific context. When looking at the scientific conceptions, only a few students showed understanding of the concept at the epistemic level. About one fifth of the students were able to describe the concept at procedural level and about the same number of students at the declarative level.

TABLE 3 . Students’ conceptions of theory.

Conceptions of Theory Between Early Stage Students and Graduating Students

To find out if there are differences between conceptions of students in different phases of their studies, we compared early stage (first and second year) students’ and graduating (fourth and fifth year) students’ answers. Early stage students had more non-scientific conceptions (65.40%) than graduating students, but it is noteworthy, that a little under half (44.10%) of all graduating students did not show a scientific understanding of the concept. When looking at the scientific conceptions, only a small number of graduating students (8.50%) and early stage students (7.50%) showed understanding about the concept at the epistemic level. The result strengthens our assumption that reaching the epistemic level might not be very typical for university students. About one fifth of both graduating students (22%) and early stage students (18.7%) demonstrated a procedural approach meaning that they were able to describe theory related to research and “doing. The number of graduating students in this level would have been assumed to be higher. On the other hand, this confirms the complex nature of the concept of theory in learning. About one quarter (25.4%) of graduating students and few early stage students (8.4%) showed understanding the concept of theory in declarative level, i.e. were able to use some scientific terms in their answers. The differences between students’ conceptions are presented in Figure 2 .

FIGURE 2 . Differences in conceptions of theory between first and second year students and Master’s degree students.

The aim of this study was to increase our understanding of teacher education students’ research competence by exploring how they understand the concept of theory . The results of this study are in line with previous studies ( Murtonen, Aiston & Kiley 2006 ; Kiley & Wisker, 2009 ; Murtonen, 2015 ; Earley, 2014 ; Wagner, Garner & Kawulich, 2011 ) showing that students face problems in learning research skills and understanding the most central scientific concepts such as empirical and theorethical ( Murtonen, 2015 ). According to our findings, over half of the students’ were not able to describe the concept of theory in a scientific context meaning that under half of the students demonstrated a scientific understanding of the concept. Early stage (first and second year) students reported more non-scientific conceptions than graduating (fourth and fifth year) students, but what was quite worrying, almost half of the graduating students didn’t report scientific conceptions of the concept of theory meaning, that they understood, or were able to report the concept in non-scientific context. The finding is significant, because we assume that understanding the most central scientific concepts, like the concept of theory in this case, is crucial for the development of more advances research skills.

The analysis of the scientific conceptions that students had reported revealed, that only a few of the students, regardless of their study phase, showed an understanding the concept at the most advanced, epistemic level . This is quite understandable, because understanding the nature and origins of scientific knowledge is a sophisticated skill. This understanding applies to scientific knowledge and an understanding of the fundamental origins of scientific knowledge that develops hand in hand with experience, practice and expertise. About one fifth of both early stage and graduating students showed that they understood the concept of theory at a procedural level , meaning that they saw it related to research and doing. We assume that this level is needed to reach to be able to utilise and understand research results, and also possibly participate in scientific knowledge construction. This is already very advanced and we suppose that a lot of practice and experience is needed to be able to reach this level. One quarter of graduating students were able to describe theory at a declarative level meaning that they had skills to describe the concepts in some basic scientific level by using some scientific terms. The number of early stage students in this level was clearly lower than graduating students, suggesting that graduating students might have learned to understand the concept in declarative level during their studies. That is a starting point to be able to move forward to more advanced levels in a scientific context.

There are some limitations concerning the data and the method used in this study. The data was collected by asking students to answer a simple open-ended question and many of the students’ answers were quite short and possibly superficial. Thus, it could be argued that the method was not sufficiently multifaceted to be able to gain a truly deep understanding of students’ thinking. When comparing answers that were categorised to different categories, the answers that showed non-scientific conceptions were typically shorter than the answers categorised to the scientific conceptions. The reason might be, that these students’ really didn’t have much to say, because the question is very difficult to answer if you don’t understand the scientific meaning of the concept. More advanced methods, for example interviews would have given us much deeper understanding of students thinking. In the future, different and more advanced research methods could be used to deepen understanding of the topic. For example, interviews would allow to get deeper to participant thoughts. The data of this study consisted only of teacher education students. Exploring their research competence is important, because teachers’ own research learning experiences are related their teaching strategies that they use in their own teaching ( Brew & Saunders, 2020 ). In the future, also disciplinary differences could be explored.

The findings of this study provide important information for university teachers and perspectives for future research. If half of the students understand the concept of theory in non-scientific context, more attention needs to be paid to the methods of how these kinds of central scientific concepts are taught at universities. Also, teachers are not always necessarily aware of the problems that their students face with learning these conceptions especially if the learning outcomes are measured only in the end of the course. Exploring what kind of pre-conceptions students have about the most central concepts would be important to be able to support their learning. For example, if students’ conceptions of theory seems to be related more to everyday thinking than the meaning of the concept in scientific context, teacher is able to consider what are the best pedagogical solutions to support students’ learning, or ‘help students over possible barriers’, as Balloo (2019) argues. Also, more attention needs to be paid to teachers’ approaches to supporting their students to learn these central scientific concepts. Not all the teachers see the development of their students’ research competence as important as do others and this can be related to their way of teaching ( Brew & Mantai, 2017 ; Brew & Saunders, 2020 ).

In the future, more advanced research methods could be used to deepen our understanding of the topic from the viewpoint of university students. For example, interviews would allow researchers to gain a deeper understanding of students’ conceptions. In addition, it would be important to also explore the topic from the viewpoint of university teachers to find out 1) how explicitly they aim to teach central scientific concepts, such as the concept of theory, 2) how aware they are of the various level of their students’ understanding these concepts and 3) how, and in which phases of their courses or study years students understanding is evaluated.

Data Availability Statement

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

Ethics Statement

Ethical review and approval was not required for the study on human participants in accordance with the local legislation and institutional requirements. The patients/participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study.

