Now that you have read chapter 2 on the professionalization of teaching and we discussed a few of the issues in class, I would like for you to reflect upon your 13+ years of schooling and the examples your teachers have set for you. You need to think of a time, experience, or memory of a teacher doing or saying something that exemplified that he/she was truly a well-respected professional. OR you can write about a time, experience, or memory of a teacher doing or saying something that was not professional. Do not use names when you are talking about this teacher. It can be as simple as "One of my high school teachers always wore flip-flops to school." Or it can be a complex issue such as "One of the high school teachers used to go to student parties on the weekend and drink alcohol in front of the students." After you state the issue, type a few sentences about why you thought it was professional or unprofessional and how it affected your learning.
Please be sensitive to the fact that this topic is very subjective. Something you might think is unprofessional another person might think is not a big deal. Let's be aware of people's differing opinions. We need to make sure we keep this post PROFESSIONAL:-)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
56 comments:
In my high school experience, i had a teacher who had the most respect i have every witnessed in any of my teachers in high school. He was always properly dressed with a dress shir, pants and a tie. He would always ask nicely that the class remain silent during announcements and he would get the respect. The reason he got it is because when he started to teach he was lively and fun to listen to so when he asked something of his students they were quick to obey. I also had a teacher who had the worst professional manner, she would wear her sweats all the time and had a sloppy style of teaching, she never got the respect from the students because she never respected us.
Stefan,
Great post - fun to read about your experiences.
SWEATS! ARE YOU SERIOUS!!!
In high school, I had a teacher that also dressed up everyday. He wore a button up shirt, tie, and dress pants everyday. All the students respected him and actually paid attention in his class as well. I think that the reason he was respected was because he looked professional and acted professional too. I agree with Stefan because if a teacher doesn't act or look professional then their students will not take them seriously and not pay attention to what they are teaching them in class.
i'm happy to say that for the most part all of my teachers were very professional. There were a few not so great ones however, and mostly i felt they were too social with the students, not in a bad way - they just failed to set themselves apart from the students. and so the students did not respect the teacher as a teacher.
going along with chelsea and stefan said, looking professional is just as important as acting professional.
During high school, I had a teacher that would always talk about members of her staff to me. I thought this was very disrespectful because our teachers and parents are the ones who tell us that if there is a problem with someone, we need to talk it out with that person before getting other people involved. This teacher was not respected in the classroom; they wasted their time on complaining about other teachers rather than focusing on helping their students learn. I do agree with the others on dress though. Dressing appropriatey for a career is very important!
when you're in high school and you get one of thoes first year teachers and ur first thought is this is going to be an easy class but in my experience the teacher gets too preoccupied with being cool with the students and then just rushing through the lesson plan, which made the class hard beccause i wasn't one of thoes kids who could just understand everything that easily.
i also agree with chelsea. think it is very important for a teacher to dress professional because if they dont they could blend in with the students and not get the respect they want or deserve.
One day durring my senior english class, my teacher started flirting with the cute football players. That day she was wearing a jean skirt that went a little above her knee but had a big slit right up the front. The worst thing about the whole situation was that she hiked her leg up onto one of the shelves on her podium and you could pretty much see straight up her skirt. It was absolutely rediculous for my 45 going on 21 year old teacher to be behaving in this way. This act not only displayed her lack of professionality, but also her insecurities as an older woman. Needless to say it was rediculous!
-Rebecca Peddicord
Hey Devin! I totally agree with you on the idea of setting yourself apart from the students. In order to create a proper learning environment, someone has to be in charge. If the teacher is too worried about being just "one of the guys" they will not be adequately doing their job. Student teacher interaction is fine, in fact it is completely necessary. The line gets crossed when the teacher forgets why they are getting paid and focuses on the social aspect of school.
-Rebecca Peddicord
In high school I had a really unprofessional teacher. He would always sleep in his classroom before and during class. He would also always talk about his girlfriends and his party life. Everyone thought he was a really cool teacher but, I thought it was really unprofessional.
I agree with Stefan that I teacher should always dress nice. It makes the students respect you more and you look more nice.
