教與學 - Expectations of Students on Teachers 2016-05-13

Going through old notes on my iPod Touch, I found the following entry from PolyU Symposium on Excellent Teachers on Teaching Excellence 2012:

What do students need and expect of the teachers?

• Be knowledgeable
• Be up-to-date in the field
• Have good communication skills
• Remember their names
• Understand their needs
• Have genuine interest in them
• Create good learning environment
• Get all students involved
• Be passionate
• Be trustworthy and reliable
• Have gentle attitude/ give a safe learning environment
• Be open and approachable
• Use different approaches and make learning fun and interesting
• Be holistic - fit the subject into the larger programme
• Catch attention & keep attention
• Lead them to intensive thinking
• Let them learn what they did not know before they come in
• Be supportive
• Be well prepared and organized
• Sail against the waves and arrive at the destination
• Use simple and profound words
• Be responsible - I work for them and they work for themselves
• Motivate them to go for an A

This is such a comprehensive list. Every point, simple though, drives home the essence of a good teacher. It is certainly a great checklist for reflective teaching. However, if it has only whetted your appetite, from the same symposium, there were three challenging quotes:

“Who dares to teach must never cease to learn.” - John Cotton Dana
“The gifted teacher reveals simplicity.” - Robert Brault
“Education is not the filling of a vessel, but the kindling of a flame.” - Socrates

Let’s reflect and keep the flame of learning burning in our students as well as in ourselves.