Author Contributions

HS, MM, and MK contributed to the design of the study. HS collected the data, organized the database, performed the statistical analysis and drafted the initial manuscript. HS, MM, and MK contributed to components of the manuscript, and on the basis of that HS finished the article. All authors contributed to manuscript revisions and read, and approved the submitted version.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher’s Note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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Keywords: research competence, conceptions of theory, epistemic understanding, scientific thinking, scientific thinking skills, higher education, research skills

Citation: Salmento H, Murtonen M and Kiley M (2021) Understanding Teacher Education Students’ Research Competence Through Their Conceptions of Theory. Front. Educ. 6:763803. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2021.763803

Received: 24 August 2021; Accepted: 25 October 2021; Published: 08 November 2021.

Reviewed by:

Copyright © 2021 Salmento, Murtonen and Kiley. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Heidi Salmento, [email protected]

This article is part of the Research Topic

Teaching and Learning Research Methods: Fostering Research Competence Among Students

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• Teacher Essay for Students in English

Importance of Teachers in Our Lives

Teachers are those who make children knowledgeable and cultured. A teacher is a beautiful gift given by god because god is a creator of the whole world and a teacher is a creator of a whole nation. A teacher is such an important creature in the life of a student, who through his knowledge, patience and love give a strong shape to a student’s whole life. 

A teacher shares academic knowledge, ethical values and assimilates moral values that help us shape our personality as better human beings. They represent an open book and try to share their life experience for a better tomorrow. A teacher has many qualities, they are efficient in their student’s life and success in every aspect. A teacher is very intelligent. They know how the mind of students gets concentrated in studies.

 During teaching, a teacher uses creativity so that students can concentrate on their studies. They are a repository of knowledge and have the patience and confidence to take responsibility for the future of the student. They only want to see their students successful and happy. Teachers are very prestigious people in the society, who through their magic of education, take the responsibilities of raising the lifestyle and mind level of the common people. 

Parents expect a lot from teachers. Teachers are the second parents who help the students balance their lives and spend the maximum childhood time. Just as our parents influence our childhood years, our teachers help shape us into the people we want to become when we grow up, having a huge impact on our lives. Students have complete faith in their teachers. In younger years, Students used to listen to their teachers more than anyone else as they used to spend more time with them than anyone else. 

The role of the teacher varies from class to game. A teacher is an important creature in everyone’s life who appears to do different things in our life. They are the creator of a wonderful future for our nation. 

Importance of a Teacher

A teacher has an important place not only in student life but also in every phase of life. They have all qualities which they distribute in their students. They know that not everyone has the same ability to receive, so a teacher observes all the abilities of each of their students and in the same way, they teach children. A teacher is a great listener of knowledge, prosperity, and light, from which we can benefit greatly throughout our life. Every teacher helps their students in choosing their path. Teachers teach their students how to respect elders. They tell their students the difference between respect and insult and many more. A teacher equips his/her student with the knowledge, skills, and positive behavior honored which the student never feels lost. The teacher makes them aware of how to use time and the restriction of time. A good teacher makes a good impression on his students. When any student makes a mistake, the teacher teaches them a lesson and also makes them realize their mistake. They teach us to wear clean clothes, eat healthy food, stay away from the wrong food, take care of parents, treat others well, and help us in understanding the importance of completing work. 

A teacher has many qualities which hold a special place in every student’s life. Teachers embrace various roles they are our friends when we get sad, our parents when we are hurt, and always good advisers. Teachers reward their students for their good work while sometimes punishing them for realizing the mistake to understand that this is not right for their lives.

Children’s future and present both are made by the teacher. He also enhances a good society by creating a good student throughout his life. Only a teacher knows what kind of association his student lives in and what kind of association he holds.

Teachers are great role models. The teachers influence students’ decidedness. For example, India’s most respectable President, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, achieved his position as a great aerospace engineer because of his teacher. Mr. Siva Subramania Iyer’s teachings on how birds fly influenced Dr. Kalam’s contribution to society.

Not only in the education field, but there are also numerous examples in sports too, where teachers played a vital role in shaping the career of the athletes. A notable example is batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, who credits his coach and teacher, Mr. Ramakant Achrekar, for success. Like this, there are numerous examples in various fields of dance, music, acting, arts, science where teachers act as a pivotal role in shaping the life of their disciples.

Relation of Student and the Teacher

The relationship between the teacher and the student was very sacred in ancient times as education was so perfect. There are so many stories written in our scriptures that revolve around student and teacher relationships. Out of all those, the supreme sacrifice made by Eklavya is of prime importance and showcases a student’s dedication towards his teacher. 

Alas, This relation is lacking in recent times. Nowadays, it is considered a mere profession. It has become a business or source of income compared to earlier days where it was considered a noble profession. We should be conscious enough not to stain this noble profession and should not create an example that lifts people’s trust in teachers.

In India, we gave great importance to the teacher. According to the Indian concept, the teacher is the spiritual and intellectual father of the teacher. No education is possible without the help of the teacher. He is regarded as the “Guru” – a speculator, a companion, and a guide.

In ancient India, the transmission of knowledge was oral, and the teacher was the sole custodian of knowledge. The relationship between the teacher and the students was amiable and deep in ancient times. 

Hard Work is the Key to be a Teacher

It takes a lot of hard work to be a good teacher. First of all, always respect the elders and also obey them. Concentration should be increased toward society and education. To be a good teacher, one has a sense of unity in the heart, does not discriminate against anyone, everyone should be seen with a glance. They always encourage students, they never criticize their students. Develops a good interpersonal relationship with a student. One should always tell good things to their younger ones and always treat the classmate well, always take inspiration from the teacher.

The teacher has a huge contribution to our life. No one can developmentally, socially, and intellectually in their life without a teacher. Many teachers slap students, many give punishment but in the end, the teacher is never bad. It only depends on the way they teach, which is different for everyone and this creates a different image in the student’s mind. They do whatever just to make our future bright.