In highschool I had a teacher who moved to a better position within the school, some sort of administrator... anyway a sub came in to take over the class and she had to fight to earn any type of respect, probably because she was a sub, and new, and her demeanor was childlike, down to what she wore. She also knew nothing about what we were learning so nobody would listen! It probably didnt help that the previous teacher was exactly like the teacher chelsea bauer described, which was alot better than her!
In my first year of college, one teacher stood out from the rest. She was very much so a professional in the way that she presented herself but it was just not her appreance. She treated all of the students as if we were just as important as a professional. She expected us to be professional and didn't settle for anything less. Having a teacher expect so much from you helps you to strive to be better. I agree with devin in saying that teachers need to be able to set themselves apart from the students. That is very key in a student teacher relationship.
I once had a teacher who tried to become buddy buddy with all her students and did not draw a line between being their teacher and being their friend. Authority was not respected and they all took advantage of her. Letting this happen is very unprofessional and it is important to do things with the right timing. Once the student becomes a former student it is then okay to be more lenient.
I agree with Chelsea because I had a teacher that did the same ( dressing professional) and no one ever stepped out of line.
Nicole Whitaker
In middle school the history teacher had the respect of the entire school. The students even had a healthy fear of him. He gave respect, he demanded respect so he recieved respect. Not only did he respect his students he really showed how much he cared. He wanted everbody to learn and to do well. He is not retired but still holds the most respect i have ever seen.
Abby has a great point when she said a teacher of hers reated each student as important. If a student does not feel important then they are not going to care to be there. It seems that all those teachers mentioned that have a lot of respect, value their job and thier students. Sice this seems so evident, it makes you wonder why other teachers do not follow their example.
I agree with sarah about her teacher complaining all the time, i think a good teacher is someone who doesn't blame everyone else but takes responsibility for their own mistakes and acts professionally towards others!
When I was in high school, my history teacher was one of the most respected men that I have seen. He always dressed very nice. He always had a dress shirt and a tie. He would joke around sometimes, but when it was time to teach, he meant business and made sure that everyone was on the same page. It was a great class because it was strictly professional, but he also wanted to have fun. He added some very interesting presentations and was very professional about everything that he did.
I am with Stefan as well. I also had a teacher that wore sweat pants and sandals and dress like a slob every day. The teacher had none of the students respect. It was a joke.
In middle school I once had a teacher that did not know where to draw the line as friend and teacher. Her son was a year older than us and friends of most of the students in the classroom. She was always talking to us about his problems and about how he was getting in trouble. If my mom was doing that to me with my peers I think I would be very upset. Not only did most of us not care about all this it was definitely none of our business. I think this reflected on her in a very negative way, we lost valuable class time because of her discussions. I think that the friend teacher line is a very difficult one to keep straight, especially for first time teachers in high schools. New teachers usually have only been out of high school themselves for about 4 years and I think its easy for them to relate to their students, but they have to be careful to not cross that line.
One of my high school teachers was very down to earth while teaching history. He talked to his students as equals and was willing to help when it was asked of him. Also he did not put up with nonsense in
the classroom. I thought this was professional because it was a more relaxed environment to learn in and by him talking to us on an equal level generated the respect we had for him as a teacher. I hope to incorporate that ability in my own classroom someday. ~ Aaron Robertson
I think that as a first year teacher you need to stick to the lesson plan but relax and try to relate to the kids. I also believe you need to dress for success! Good points guys and gals. ~ Aaron Robertson
One of the male teachers in my highschool was very popular as the "cool teacher" because he flirted with the girls and made open comments that teenage boys found amusing. He dropped pencils to see the girls bend over and raised eyebrows behind them, silly stuff. However, to those who didn't go along with his humor (very few) you were pretty much nonexsistent. He taught my mother as well, and she said he never changed. So it was accepted by the school to allow him to have exceptions in his professionalism.
Olivia, It sounds like your teacher was fairly young. I didn't have many teachers under 40 so I can't relate entirely, however, I do agree that there personal lives can interfere with professionalism. A lot of kids would rather talk about cool parties than "the parts of a cell" so they don't feel the need to report teachers who aren't teaching.
In my high school there were at least two teachers that i can think of that would party with their students and would offer to buy them alcohol if they wanted it, during class. That was the most unprofessional situation that I had seen all through high school.
I agree with Andrea, because it seems like there are many teachers out there,especially in high schools, that do not know where to draw the line between friend and teacher.
