Teachers play an important role in every individual's life. The first external influence on an individual's life is that of the teacher. Teacher's play a significant role in the development of the student to a better citizen or to a better human being. On the other side, this is also the fact that the students or the learners make a teacher enthusiastic by their participation. A Teacher may teach a class of 60 students but not all are able to shine bright, it is only some who are able to perform well, so here the role of learner can be examined. A teacher may give his best to provide the students with better and qualitative material, demonstration but then the ball is on the learner's court to participate and move with better pace. The teachers provide the tasks but it depends on the learners to use the tasks in an excellent way from their pocket.
This blogpost focuses on the characteristics of Learners and Teachers as per my understanding with reference to English Language Teaching Course of my Master Degree.
TEACHERS
Teachers, uniquely possess the ability to make a change in students' behaviours, to modify their thinking patterns, to add ethical values to their personality, to nurture the students' thoughts with progressive thinking. Additionally, the most difficult thing is to create an environment of learning where students willingly involve themselves in learning.
👉Compassionate and Passionate-
"Great teachers emanate out of knowledge, passion and compassion."
– A. P. J. Abdul
A teacher always possesses some patience because learning happens slowly and gradually. A teacher must always keep in mind that there will be a variety of learners in class- some may learn very fast while others will learn at their own space so teaching will demand some compassion from a teacher's side. Passion is necessary for a teacher because it will be a motivating factor for the students to learn curiously.
👉Inspiring and Workoholic ( available for students)-
"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires."
― William Arthur Ward
Students are obviously going to learn from their teachers, not only the lessons or the knowledge that they impart but also the ways of working and attitudes and time management skills. A teacher always does double homework and takes a lot of pain to cater the best to the students, so this habit will inspire the learners in their performance. Additionally, in this digital world, social media helps a lot in keeping in touch with students so a teacher can also take the advantage of the social media and keep his/her learners update regarding the recent happenings so as to discuss in next class. And the availability of a teacher will encourage learners to seek them for solutions. When not teaching classes, teachers are available to provide students with extra help, support, and enrichment.
👉A thinker who urges THINK-
"It must be remembered that the purpose of education is not to fill the minds of students with facts...it is to teach them to think, if that is possible, and always to think for themselves."
― Robert Hutchins
Young minds are best to nurture and it is also easy to convince the brains of a younger generation to question as because the future demands rationality and not the easily driven emotional people. So whether a teacher is teaching grammar or is teaching chemistry, 'thinking' will make difference in an individual's growth.
"The ability to think straight, some knowledge of the past, some vision of the future, some skill to do useful service, some urge to fit that service into the well-being of the community -- these are the most vital things education must try to produce."
― Virginia Gildersleeve
👉A Deeper understanding/ Insight-
"In teaching, you cannot see the fruit of a day’s work. It is invisible and remains so, maybe for twenty years."
― Jacques Barzun
Catering a deeper understanding and a critical insight to the learners will not only make them better in their studies but also in becoming a better human being.
👉Personable and Master of his/her subject-
"Good teaching is one-fourth preparation and three-fourths theater."
― Gail Godwin
If a teacher is friendly enough to approach for academic purpose, then it may be a good sign for students to develop their learning capacity by asking their doubts. A teacher should have a good and thorough knowledge of the subject which he/she is going to teach in class. If possible, the teacher should keep updating his/her knowledge because keeping the knowledge up-to-date will give the confidence to handle student's doubt. And for that hard work is the only key.
"Teaching is an instinctual art, mindful of potential, craving of realizations, a pausing, seamless process."
― A. Bartlett Giamatti
👉Effective Dedication-
Dedication is demanded in the teaching profession, a teacher should always be committed in the to teaching. It is rightly said-
"Teaching is not a profession; it’s a passion. Without your passion and dedication, our children’s future would resemble a sunset instead of a sunrise. Your days are long and often difficult. Thrive on your passion, and enhance our world’s tomorrow. "
– Linda A. Podojil
LEARNERS
👉Focused and Curious-
"Millions saw the apple fall, but only Newton asked Why."
-Bernard Baruch
A learner should always stay focused on learning from the teacher. Asking practical doubts and rational questions is a true sign of a true learner.
👉Committed to Life-long learning-
“There is no end to education. It is not that you read a book, pass an examination, and finish with education. The whole of life, from the moment you are born to the moment you die, is a process of learning.”
– Jiddu Krishnamurti
It is a matter of fact that all human beings have a natural urge to learn something new, the thing which brings joy to them is what they want and by learning any new skill or technique, they are encouraged to improve themselves. It gives a sense of self-worth by paying attention to the ideas and goals that inspire them.
👉Possess perfect application skills-
It is necessary to understand the theory and apply it in practice. Only theoretical knowledge is not enough because-
“In the end we retain from our studies only that which we practically apply.”
– Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
So, it is necessary for the learner to grow from his/her learning.
👉Practical knowledge of the subject
“For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.”
― Aristotle, The Nicomachean Ethics
It is a more interesting process to develop a better understanding of the subject which involves the application of the perceived knowledge and dealing with real-life situations. And the learners learn more by doing them. So practical knowledge pf the subject is necessary for a learner.
👉Self-motivated and unafraid to ask Questions/ doubts-
It is said that if you ask more, you will get more, so in order to understand deeply a student must always ask rational questions and be attentive in the class.
“A man who asks is a fool for five minutes. A man who never asks is a fool for life.”
– Chinese Proverb
👉Excellent involvement and shows up in class-
Class participation has many benefits for learners from improving their comprehensive abilities. The more the learners try to participate the more they will find the experience relatable and the more they try to relate the mare they will involve in learning. Participating actively will engage students with the subject matter and will push them to create concepts. It is truly marked by Benjamin Franklin-
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”
– Benjamin Franklin
Of course, one of the most important characteristics goes without mentioning that -
"a teacher or a leaner of the post-covid era has to be technologically capable and tech-savvy."
If we inquire whether learners of the post covid era are actually becoming online learners or not? Or what is the barrier in their online learning, then here is my video on an inquiry in the Online Learning, titled "Are we Learning? Re/visiting the 'Learning' process via Technology- Usage, Hindrances and Improvements."
A paper jointly presented by Kavisha Alagiya and Alpa Ponda in the International Webinar on ELT and Technology organized by the Department of English, M K Bhavanagar University, Gujarat, India on 2nd and 3rd of June 2020.
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