Every year, some teachers get honored. Teachers’ day is celebrated every year on 5 September, in memory of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, India’s second President. India is a home ground of some great teachers like Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, Premchand, Swami Vivekanand, who have given some great lessons of life which are still in trend. On this day a special ceremony takes place in the school, in which students participate enthusiastically. A nation always honors all those teachers who help in eradicating ignorance of darkness. A teacher is an ocean of knowledge, we should keep acquiring knowledge on a subject for as long as possible.

FAQs on Teacher Essay for Students in English

1. Why are Teachers are Important?

Teacher are building block of the nation. Children’s future and present both are made by the teacher. He also enhances a good society by creating a good student throughout his life.

2. What Makes a Good Teacher?

It takes a lot of hard work to be a good teacher. They always have to study and gain knowledge. To be a teacher good one have a sense of unity in the heart, do not discriminate against anyone, everyone should be seen with a glance.

3. What Should Be the Qualities to Be a Good Teacher?

Given are some qualities to be a good teacher

They always encourage students, they never criticize their students.

Develops a good interpersonal relationship with a student.

Imparts moral values and values of life.

Develop self-confidence in students.

4. When is Teacher’s Day celebrated and after whom?

Every year, teachers’ day is celebrated on 5th September, in memory of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, India’s second President.

5. Give an example reflecting how a teacher shaped the life of their disciple.

One of the prominent examples is of our Ex-President, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam achieved his position as a great aerospace engineer because of his teacher, Mr. Siva Subramania Iyer who introduced him to the science behind birds being able to fly.

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Essay on My Teacher

List of essays on my teacher in english, essay on my teacher – essay 1 (300 words), essay on my teacher – essay 2 (400 words), essay on my teacher – essay 3 (500 words), essay on my teacher – essay 4 (750 words), essay on my teacher – essay 5 (1000 words).

Introduction:

Teachers are the ones who play a very vital role in shaping our future. From the Pre-Kinder Garden to your Post-Doctoral fellowships, they teach, impart knowledge, share ethical values, and imbibe morality, thereby shaping our personality as a strong one.

My Teacher:

Throughout our lives, we will be having many kith and kins who will hold a special place in our hearts. For me, one such person is my teacher. All of us, for sure, will definitely agree to the fact that the kinship between us and our kinder garden teachers could not be well-defined. I like my nursery teacher, so much. There is something very magical about her. Maybe, she was the first teacher in my life or maybe, she was very sweet in talking to all of us, I am unable to portray why she is always my favourite. I relied on her blindly.

Unforgettable Memories:

I have some cherished memories with my teacher. Whenever I think of those memories, it makes me blissful. On the last day of my nursery school, I started crying at the very thought of leaving her and having a new teacher. I had fallen sick due to crying for hours together. I skipped my food. My parents were not able to do anything. They called for her to make me feel better. My teacher travelled a few miles across the city and reached the hospital. She, then, said that she would never forget any of her students and asked me to write to her. I started writing to her every week from then on and she replied to every letter of mine. Till date, I look at my teacher as my second mother and she guides me in all my difficult situations.

Conclusion:

Having a good teacher who can share an amalgamated relationship with the students is a boon. A good teacher should be a good mentor, a philosopher, a guide, a friend and above all a surrogate parent to the children. I am lucky that I had gotten one in my lifetime.

My favorite subject is English and my most favorite teacher is Chitra Ma’am. She teaches us English. She likes me a lot and appreciates my hard work. She joined our school one year ago. Before that, I was not so good at English. But after attending her classes, we have all become much better at this subject.

I like her for many reasons. First of all, she teaches the lessons in a very interesting way. Even when we have doubts or questions, she never gets upset with us. Her best quality is her loving nature. She would come to school daily without missing a day.

Her dressing sense is nice. She wears simple salwar suits. She always speaks to her students softly and respectfully. I eagerly wait for her class and do my English homework on time. Chitra Ma’am puts a lot of effort in explaining every chapter.

There are many activities given at the end of every lesson and she makes us participate in all of them. Not only that, but she also encourages us to take part in drama and poem competitions. Since her first day, she made a rule for us.

All of us has to speak in English during the English period. Every student tries to talk in English even if the sentence sounds improper. She has taught us to never laugh at each other’s mistakes. This has improved our spoken English in a great way. Now, we are able to talk in English with more confidence.

Another great quality of hers is that she treats every child equally. After explaining the lesson to us, she asks each one of us different questions about the chapter. Sometimes, we also love to talk about our personal lives, like what do we like about our lives, how our parents work hard for us, and things like that.

When we get confused or need an emotional support, she is the best person to talk to. Her advice and suggestions are always positive. Last month, on teacher’s day, all the students wished her and brought presents for her. We also sang a song to her.

I made a beautiful greeting card for her and a red rose with it. She accepted it with a smile and thanked us for everything. I feel grateful to have such a gentle and great teacher in my life who supports me in every way.

In school, you tend to interact with a lot of people who can either impact your life positively or negatively. A teacher is one neutral person who will manage to strike a balance between the positive and the negative. Teachers have a huge responsibility that we students may not understand. All in all our teachers try their best to provide an education, guidance and discipline despite the challenges we might impose on them. The life of a student is entirely dependent on a teacher because most of their time is spent in school rather than with parents that is why teachers play a major role in shaping the lives of young children through school.

Who Is my favourite Teacher?

I have several teachers now that I am in high school but there is only one whom I can relate to as “the teacher” because of the impact he has made in my life. The teacher is male, of Indian origin and has a funny accent when he speaks. He is married and has three children. Actually, one of his children is my age and I know him through tennis practice because he comes to train with us sometimes. I like him because his sense of humor gives a good learning experience for the students. He is a math teacher and he is very good at what he does. Students tend to make fun of him because of his accent but he make fun of it himself, which gets even funnier. This teacher has been a great mentor to me and other student ever since we joined high school. I met him on a personal level one day after class when I needed clarification on a topic I had not quite understood. The teacher was kind to me and guided me through it. Since then, he took his own initiative to do follow-ups on me and I became really good in math due to his efforts.