Ok there was a high school teacher that I had that no one really liked because it was a sophmore class and he taught it like a college class. But one day one of the kids in our class fell asleep and he our teacher decided to stack a box, some books, and my shoes on top of him. Everyone thought it was the funniest thing when he woke up because the look on his face was priceless. Although it was unprofessional of him to do that it was the best class we had with him.
I agree with bandman. Its always good to act as the students' friend and treat them as equals but at the same time not be just a friend and not a teacher. It sounds like that teacher had the perfect balance.
One thing that I have found very professional about one of my college professors is that he addresses each of his students as Mr. or Ms. This shows that he has respect for each and every one of us and therefore we have equal respect for him. On the other hand, I have two professors who told us to call them by their first name, which I found a little unprofessional but it made the class a little more relaxing since we felt like the teachers were more of our peers.
I agree with the main points that everyone has made. The basic things a teacher can do to be a professional are to dress appropriately, have respect for his or her students, and don't get too personal with the students.
my junior year i had a teacher who was loved by every who took his class. students would literally change their schedule so they had him. he was a young teacher he had alot to do with athletics so he knew pretty much everyone. he played some fun games in the class room to make sure everyone was participating. and he really connected well with all of the students
I swam in high school and my assistant coach/teacher was very unprofessional. She wore revealing outfits and would always talk about her boyfriend or drinking or partying. No one on the team liked or respected her because of this. And a lot of the guy students spread rumors about her. When she became head coach, I actually quit swimming because she was so unprofessional. This really showed me how important it is to be a good role model.
During high school i had many teachers that were different and alike. My best teacher was my wrestling coach. He would attend the class as equals and always have something new and creative to get his point across. I feel that I learned most from him. My worst teacher had to be my Spanish one. She dressed in sweats and never had a professional manner about her. She never took pride in her job and her students noticed.
I agree with what stefan said because i can realate to a teacher who doesnt take pride in her work.
I liked hearing Jared talk about a professional teacher who had a positive influence on his students. We always hear negative things in the news about teachers being unprofessional in some way, so we often forget that there are a lot of great teachers out there.
In high school I had a teacher who would always flirt with the cute girls in the class. 100% unprofessional and, frankly, rather disturbing. I had at one point had a lot of respect for him, but it quickly fell away after taking one of his class.
Olivia, I agree whole-heartedly with you! I always felt really uncomfortable when a teacher would discuss their personal life with the class and that really turned me off to learning from them!
my english teacher junior year always wore i suit and tie and was very professional. one day nobody was really paying attention to his lecture so yhe next thing we knew he was jumping up and down on top of a table talking really loud. he wasnt yelling but he just wanted people to pay attention. It was unproffesional but everyone started to listen. he spent the rest of class standing on the table lecturing. it was really suprising because no one would have ever expected it. but he got everyone to listen though so i guess it worked.
i had a teacher that was like a jumpy little leperchaun, but he had his PhD and was very relateable. this made him an awesome teacher not only to have a class with, but also to see in the halls and he was always rooted for at the pep assemblies.
i had a teacher similar to rabeccas. she flirted with guys and dressed very unprofessionally. she wasnt even a good teacher. she just had us do packets and stuff.
This experience goes all the way back to when I was in elementary school. My real teacher could not be in class for some reason, and we had a substitute. Well this substitute was very disrespectful to the class and especially my best friend. She kept calling him boy numerous times and her vibe was not good at all. I dont know why her attitude was bad but she showed us no respect at all from the jump. My b/f still remembers this until this day and we still laugh at it.
Piggy backing with Chelsea B proper attire is not only important for students but teachers as well. Your image alone can tell a lot about a you. Teachers male and female should set an exam for students. If a teacher is not dressed properly then it could throw everything off.
One of my high school teachers was always very professional. He never missed a day of school all year. Every day, he wore a button up shirt and a sweater vest. He was funny and informative.
Tony Blecher
I agree with you Julie. Calling everyone Mr. and Mrs. is always very professional. It's also polite. When I become a teacher, I hope I remember to do so.
I think the teacher that earned alot of respect form the student population was one who had odd sets of rule that set him apart from the other teachers. For example if you were tardy he locked the door an you were left outside were he would slip you your paperwork under the door. Or he would give you full credit on a test question if you gave a thourough anser to his question even if it was a wrong answer. Students liked him because he was slightly eccentric and had his own sense of justice. Because of this he seemed less like a traditional authority figure and more real to them.
