rocketman Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 I'd say my parents. They taught me a lesson that no teacher could ever do. It's a pretty standard lesson but one that's lost among many kids today. The lesson is work hard and you'll succeed. My father never really scolded me if I did poorly on an exam. He just gave me THE look. I was taught to blame nobody but myself. I'm an aerospace engineering professor. We only accept the top performing students into our program. I teach a senior class and I'm always amazed at 1) the poor attitude of most of the kids, 2) the lack of drive, and 3) the general lack of respect. Honestly, only about 30% of them show up to class. Then they blame me for their poor grades. If these are the top students then this country is in serious trouble. The answer is actually pretty simple. In India if kids aren't making it then they get shipped off to trade school. For some reason we want every one of our kids to succeed. This is just an unrealistic goal. In the end it's up to the kids to get it right. We need to stop blaming everyone else... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WahKeen Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 I'd say my parents. They taught me a lesson that no teacher could ever do. It's a pretty standard lesson but one that's lost among many kids today. The lesson is work hard and you'll succeed. My father never really scolded me if I did poorly on an exam. He just gave me THE look. I was taught to blame nobody but myself. I'm an aerospace engineering professor. We only accept the top performing students into our program. I teach a senior class and I'm always amazed at 1) the poor attitude of most of the kids, 2) the lack of drive, and 3) the general lack of respect. Honestly, only about 30% of them show up to class. Then they blame me for their poor grades. If these are the top students then this country is in serious trouble. The answer is actually pretty simple. In India if kids aren't making it then they get shipped off to trade school. For some reason we want every one of our kids to succeed. This is just an unrealistic goal. In the end it's up to the kids to get it right. We need to stop blaming everyone else... +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman5293 Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 I'm an aerospace engineering professor. We only accept the top performing students into our program. I teach a senior class and I'm always amazed at 1) the poor attitude of most of the kids, 2) the lack of drive, and 3) the general lack of respect. Honestly, only about 30% of them show up to class. Then they blame me for their poor grades. If these are the top students then this country is in serious trouble. For those 3 things your so amazed at I can give you very good reasons for them 1. Poor attitude = Miserable kids. Most kids tend to dislike school an awful lot. I don't blame em' for a poor attitude when you have to get up every day and go to school. 2. They don't give a damn! Kinda like me....... 3. My personal opinion of this is, you have to earn it. IMO age doesn't automatically equal respect. I could care less how old you are, If you want me to respect to you, you gotta earn it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 OK, let's further drill down into the points. 1. "Poor attitude = miserable kids." The average starting salary with a four year degree in aerospace engineering is nearly $60,000 a year. How can they be miserable knowing this? 2. "They don't give a damn!" Agreed. I do give a damn though. If they don't then I have no problems failing second semester seniors. 3. "My personal opinion of this is, you have to earn it." I earned it the second I became a professor. I do take teaching seriously, even though my raise depends nothing on it (I'm at a research university). I always think of students as my "boss" because without them I wouldn't have a job. I treat them with respect and I expect the same in return. They choose to attend our university. With that comes responsibility. My job is to ensure they have the basic skills to be good engineers. Engineering is the ONLY professional school at the undergraduate level. There is a standard engineering code of conduct: In carrying out their professional obligations, engineers and scientists are guided by fundamental ethical canons and rules of practice. The engineering community is guided by the following principles. ─ Act with honesty, integrity and fairness ─ Show respect for others ─ Accept responsibility ─ Give credit where credit is due ─ Serve the larger community ─ Take pride in being a part of engineering If they are miserable, don't give a damn and can't treat their professors with respect then they should have chosen a different path in life... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjlandry Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 I had a lot of good teachers, growing up. Mrs. McNutt was my art teacher in Jr. High. She comes to mind right now. She used to give us an assignment and then start the record player. One of my fondest memories is of doing charcoal work on spheres while listening to "Dog and Butterfly" by Heart. She was particularly fond of Heart. She also kept me working on projects outside of the classroom. I always got to "skip" other classes to work on stage props for school plays and other assemblies. Then I'm reminded of my 10th grade Civics teacher, Mrs. Whitfield, who was active in the civil rights movements of the sixties. She taught us a bit about Martin Luther King Jr.'s true message, and it changed my perceptions about that era in a huge way. She was completely opposed to the direction in which the civil rights movement had gone since his death. She believed in taking advantage of opportunities to improve oneself, rather than trying to create new opportunities for living off the system. Then there was my all time favorite, Drill Instructor Sergeant Ouderkirk. Probably the coolest real-life Drill Instructor ever to bash young recruits into Marines at MCRD San Diego. I'll never forget that guy. Full Metal Jacket was produced a couple years after I went through boot camp, and I thought that R. Lee Ermey had been there when I was going through boot camp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 There is some luck involved in schooling People respond in different ways to teachers etc One's own interests colour the success or failure at a particular subject And parental support and drive is very important...so many parents blame teachers for their own shortcomings The Headmaster has a huge role to play in the morale of a school and it's likely success Good Teacher Traits Integrity Humour Technical Knowledge Empathy Respect...mutual Humanity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freak show Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 So, I want to hear from you... Tell me one about GOOD teacher you had from K-12. What made that person so good or effective at what he/she did in the classroom to get you motivated to learn? It would be difficult for me to answer your question, because no teacher ever had to "motivate me to learn". I have always enjoyed learning. But it seems to me that you're actually looking for a good strategy to make yourself a more effective teacher. I once read that Immanuel Kant's method of teaching was to concentrate on helping the mediocre students, as best he could. His reasoning was that the very gifted could get by on their own, while the very untalented were a hopeless case. He thus concluded that his limited time was spent most effectively with the students who had some potential but nevertheless needed help. I always thought that sounded pretty logical... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookieman15061 Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 For those 3 things your so amazed at I can give you very good reasons for them 1. Poor attitude = Miserable kids. Most kids tend to dislike school an awful lot. I don't blame em' for a poor attitude when you have to get up every day and go to school. 2. They don't give a damn! Kinda like me....... 3. My personal opinion of this is, you have to earn it. IMO age doesn't automatically equal respect. I could care less how old you are, If you want me to respect to you, you gotta earn it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjlandry Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 I used to say that "you have to earn my respect", but I grew up. I learned to give respect to everyone until they earn my disrespect. Life is much better this way. It all comes down to the "all men are created equal" thing. You're my equal until you prove to me that you're greater or less than. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 Roger Fiondella. Wherever you are Roger, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertjohn Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 Has to be my old Brass Band teacher. Jerry Bolton. Chained smoked roll-ups and always had the Daily Telegraph crossword finished before lunch time band practice. If we weren't in tune, he would always describe the cyclical drone you get, as being the sound a squadron of Lancasters made when flying over London during WW2. Top bloke. Sadly missed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daryl M Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 I had a coach who once said, "Most players don't remember the games they win and lose, what they remember is how they felt when they played." He focused on teaching teamwork, lifting up your teammate instead of pointing out his weaknesses, respect for the officials, the game, and yourself, and how 100% effort matters more than 100% result. I realized later that he was teaching life, not baseball. Although we finished 3rd in the state for 2 years running, the life lessons still apply . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksiegel Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 My favorite school teachers were: Gertrude Ferguson, elementary school music teacher (Franklin School, Schenectady , NY). She shared he love of ALL music, and encouraged us to have fun with it, whether or not we were "good"; sometimes, that just meant appreciating and enjoying, sometimes it meant creating. I wish I knew where to find her, to thank her. And Raymond C. Patterson, high school English and journalism teacher, Linton High School Schenectady, NY. He did everything he could to get us to think, encouraged us to be aware and not take anything at face value, but to investigate and understand before making a decision or taking a position - and to never be afraid to change our minds, if/when new information comes to light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notes_Norton Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 I had many good teachers, but the best of the best was Robert C Monroe. Band director in Junior High, and 2 out of 3 years in my high school. He was quite young himself, probably fresh out of college. He had enthusiasm, a sense of humor, and he fanned the spark