Coincidentally, he also coaches my tennis team and we meet out on the field. We have won several awards as a tennis team under him. I feel connected to the teacher through his mentorship and he has become like a school parent to me because whenever I have an issue, he is free to help me out.

How the teacher has impacted my life in school .

Mentorship goes along way depending on the approach used. When I first joined high school, I did not have much confidence in myself. This teacher mentored me and made me believe in myself. The good thing is the attention he gives t is students because most of the times, he follows up on the performances and ensures that he does everything he can to help students improve academically. He has also been a role model to me through his way of doing things. He is dedicated to his work and he is an achiever. Through following his footsteps, I have been able to dedicate myself into studies and sports, which has helped me to achieve my goals.

In conclusion, good teachers are hard to find but when you find one, make the most out of them.

The word “teacher” depicts a person that teaches. English dictionary defines teacher as “a person who teaches, especially one employed in a school”. A more recent definition of teacher in the linguistics field is “a tutor that interacts with the learners in order to facilitate good learning”.

Types of Teachers

Old method teachers: the teachers found under this method adopt the rigid mode of impartation of knowledge. They control the class the way a king would rule over his subjects. Old method teachers are less concerned about the welfare of their learners, they are syllabus-oriented.

New method teachers: the tutors under this model are student-oriented. They are more concerned about their learners and their various levels of understanding. They accept and promote contributions in class unlike the old method teachers. New method teachers encourage the inquisitiveness of their students.

Attributes of a Teacher:

A standard teacher has all or most of the various characters imbedded in them:

• Compassionate
• Open-minded
• A good counselor
• Friendly and most importantly
• Approachable.

Attributes of My Favorite Teacher:

Personally, I see my teacher as a mini-god because he leaves his mark on me. He influences my life in ways that enables me affect changes wherever I find myself.

He is a perfect example of the new model teachers. Basically, he is student-oriented. In the classroom, he employs the Eclectic mode of teaching (this is the combination of all the modes of teaching “discussion mode, play way mode, role play mode, question mode” so as to facilitate standard learning).

He comes into the classroom; starts the lecture with a recap of what was discussed in the previous class, gives room for the students to ask questions that arose from the last class, answers them and then starts a new topic.

To start a new topic, he starts with a mind-capturing introduction that attracts the attention of all students. Once he is through with introducing the topic, he gauges our reaction in order for him to know if his students are on the same page with him or left behind.

Then, he moves on to the discussion mode of teaching, whereby he throws questions to his students and accommodates both relevant and irrelevant answers, at the end of this model, he sieves through the answers provided, pick the relevant ones and add his own iota to it, he also always applaud the courage of all who answers his questions.

He moves either into the role play method or the play way method, here he selects students to either act out the lessons from the day’s topic or summarizes what he has taught for the day. The use of this particular mode enlightens the students more on the topic being discussed.

Finally, he moves over to the questions and revision mode, where he personally go through all he has taught over the course of the period. During this mode, he entertains questions from students on their personal areas of difficulties. Occasionally, he gives assignments to back up his teachings.

During his teachings, he pays close attention to the expression, mood, sitting posture and carriage of his students. This tells him when his students are lost, sad, worried, hungry, sick, away in dream land or simply tired.

Once he is done processing the information gotten from our faces, he either finds a way of brightening the mood of his students, bringing them back from the dream world, or ending his class without breaking his stride or alerting the whole population of students to what is currently going on.

It is only normal for a human being to reflect his mood whenever he is talking or interacting, but my teacher hardly ever allow his bad, horrible moods interfere with his teachings.

Outside the classroom, my teacher is approachable, fatherly, and jovial. He entertains all and no one is excluded from his open arms, smiles and affections.

He is a good counselor who is always ready to help me out of my tight corners. He gives twenty first century advises in a fatherly way.

Although, due to my teachers lenient ways with students, some students tend to be lazy, disrespectful, stubborn or rude. He has a way of being firm, maintaining class control while teaching.

In conclusion, my teacher has all the attributes and more of a new method teachers. He is capable of combining all modes of teaching, he is compassionate, passionate, and friendly. From my interactions with him, I can confidently say that he is one of the best teachers around.

A teacher plays a very important life in shaping your life as well as career. A good teacher is a blessing for the students in their early years and helps them understand the world; learn moral values along with education. Most importantly, a teacher helps you the art of survival and brings out the best of you.

Why a teacher is so important in a student’s life?

Teachers assume the essential job in our life to end up fruitful invocation and business. A decent teacher encourages us to end up great individual in the general public and great nation of the nation.

Teachers realize that students are the eventual fate of any country. So the future advancement of any country is in the hands of teachers. What we move toward becoming in life is relies upon teachers. Teachers confer the information and data in the mind of understudies to dissect. Investigating in the circumstance what is conceivable is the most essential thing that we gain from teachers. Energy about teachers is imperative since they are the most essential individuals in the nation. What we’re seeing today in business, legislative issues, and society all influenced by teachers. In this way, in India, we commend teacher’s day consistently on 5 September on the event of the birth Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.

My Teachers, My Role Models

During my formative years, I have come across many teachers who have influenced my life for the better. Having being studies in a convent school, I got to face a much-disciplined environment during my school years. The teachers, although were very polite in their behaviour, at the same time ensuring that we all followed a disciplined life. We were taught how to inculcate these values in our daily life so as to be better human beings when we grow up and face the world. Although all the teachers were good, there is one teacher whose teachings I just cannot forget. She is Ms Kirti Bhushan. Her teachings have been so powerful and impactful that I can still feel them during my day to day decisions even today.

My Best Teacher

Ms Kirti was my class educator as well and took participation in the daily activities with us as well. She was a strict instructor anyway extremely amusing and mind in nature. At the same time, she was extremely restrained and dependable. She did her work perfectly with the class at a perfect time without getting late. I liked her, particularly as she attempted simple approaches to show us beneficial things. We made the most of her class. She taught us English subject as well. She even made us giggle by telling heaps of jokes in the middle of when she taught. She likewise managed us exceptionally well amid any school or between school rivalry of the move, sports, scholastic, and so on. She instructed us to share things in class among our associates, for example, lunch or other required things.

