Teachers_Are_Born_Not_Made

In today’s world, teachers play an important and significant role. Not only do they play an important role in shaping the students they teach, but also the society in which they live. However, the question remains, how does someone becomes a capable and efficient teacher' In the beginning of the twentieth century many people generally believed in the popular saying ‘Teachers are born, not made’ (Kochhar, 2005). However, it is now recognised that creating teachers are a product of nurture, not nature. They are created through the process learning, qualifications, self reflection and hard work; which will be discussed in this essay. These factors combine to disprove the once popular myth and show that teachers are made, not born. In this essay, the term ‘teacher’ is defined as a not just a person who teaches, but an expert teacher. The qualities of an expert teacher can vary between different contexts. However, it is agreed that an expert teacher is both experienced and effective, and have extensive knowledge of teaching process and content (Woolfolk & Margetts, 2007). The quote “who dares to teach, must never cease to learn” (Dana, J. C., cited in Woolfolk & Margetts, 2007, p. 1) emphasises the importance of life learning is to any teacher, whether a beginner or expert. The fast paced changes in the social, cultural and technological factors that shape a society make it essential for teachers to rethink themselves as ‘teachers’ and more as ‘learners’ to best serve their students (Latham, Blais, Dole, Faulkner, Lang, & Malone, 2008). Many educators believe that the most important part of training a beginning teacher is trying to instil an attitude and the skills that will let them be lifelong students of teaching (Ryan & Cooper, 2010). When teachers prioritise life long learning, they begin to shape themsleves into a better teacher. Some who say that teachers are born, not made, believe that teachers are born with the passion, enthusiasm and natural talent to teach (Sizer, 2004). They also believe that good teachers are born with the personal attributes that a teacher should have, like patience, a caring nature and a good sense of humour. While this may be true to some degree, it takes more than this to become a great teacher. Teaching effectively is much more than an intuitive practice, a teacher must constantly make informed and educated decisions about their teaching that have been based on the their continuous life long learning (Ryan & Cooper, 2010). Along with life long learning, a teachers qualifications play an major role in the making a teacher. Without qualifications teachers would be unprepared for not only the content they are teaching, but also how they are going to teach that content. In Linda Darling Hammon’s study on the effects of teacher qualifications, results found that a teacher’s level of qualifications is the strongest predictor of student success (Woolfolk & Margetts, 2007). Qualifications allow teachers to gain knowledge and experience in education contexts, such a psychology, sociology, as well as help prepare teachers for classroom challenges, such as increasing motivation and working with cultural diverse students (Snowman, 2009). The broad topics covered during a qualification help prepare beginning teachers for many different aspects of their career. If teachers were born to be teachers, then qualifications would be a waste of time and resources. However Darling-Hammond’s study highlights the importance qualifications have on beginning teachers by proving that techers well qualified in their teaching area are going to be the ones that will get the best results from their students. The study shows that qualifications are definatey not a waste of time and resources, but are one of the forces that make a teacher. Self reflection is the third important factor that helps to shape a great teacher. Self reflection is the process of reflecting back on the effectiveness of one’s perceptions, beliefs, experiences, and practices (Walkington, as cited in Woolfolk & Margetts, 2007). In any profession, successful workers use their experiences to gain a better understanding of their past and help make better decisons about their future (Ryan & Cooper, 2010). Without self reflection, the value of teaching experiences are lost. Self reflection allows teachers to always grow and become more effective teachers. When you begin teachng, it is important not not to fall in a comfortable routine of teaching and rely on the same lessons, methods of teaching and resources. There is a quote that descibes a teacher as having “not having twenty years experience, but one year experience, twenty time” (Ryan & Cooper, 2010, p. 164). The qoute demonstrates how falling into a routine can prevent a teacher from growing and developing in their profession. As we as preventing a teacher from growing, falling into a routine can effect students development. All students are different, relying on the one set plan may not help students reach their full potential (Ryan & Cooper, 2010). To avoid that happening