of music that was already in me. He taught me how to listen to music (very important), how to phrase, and how to play with emotion. And without steering me in any way, he set me on the course I have followed since, a life of music, a life making my living doing music and nothing but music. I did an Internet search for years and finally found him in semi-retirement. To my surprise, he actually remembered me and the experiences we had together. Thanks, Bob Monroe, for allowing me to pursue music, and for your valuable insights that allowed me to become a good musician. Insights and incites by Notes ♫ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hall Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 Miss Bush,red hair, 3d grade, a rookie herself. Bought my 64 Cherry finish 335 from Seymour, at Dodds, six years later and named it after her. Still clutching it tightly to this day! Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golem Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 Tman, if you're not pulling our chains here.... the world is gonna chew you up and spit you out. B) +1 ........ and I hope I'm not nearby when the spittle splats, cuz it'z gonna be really rank schidt. Yuk. ` Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heymisterk Posted September 30, 2010 Author Share Posted September 30, 2010 Wow, this has been great to read. I especially enjoyed reading about what it was that made the teacher good. If you read between the lines of what people posted, it really is about connecting with the student. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 Miss Bush,red hair, 3d grade, a rookie herself. Bought my 64 Cherry finish 335 from Seymour, at Dodds, six years later and named it after her. Still clutching it tightly to this day! Steve Did you have a crush on her ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bill Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 For those 3 things your so amazed at I can give you very good reasons for them 1. Poor attitude = Miserable kids. Most kids tend to dislike school an awful lot. I don't blame em' for a poor attitude when you have to get up every day and go to school. 2. They don't give a damn! Kinda like me....... 3. My personal opinion of this is, you have to earn it. IMO age doesn't automatically equal respect. I could care less how old you are, If you want me to respect to you, you gotta earn it. ...from the mouth of babes. You, have so, so, so much to learn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shnate McDuanus Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 I am very tempted to list one of my current professors (whose class I have been in for only about a month) but this thread seems to not really be about post-secondary education, so... There have been many exceptionally good teachers in my life. The one I recall most fondly is Ms. Ryan, my English teacher during my freshman and junior years of high school. What was interesting to me is how polarizing she was amongst the student body--some hated her, some followed her in cult-like worship. I had great reverence and respect for her, and I felt that it was right for her to push her students as hard as she did. She recognized that there is no (true) success without struggle, and that there is no value in an insincere evaluation of a student (because the evaluations are really for the students' benefit, and if a student has failed, it will do them no good to be deceived into believing they are successful.) She was frank with everyone--she made no concessions for laziness, although he had an understanding of struggles beyond mere lethargy and lack of motivation. In other words, she was willing to work with a student towards success, if they were willing to carry the actual work. She wouldn't hold your hand, but she would guide you without holding back judgment--sometimes she was harsh, but she really was honest in her judgment, and that, I think, is something which really does benefit the student. She also had a very interesting curriculum--she was interested in contrasting concepts and challenging notions, not merely in prescribing works to be read "because they're important." It helps, though, that I have been so interested in literature and philosophy for such a long time. Students who weren't interested in the subject would not like her, her classes or her methods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman5293 Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 ...from the mouth of babes. You, have so, so, so much to learn. I have this sense of repetition coming on, like I've heard this somewhere before.................. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shnate McDuanus Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 I have this sense of repetition coming on, like I've heard this somewhere before.................. I wonder why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hall Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 Did you have a crush on her ? Ever so slightly, Versatile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bill Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 I have this sense of repetition coming on, like I've heard this somewhere before.................. Perhaps it would be wise to listen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotshot9991 Posted September 30, 2010 Share Posted September 30, 2010 best teacher ive had his name is skip frye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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