Welcome to Spotlight Advanced.
I’m Colin Lowther.
And I’m Liz Waid.
Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting.
It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Imagine you are in school.
Picture the students sitting in their seats.
And think of the teacher, standing at the front of the room.
How are you feeling in this moment?
Are you excited to learn?
Interested?
Are you participating in discussion?
Or are you bored?
Maybe you are falling asleep, watching the clock, or flirting with a classmate?
Your thoughts say a lot about you as a student.
But they also say a lot about your teacher.
Being a teacher is very important.
Teachers can be parents, professors, or even friends.
But teaching is also very difficult.
Each person learns differently.
Some people learn better by seeing.
Others learn better by reading.
Some learn better by hearing.
And still others learn best by doing.
Some methods of teaching work best for certain subjects.
Teachers must know how to best teach each different student.
Have you ever tried to teach someone?
Today’s Spotlight is on how to be a good teacher.
One of the most important parts of being a good teacher is understanding how people remember
things.
People naturally remember things that are interesting to them.
Interesting facts are easy to memorize.
But information that can be used directly in someone’s life is even better.
Imagine a history class.
It is very difficult to learn the names of famous people who lived long ago.
Event dates are difficult to remember.
But if you were learning the history of another country where you were going to move, things
might be different.
It might be very important that you know the information.
People also learn better when they can connect the subject to something they already know.
Imagine teaching someone to repair a car.
If they have no experience with machines, it could be very difficult.
But if they had worked on engines before, it would be easier.
This is true of all subjects, whether it is language, art, or mathematics.
We remember things that are useful to us.
And if we do not have context, our minds will not recognize information.
This is even true if you believe what you are learning is important.
It might be very important to repair your car engine.
But if you do not know the parts of an engine and what they do, you will not be able to
learn.
A good teacher will help connect new information to something you already understand.
Or they will give you a wider base of knowledge to understand.
Another important part of teaching is learning to understand and care about your students.
This means learning who they are.
Not all students are the same.
And some are going through things you do not know about.
Suzanne Tingley is a teacher.
She wrote on the blog Hey!
Teach:
“A friend of mine teaches at a high school where 44 languages are spoken.
She told me she heard a student say, 'I am really tired.
Last night, I slept next to someone who snored.'
Kids may be dealing with issues we know nothing about.
Do not assume video games are to blame when work is not complete.”
A good teacher also knows their subject very well.
And they know how students think about it.
Teachers must be able to correct students when they are wrong.
A good teacher provides constructive criticism often.
Constructive criticism corrects student’s mistakes.
It gives them ideas for how to improve.
Many people do not like to criticize.
Criticizing may seem rude.
Criticism can lead to shame and bad feelings when it is not planned out.
But teachers must learn how to criticize in a way that is helpful.
Brooke Chaplan is a writer at The Edvocate.
She explains how to criticize correctly.
“Constructive criticism is something that should always be shared in private.
Begin by telling the student the good things you see about him or her.
This will get you started in a good way.
Then, tell them what you think is delaying their progress.
Then, tell them how they can make a positive change.
After, remind them that you believe in them as an individual.
If you share your concerns in the right way, it is possible that the student will do what
you suggested.”
Finally, it is important to let your students be creative.
They should not be afraid to ask their own questions.
Much teaching in the past treated children as listeners only.
Teachers gave students knowledge, and students accepted it.
If a student could not learn, teachers decided the student was not intelligent enough.
But today, we know that learning works differently.
Students learn best when they believe they have the power to ask and explore.
Sometimes, it is even good when they get things wrong!
Imagine a mathematics class.
The teacher shows you a problem.
And then, she shows you how to solve the problem.
You memorize the formula and will use it later on tests.
Then, you will forget it.
But what if, instead, your teacher asks you how you would solve the problem?
You might not know the correct formula.
But you can guess and work it out yourself.
You think about the problem for several minutes.
When you finish, your answer might be incorrect.
And your teacher will finally tell you the answer.
But while you are working on the problem your attitude changes.
The question becomes a puzzle.
Now, you want to know the answer to this puzzle.
You care about the answer.
And you have learned to think on your own.
Today, most good teachers know to change their lessons to fit their students.
They learn about and care about their students.
They know that that learning is not about remembering everything you hear.
But more than anything, they know they are not just teaching their subjects.
They teach their students how to learn.
And they teach them how to think for themselves.
People who know how to think and learn will continue to grow.
They can change more quickly when required to.
And they will live fuller lives.
Who was your favorite teacher?
Why do you think they were so good?
Are you a good teacher?
You can leave a comment on our website at www.spotlightenglish.com.
You can also find us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
The writer of this program was Dan Christmann.
The producer was Michio Ozaki.
The voices you heard were from the United Kingdom and the United States.
All quotes were adapted for this program and voiced by Spotlight.
This program is called: How to Be a Good Teacher.
Visit our website to download our free official app for Android and Apple devices.
We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program.
Goodbye.