Her Background

She was from Varanasi and completed her initial studies there itself. She took her higher education degrees from the Banaras Hindu University. She was extremely friendly and kind in nature. She realized well about how to deal with little youngsters in the class. Her one of a kind style of educating is perhaps what I mostly recall her for. I even meet her at times at whatever point I have to explain some intense inquiries of my day to day issues, she advises me so easily and comfortably. She looks extremely savvy with shimmer eyes and fair hair.

Her Smiling Attitude

She generally smiled when she entered the classroom and first got some information about our prosperity. She additionally helped us in the games at whatever point our games instructor was missing. She had a smiling face even during the strict environment during the examination times. She constantly rebuffed to the students who were with fragmented home works. She was acclaimed for making loads of fun amid the class time and ensure there was a positive ambience all around.

She was an instructor with great aptitudes of educating, well-disposed nature, great comical inclination, understanding and nice. I am proud to be one of her favourite students, as she always said good things about me to other teachers. At times she gave us chocolates on doing great in the class tests and exams. She never gave us heaps of assignments at home. She was exceptionally eager and constantly spurred us for doing our best in the examination.

Teacher’s In Today’s Scenario

Today the general population are changing and their reasoning and advancement thoughts are more against nature. Presently for the world, a teacher is only a teacher. Various offices and departments only tend to remember them on teachers day during various events and usually do not remember them otherwise. Individuals also share few posts via web-based networking media with respect to teachers and after that just forget them. Individuals overlook a bigger number of things that they are gaining from teachers. Schools and students also praise the teacher’s day event and value the endeavours teachers are doing. This is incredible if individuals ought to pursue the exercises of teachers also.

The genuine present for teachers is when students turn into a decent individual, effective in their vocation and business. Not all teacher are great in instructing and comparatively, not all students resemble “Shishya and Guru” particularly in the advanced period. A few teachers are incredible and they are dependable in heart of students all life along.

Students admire teachers for counsel and direction. Students are inspired by scholastic exercises as well as they are intrigued to pursue their life exercises. That is the reason it’s exceedingly essential for teachers to motivate students to pursue great propensities not terrible by their own precedent. An instruction is critical in everybody’s life and assumes different jobs in various phases of life. It’s imperative that individuals understand the significance of teachers and pursue their teachers in the right spirit.

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• How to structure an essay: Templates and tips

How to Structure an Essay | Tips & Templates

Published on September 18, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

The basic structure of an essay always consists of an introduction , a body , and a conclusion . But for many students, the most difficult part of structuring an essay is deciding how to organize information within the body.

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Table of contents

The basics of essay structure, chronological structure, compare-and-contrast structure, problems-methods-solutions structure, signposting to clarify your structure, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about essay structure.

There are two main things to keep in mind when working on your essay structure: making sure to include the right information in each part, and deciding how you’ll organize the information within the body.

Parts of an essay

The three parts that make up all essays are described in the table below.

Order of information

You’ll also have to consider how to present information within the body. There are a few general principles that can guide you here.

The first is that your argument should move from the simplest claim to the most complex . The body of a good argumentative essay often begins with simple and widely accepted claims, and then moves towards more complex and contentious ones.

For example, you might begin by describing a generally accepted philosophical concept, and then apply it to a new topic. The grounding in the general concept will allow the reader to understand your unique application of it.

The second principle is that background information should appear towards the beginning of your essay . General background is presented in the introduction. If you have additional background to present, this information will usually come at the start of the body.

The third principle is that everything in your essay should be relevant to the thesis . Ask yourself whether each piece of information advances your argument or provides necessary background. And make sure that the text clearly expresses each piece of information’s relevance.

The sections below present several organizational templates for essays: the chronological approach, the compare-and-contrast approach, and the problems-methods-solutions approach.

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The chronological approach (sometimes called the cause-and-effect approach) is probably the simplest way to structure an essay. It just means discussing events in the order in which they occurred, discussing how they are related (i.e. the cause and effect involved) as you go.

A chronological approach can be useful when your essay is about a series of events. Don’t rule out other approaches, though—even when the chronological approach is the obvious one, you might be able to bring out more with a different structure.

Explore the tabs below to see a general template and a specific example outline from an essay on the invention of the printing press.

• Thesis statement
• Discussion of event/period
• Consequences
• Importance of topic
• Strong closing statement
• Claim that the printing press marks the end of the Middle Ages
• Background on the low levels of literacy before the printing press
• Thesis statement: The invention of the printing press increased circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation
• High levels of illiteracy in medieval Europe
• Literacy and thus knowledge and education were mainly the domain of religious and political elites
• Consequence: this discouraged political and religious change
• Invention of the printing press in 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg
• Implications of the new technology for book production
• Consequence: Rapid spread of the technology and the printing of the Gutenberg Bible
• Trend for translating the Bible into vernacular languages during the years following the printing press’s invention
• Luther’s own translation of the Bible during the Reformation
• Consequence: The large-scale effects the Reformation would have on religion and politics
• Summarize the history described
• Stress the significance of the printing press to the events of this period

Essays with two or more main subjects are often structured around comparing and contrasting . For example, a literary analysis essay might compare two different texts, and an argumentative essay might compare the strengths of different arguments.

There are two main ways of structuring a compare-and-contrast essay: the alternating method, and the block method.

Alternating

In the alternating method, each paragraph compares your subjects in terms of a specific point of comparison. These points of comparison are therefore what defines each paragraph.

The tabs below show a general template for this structure, and a specific example for an essay comparing and contrasting distance learning with traditional classroom learning.