teachers need to develop deep, regular reflection into their practice help shape them into the best teacher they can be. The quote ‘Teachers are born, not made’ give the impression that you are either born with the ‘natural talent’ to teach or not. If teachers weren’t made, then anyone who could not teach presumably would never be able to, due to the essence of which you were born. But this isn’t the case. Through the process of careful self reflection any teacher, including poor teachers, can develop into a talented teacher (Starita, 2010). If the belief that teachers were stagnant, non-changing beings were true, then the logical thing would be to remove all the less effective teachers. With the proper guidance, however, these teachers could grow into great teachers and should not be forgotten about. Starita (2010) believes that considering teaching as a set of skills that can be learnt and improved through reflection, and not a ‘sentimental magic’, is essential in helping schools provide what is best for the students and their teachers. When we focus on the idea of a teacher being made, it has the ability to benefit the whole school. And finally, hard work is the fourth important factor that shapes a teacher. Teaching is a demanding profession which involves many different challenges. It also forces teachers to work long hours as well as commit to our countless responsibilities (Hougan, 2008). Often work doesn’t stop when the teacher comes home; with marking, preparing lessons, correcting papers and writing reports taking up teachers personal time (Ryan & Cooper, 2010). Being a teacher requires you to continuously work hard to overcome these many challenges to meet the needs of students, other teachers, parents, schools, and governments. Singer (2009) believes that when you are working to become a teacher it takes between three and five years of hard work, planning and practicing for your lessons to continuously work how you want. However, teachers who go for extended periods without changing, adapting, and improving their work end up losing their significance and their hold on the imaginations of their students (Bibo, 2011). Also, with the ever changing face of the classroom, helping students to understand, think, and develop is not so straight forward or routine. No one lesson will work for every class. On a daily basis, teaching involves resourcefulness, problem solving, knowledge and review to keep lessons relevant to the students’ needs (Cerbin, 1994). You can see on a daily basis teaching requires hard work, and it’s the hard work that shapes a great teacher. If teachers were born to teach, then they would not have to work hard at their job to continuously improve their practice. But if you ask any great teacher, you would find that they are always working hard to improve on their practice to be the best teacher they can (Bibo, 2011). Taking the easy road is not an option for a teacher that aims to improve the lives of their students. The saying ‘Teachers are born, not made’ is an old saying now. Studies and research show that teachers acquire the skills to become great teachers through learning, qualifications, self reflection and hard work; not through a natural born gift. By showing the factors that create a teacher, we prove that teachers are indeed made, not born. Today’s teachers need to aim for success in all four factors that make up a teacher. When they are able to do this then we will be able to provide our students with the most effective teachers, and in doing so, help our students reach their full potential. References Bibo, K. (2011). Is teaching hard work' Retrieved January 10, 2011, from The Apple: http://theapple.monster.com/benefits/articles/4355-is-teaching-hard-work'page=2 Cerbin, W. (1994). The course portfolio as a tool for continuous improvement of teaching and learning. Retrieved January 9, 2011, from itl.uconn.edu/EDCI5830/downloads/Course%20Portfolios.pdf Hougan, E. (2008). Road to teaching: a guide to teacher training, student teaching and finding a job. United States of America: Eric Hougan. Kochhar, S. K. (2005). Pivotal issues in Indian education. New Dheli: Sterling Publishers. Latham, G., Blais, M., Dole, S., Faulkner, J., Lang, J., & Malone, K. (2008). Learning to teach: New times, new practices. South Melbourne: Oxford University Press. Ryan, K., & Cooper, J. M. (2010). Those who can, teach. Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Singer, A. J. (2009). Social studies for secondary schools: teaching to learn, learning to teach (3rd Ed). New York: Routledge. Sizer, T. R. (2004). Horace's compromise: the dilemma of the American high school. United States of America: Mariner Books. Snowman, D. S. (2009). Psychology applied to teaching. Milton, QLD: John Wiley and Sons Australia. Starita, L. (2010). Teachers Are Made, Not Born. Retrieved Jan 4, 2011, from Philanthropy Action: http://www.philanthropyaction.com/nc/Teachers_are_Made_Not_Born/ Woolfolk, A., & Margetts, K. (2007). Educational Psychology. Frenchs Forest: Pearson Education Australia. ----------------------- [pic]