Katy O. I completely agree with you! I have seen so many teachers that have been teachign for a while and because they're "cool" and "respected" by the student populus their unprofessionalisim is never delt with and each new class has to deal with their poor taste. I hate teachers like that and the administrations that due nothing to correct their bad behavior.
One of my high school teachers, my yearbook adviser to be exact, always treated us editors like we were his own daughters. He looked after us and made sure we were all on track, in and out of class. It gave us more motivation to do better in class and to work harder because we knew he was always looking out for our well-being. He is also the teacher I am most likely doing my practicum with because he has such a laid back, yet determined way of teaching. He genuinely wants us to succeed in life and in school.
I agree with the majority of the comments talking about dressing properly but I also thinks it's fun when teachers add their own spin to professional dress. I have had many male teachers that would wear fun ties or cool shirts and we'd always comment or joke about them, I think it creates another way for students to relate to teachers when they are willing to be professional yet creative and fun.
Also, Mrs. B I saw this video as a link on one of the videos you provided, it's really insightful and I think maybe some of the other teachers should take a look at it. It speaks to teachers in a way I don't think just telling them these things would.
http://homepage.mac.com/dvchelo/page1/page3/files/page3-1003-pop.html
I had a teacher junior year of highschool who was not very professional. She would wear little tank tops and tight jeans everyday. She also played favorites, in which those people recieved higher grades and were able to turn assignments in later than the due date.
I agree with Tony's comment, a professional teacher should be present everyday there is class.
I had a spanish teacher that passed around picture from when she went to Spain and there was five pictures in there of her out at bars with her friends because she forgot to take them out.
Lindsey was talking about teachers that played favorites and I had numerous teachers that played favorites and it is easily one of the least professional things you can do.
In high school, I had a math teacher who dressed very provocatively. She always wore low cut shirts and mini skirts. She would constantly flirt with the football players and always gave them good grades. She even put pictures of her favorite boys on the walls of her classroom. It was disgusting and very inappropriate.
I agree with Nicole Whitaker. It is very important for teachers to demand respect. You have to draw a line between friendship and authority. There is a way to be friendly with your students but also have their respect.
My freshman year of high school, the most impressionable, i had a teacher that would come in daily and talk about almost every other teacher in the school. The teacher would gossip with other students, ususally those who participated in that teacher's specific extra-curricular activity. This shows un professionalism because no respected teacher would put their personal opinions about a colleague on a young student. Also, by talking and gossiping with other students, it broke the personal space in my opinion. The teacher let their guard down and the students thought they were their 'friends', which is not how students should view their teachers.
Many of the teachers I have had were professional or close to it. Every teacher has their kinks, but for the most part, they conducted their classrooms properly. However, one teacher stands out in my mind as unprofessional. She taught in sweat pants and oversized t-shirts and sat at her computer all day. She was constantly telling the class that she hated the subject she was teaching, that she'd rather be teaching science but another teacher had filled the once empty position. The class suffered as a result of her not willing to teach a subject that she didn't like, and to me, that is VERY unprofessional.
I had a teacher in community college that I have a lot of respect for. Not because of how he dress or looked. But because he was extremely knowladgable on the subject. I have also had a teacher that has delt with issues in a very unfair mannor. Didnt know much about the subject. She instigated arguments with me. she has even counted bonus points against us.
Actually very recently, since my freshmen year of college, ive had an experience w/ a very- i think- unprofessional teacher. when you asked questions in this class the teacher would belittle you. tell you what you had done wrong from the front of the room -no, no, no you messed this up...even if the teacher came to your side to help you he would still be speaking loud enough to be heard all over the classroom- all the while being very negative about your not understanding the material. it made me not want to ask questions. im not dumb. if i have a question it is legitimately because im confused. show some discrepency. i understand that if one student doesnt understand something you should go over it w/ the class to see if the other student also misunderstood. but his way of doing that made me feel as if i were stupid. (sorry, it felt good to vent;)
i agree w/ david lowe about how teachers who set themselve apart from their students usually have an easier time in getting the respect of their students and therefore are more professional.
Post a Comment