• Synthesis of arguments
• Topical relevance of distance learning in lockdown
• Increasing prevalence of distance learning over the last decade
• Thesis statement: While distance learning has certain advantages, it introduces multiple new accessibility issues that must be addressed for it to be as effective as classroom learning
• Classroom learning: Ease of identifying difficulties and privately discussing them
• Distance learning: Difficulty of noticing and unobtrusively helping
• Classroom learning: Difficulties accessing the classroom (disability, distance travelled from home)
• Distance learning: Difficulties with online work (lack of tech literacy, unreliable connection, distractions)
• Classroom learning: Tends to encourage personal engagement among students and with teacher, more relaxed social environment
• Distance learning: Greater ability to reach out to teacher privately
• Sum up, emphasize that distance learning introduces more difficulties than it solves
• Stress the importance of addressing issues with distance learning as it becomes increasingly common
• Distance learning may prove to be the future, but it still has a long way to go

In the block method, each subject is covered all in one go, potentially across multiple paragraphs. For example, you might write two paragraphs about your first subject and then two about your second subject, making comparisons back to the first.

The tabs again show a general template, followed by another essay on distance learning, this time with the body structured in blocks.

• Point 1 (compare)
• Point 2 (compare)
• Point 3 (compare)
• Point 4 (compare)
• Advantages: Flexibility, accessibility
• Disadvantages: Discomfort, challenges for those with poor internet or tech literacy
• Advantages: Potential for teacher to discuss issues with a student in a separate private call
• Disadvantages: Difficulty of identifying struggling students and aiding them unobtrusively, lack of personal interaction among students
• Advantages: More accessible to those with low tech literacy, equality of all sharing one learning environment
• Disadvantages: Students must live close enough to attend, commutes may vary, classrooms not always accessible for disabled students
• Advantages: Ease of picking up on signs a student is struggling, more personal interaction among students
• Disadvantages: May be harder for students to approach teacher privately in person to raise issues

An essay that concerns a specific problem (practical or theoretical) may be structured according to the problems-methods-solutions approach.

This is just what it sounds like: You define the problem, characterize a method or theory that may solve it, and finally analyze the problem, using this method or theory to arrive at a solution. If the problem is theoretical, the solution might be the analysis you present in the essay itself; otherwise, you might just present a proposed solution.

The tabs below show a template for this structure and an example outline for an essay about the problem of fake news.

• Introduce the problem
• Provide background
• Describe your approach to solving it
• Define the problem precisely
• Describe why it’s important
• Indicate previous approaches to the problem
• Present your new approach, and why it’s better
• Apply the new method or theory to the problem
• Indicate the solution you arrive at by doing so
• Assess (potential or actual) effectiveness of solution
• Describe the implications
• Problem: The growth of “fake news” online
• Prevalence of polarized/conspiracy-focused news sources online
• Thesis statement: Rather than attempting to stamp out online fake news through social media moderation, an effective approach to combating it must work with educational institutions to improve media literacy
• Definition: Deliberate disinformation designed to spread virally online
• Popularization of the term, growth of the phenomenon
• Previous approaches: Labeling and moderation on social media platforms
• Critique: This approach feeds conspiracies; the real solution is to improve media literacy so users can better identify fake news
• Greater emphasis should be placed on media literacy education in schools
• This allows people to assess news sources independently, rather than just being told which ones to trust
• This is a long-term solution but could be highly effective
• It would require significant organization and investment, but would equip people to judge news sources more effectively
• Rather than trying to contain the spread of fake news, we must teach the next generation not to fall for it

Signposting means guiding the reader through your essay with language that describes or hints at the structure of what follows.  It can help you clarify your structure for yourself as well as helping your reader follow your ideas.

The essay overview

In longer essays whose body is split into multiple named sections, the introduction often ends with an overview of the rest of the essay. This gives a brief description of the main idea or argument of each section.

The overview allows the reader to immediately understand what will be covered in the essay and in what order. Though it describes what  comes later in the text, it is generally written in the present tense . The following example is from a literary analysis essay on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein .

Transitions

Transition words and phrases are used throughout all good essays to link together different ideas. They help guide the reader through your text, and an essay that uses them effectively will be much easier to follow.

Various different relationships can be expressed by transition words, as shown in this example.

Because Hitler failed to respond to the British ultimatum, France and the UK declared war on Germany. Although it was an outcome the Allies had hoped to avoid, they were prepared to back up their ultimatum in order to combat the existential threat posed by the Third Reich.

Transition sentences may be included to transition between different paragraphs or sections of an essay. A good transition sentence moves the reader on to the next topic while indicating how it relates to the previous one.

… Distance learning, then, seems to improve accessibility in some ways while representing a step backwards in others.

However , considering the issue of personal interaction among students presents a different picture.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

An essay isn’t just a loose collection of facts and ideas. Instead, it should be centered on an overarching argument (summarized in your thesis statement ) that every part of the essay relates to.

The way you structure your essay is crucial to presenting your argument coherently. A well-structured essay helps your reader follow the logic of your ideas and understand your overall point.

Comparisons in essays are generally structured in one of two ways:

• The alternating method, where you compare your subjects side by side according to one specific aspect at a time.
• The block method, where you cover each subject separately in its entirety.

It’s also possible to combine both methods, for example by writing a full paragraph on each of your topics and then a final paragraph contrasting the two according to a specific metric.

You should try to follow your outline as you write your essay . However, if your ideas change or it becomes clear that your structure could be better, it’s okay to depart from your essay outline . Just make sure you know why you’re doing so.

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Essay on Qualities of a Good Teacher

Students are often asked to write an essay on Qualities of a Good Teacher in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Qualities of a Good Teacher

Understanding and patience.

A good teacher is understanding and patient. They know that every student learns at their own pace and they are patient in explaining concepts until every student understands.

Knowledgeable

A good teacher has a strong knowledge about the subject they teach. They can answer questions accurately and explain complex ideas in simple terms.

A good teacher makes learning fun and engaging. They use different teaching methods to keep students interested and motivated.

Good Communicator

A good teacher communicates effectively. They explain lessons clearly and are always ready to listen to students’ questions and concerns.

A good teacher is a role model. They inspire students to be better learners and responsible individuals.

250 Words Essay on Qualities of a Good Teacher

Introduction.

A good teacher is instrumental in shaping the future of their students. They not only impart knowledge but also inspire, motivate, and guide students to reach their full potential.

Subject Knowledge

A good teacher possesses deep knowledge of their subject. They understand the intricacies of the discipline and can articulate complex ideas clearly. This expertise allows them to answer student queries effectively, fostering a conducive learning environment.

Communication Skills

Effective communication is a hallmark of a good teacher. They present information in a clear, concise manner, ensuring that students grasp the concepts. They also listen actively, understanding student perspectives and responding empathetically.

Passion and Enthusiasm

A passionate teacher invigorates the classroom, stimulating student interest. Their enthusiasm is infectious, inspiring students to learn and explore. Passion also drives the teacher to stay updated with the latest developments in their field.

Patience and Adaptability

Patience is crucial as students have diverse learning speeds and styles. A good teacher adapts their teaching methods to cater to these differences, ensuring every student benefits.

Teachers are role models. Their behavior and attitude influence students. A good teacher demonstrates values like honesty, integrity, and respect, guiding students towards becoming responsible citizens.

In conclusion, a good teacher is knowledgeable, communicative, passionate, patient, adaptable, and a positive role model. These qualities make them effective educators, capable of shaping the leaders of tomorrow.

500 Words Essay on Qualities of a Good Teacher

Teaching is one of the most noble and impactful professions, shaping the minds and futures of young individuals. A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning. However, what defines a good teacher? This essay explores the essential qualities of a good teacher.

Deep Knowledge and Passion for the Subject Matter

A good teacher exhibits an extensive understanding of the subject matter. Their knowledge goes beyond the basic curriculum, enabling them to answer students’ queries effectively and provide additional insight. Besides, passion for the subject matter is contagious. When teachers display enthusiasm, it encourages students to develop an interest in the topic, enhancing their learning experience.

Strong Communication Skills

Effective communication is a fundamental quality of a good teacher. This includes not only delivering information clearly but also listening to students’ concerns. A good teacher can simplify complex concepts, making them accessible to all students, regardless of their learning style. Furthermore, they can interpret non-verbal cues, understanding when students are struggling and need extra help.

Patience and Empathy

Patience and empathy are crucial for a good teacher. Every student learns at a different pace and in unique ways. A good teacher recognizes these differences, providing individual attention when necessary. They empathize with students, understanding their challenges, and offering support to overcome them. This fosters a safe and nurturing environment where students feel comfortable to learn and grow.

Adaptability

In an ever-evolving educational landscape, adaptability is a key quality for teachers. They need to be flexible in their teaching methods, adjusting to the diverse needs of students. They should be open to using new technologies and innovative teaching strategies to enhance learning. Moreover, a good teacher is prepared to modify their lesson plans based on students’ progress and feedback.

High Expectations and Encouragement

A good teacher sets high expectations for all students, pushing them to reach their full potential. They believe in their students’ abilities, even when the students themselves may not. This confidence can motivate students to strive for excellence. Furthermore, a good teacher provides positive reinforcement, celebrating students’ achievements, and encouraging them to keep improving.

In conclusion, a good teacher is defined by a blend of professional skills and personal attributes. They possess deep knowledge and passion for the subject matter, strong communication skills, patience, empathy, adaptability, and the ability to set high expectations while providing encouragement. These qualities not only make a teacher effective but also inspire students to become lifelong learners. The influence of a good teacher can never be erased, as they shape the minds that will shape the future.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on My Best Teacher
• Essay on My Aim in Life Doctor
• Essay on Ancient Education System

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

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Essay About Being a Teacher: Top 5 Examples and Prompts

If you are writing an essay about being a teacher, here are some examples to give you inspiration.

Without a doubt, teaching is one of the most important professions one can have. Teachers give children the lessons they must learn to face the future and contribute positively to society. They can be considered the gateway to success stories such as Oprah Winfrey , Adele , and John Legend , all of whom have cited their teachers as major inspirations to their careers. 

Many educators would say that “teaching is its own reward.” However, it may be difficult to see how this is the case, especially considering the fact that being an educator entails massive amounts of stress and pressure. Teaching has actually been reported to be one of the most underpaid jobs , yet many teachers still love what they do. Why is this?

If you want to write an essay about being a teacher, whether you are one or not, you can get started by reading the 5 examples featured here. 

1. Reflections on being a teacher … by Darren Koh

2. teaching in the pandemic: ‘this is not sustainable’ by natasha singer, 3. why i got rid of my teacher’s desk by matthew r. morris, 4. stress is pushing many teachers out of the profession by daphne gomez, 5. doubt and dreams by katheryn england, top writing prompts on essay about being a teacher, 1. what makes teaching so fulfilling, 2. what can you learn from being a teacher, 3. why do people become teachers, 4. should you become a teacher, 5. how have teachers helped you become who you are today.

“Although strictly speaking, based on the appointments I hold, I really do not have time to do much of it. I say teach, not lecturing. The lecturer steps up to the lectern and declaims her knowledge. She points out the difficulties in the area, she talks about solutions to problems, and she makes suggestions for reform. The focus is on the subject – the students follow. The teacher, however, needs to meet the students where they are in order to bring them to where they have to be. The focus is on the student’s ability.”

Koh writes about how he teaches, the difficulties of teaching, and what it means to be a teacher. He helps his students hone their skills and use them critically. He also discusses the difficulty of connecting with each student and focusing their attention on application rather than mere knowledge. Koh wants students to achieve their full potential; teaching to him is engaging, inspirational, and transparent. He wants readers to know that being a teacher is rewarding yet difficult, and is something he holds close to his heart.

“‘I work until midnight each night trying to lock and load all my links, lessons, etc. I never get ahead,” one anonymous educator wrote. ‘Emails, endless email. Parents blaming me because their kids chose to stay in bed, on phones, on video games instead of doing work.’”

Singer writes about the difficult life of teachers trying to balance in-person and distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. On top of the standard class routine, being a teacher during the pandemic has entailed the burden of handling students who opt for remote learning. They are faced with additional struggles, including connection issues, complaining parents, and being overworked in general- it’s as if they teach twice the number of classes as normal. This is exhausting and may prove detrimental to the American education system, according to the sources Singer cites. 

“What it means to me is that I am checking (or acknowledging) my privilege as a teacher in the space of the classroom and in order to facilitate a more equitable classroom community for my students, erasing one of the pillars of that inequity is a step in the right direction. I am comfortable in my role as the head member in my classroom, and I don’t need a teacher’s desk anymore to signify that.”

Morris, an educator, writes about what teaching means to him, highlighted by his decision to remove his teacher’s desk from his classroom. Being a teacher for him is about leading the discussion or being the “lead learner,” as he puts it, rather than being an instructor. His removal of the teacher’s desk was decided upon based on his desire to help his students feel more equal and at home in class. He believes that being a teacher means being able to foster authentic connections both for and with his students.

“Teachers want to help all students achieve, and the feeling of leaving any student behind is devastating. The pressure that they put on themselves to ensure that they serve all students can also contribute to the stress.”

Gomez writes about the stress that comes with being a teacher, largely due to time constraints, lack of resources, and the number of students they must instruct. As much as they want to help their students, their environment does not allow them to touch the lives of all students equally. They are extremely pressured to uphold certain standards of work, and while they try as hard as they can, they do not always succeed. As a result, many teachers have left the profession altogether. Gomez ends her piece with an invitation for teachers to read about other job opportunities. 

“Then I re-evaluate what I want for myself, and what it is that keeps me working towards my dreams. Through the goals I’ve set for myself, I can maintain focus, move past my self-doubt and succeed. By focusing on my goals, I can make a difference in the world directly around me.”

Taken from a collection of short essays, England’s essay is about why she so desperately wishes to become a teacher. She was previously able to work as a teaching assistant to her former elementary school teacher, and enjoyed imparting new knowledge unto children. Even in moments of self-doubt, she reminds herself to be confident in her dreams and hopes to be able to make a difference in the world with her future profession.

When it comes to teachers, we often hear about either “the joy of teaching” or the immense stress that comes with it. You can explore the gratitude and satisfaction that teachers feel toward their jobs, even with all the struggles they face. Read or watch the news and interviews with teachers themselves.

Research on the skills and qualifications people need to be teachers, as well as any qualities they may need to do their job well. What skills can you get from teaching? What traits can you develop? What lessons can you learn? 

Despite the seemingly endless barrage of stories about the difficulties that teachers face, many people still want to teach. You can explore the reasoning behind their decisions, and perhaps get some personal insight on being a teacher as well. 

Based on what you know, would you recommend teaching as a job? If you aren’t too knowledgeable on this topic, you can use the essay examples provided as guides- they present both the positive and negative aspects of being a teacher. Be sure to support your argument with ample evidence- interviews, anecdotes, statistics, and the like.  

Teachers, whether in a school setting or not, have almost certainly helped make you into the person you are now. You can discuss the impact that your teachers have had on your life, for better or for worse, and the importance of their roles as teachers in forming students for the future.

Check out our guide packed full of transition words for essays .

If you’re still stuck, check out our general resource of essay writing topics .

Martin is an avid writer specializing in editing and proofreading. He also enjoys literary analysis and writing about food and travel.

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Essay on Teacher for Students and Children

500+ words essay on teacher.

Teachers are a special blessing from God to us. They are the ones who build a good nation and make the world a better place. A teacher teaches us the importance of a pen over that of a sword. They are much esteemed in society as they elevate the living standards of people. They are like the building blocks of society who educate people and make them better human beings .

Moreover, teachers have a great impact on society and their student’s life. They also great importance in a parent’s life as parents expect a lot from teachers for their kids. However, like in every profession, there are both good and bad teachers. While there aren’t that many bad teachers, still the number is significant. A good teacher possesses qualities which a bad teacher does not. After identifying the qualities of a good teacher we can work to improve the teaching scenario.

A Good Teacher

A good teacher is not that hard to find, but you must know where to look. The good teachers are well-prepared in advance for their education goals. They prepare their plan of action every day to ensure maximum productivity. Teachers have a lot of knowledge about everything, specifically in the subject they specialize in. A good teacher expands their knowledge continues to provide good answers to their students.

Similarly, a good teacher is like a friend that helps us in all our troubles. A good teacher creates their individual learning process which is unique and not mainstream. This makes the students learn the subject in a better manner. In other words, a good teacher ensures their students are learning efficiently and scoring good marks.

Most importantly, a good teacher is one who does not merely focus on our academic performance but our overall development. Only then can a student truly grow. Thus, good teachers will understand their student’s problems and try to deal with them correctly. They make the student feel like they always have someone to talk to if they can’t do it at home or with their friends.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Impact of Teachers on a Student’s Life

Growing up, our parents and teachers are the first ones to impact our lives significantly. In fact, in the younger years, students have complete faith in their teachers and they listen to their teachers more than their parents. This shows the significance and impact of a teacher .

When we become older and enter college, teachers become our friends. Some even become our role models. They inspire us to do great things in life. We learn how to be selfless by teachers. Teachers unknowingly also teach very important lessons to a student.

For instance, when a student gets hurt in school, the teacher rushes them to the infirmary for first aid. This makes a student feel secure and that they know a teacher plays the role of a parent in school.

In other words, a teacher does not merely stick to the role of a teacher. They adapt into various roles as and when the need arises. They become our friends when we are sad, they care for us like our parents when we are hurt. Thus, we see how great a teacher impacts a student’s life and shapes it.

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Understanding and Addressing Teacher Shortages in the United States

This report summarizes research on the effect of monetary incentives on teacher recruitment and retention and how compensation-based incentives can be used to address both subject-level shortages and school-level shortages.

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