how teachers can handle today's students better

teachers can only open the door. you have to enter yourself. well, this is about how teachers can open the door wider

Schooling is an enduring thread of episodes that has to be gone through by every kid for some fourteen years. But for teachers, this episode continues for much longer, which is why, improving the quality of the time spent in teaching and learning hours have to be experienced in the best way possible, to make it a smooth ride.  Of course, students ,like me, play the most vital role in making each class a success, and we are often times bombarded with advise and suggestions as to how we should talk less, listen well, pay attention, do our work dutifully…true, and agreed, but this is only one flank of it.

 While it is true that it is our responsibility as students to take each of these helpful opines, teachers also play an extremely significant part in making a cheerier class, creating a status-quo where it is easier for the students to focus their attention on the lesson. Here are some things, I, as a student would like to suggest:

1.       Respect us as individual students. I think it is important for teachers to understand the differences between the abilities of different children and treat each one especially according to their inclinations. While I find that many teachers, and I admire them, have already mastered this art, some expect equal performance from every student alike. “She’s your age too, if she can, how can you not?” shouldn’t be the question. On the contrary, the same age can often form a very poor base for grouping and labeling people. Teachers, especially have to understand this.

2.       Remember the times when you were a student, too. This is what many students often whisper to themselves “had she never been a student herself? She’s so mean!” in a class of thirty, it does happen most of the time that a couple of students may forget something important for a class or carelessly ignore an instruction, not realizing its importance. Of course, it must be very frustrating to come across many children like that every day, but it would delight us if you were more understanding and forgiving. While it’s not wrong to chastise a deliberate and repetitive rule-breaker, it is also important to try to understand the circumstances of a child for her/his excuse and forgive more easily.

3.       Be our friend. My most loved teacher by far is one who had always addressed us as equals to her, she seemed to learn everyday with us, instead of just lecturing and teaching (or droning), line after line, encouraging tempting slumber. Try to connect with us while teaching. Interact more with everyone, especially those who are uninterested and do not restrict inter- student interaction too much either, at least until the collaboration doesn’t turn into yelling (which, I know, habitually happens).

4.       Make the class more interactive. No teacher likes passive listeners, everyone expects students to answer and listen actively. But sometimes, to be active enthusiasts is only possible if the teachers create an interesting environment for us. For example, instead of making every theory based, live experiments and streaming into videos through you tube would be better-as most schools have access to good technology now, and this is easily possible. Conducting classes in the field or lawn instead of inside a room on bright days can also lighten the learning atmosphere.

5.       Try to respect our views. Of course, teachers know way more than students do, which is why they are assigned that noble role. But it isn’t humanly possible to know everything, even what pertains to one’s own specialized subject. Sometimes, teachers try to make up on the terms they don’t clearly have an image of themselves. When you are not sure of something, instead of feeding children wrong information, accept that you do not know. This not only helps us find out the doubt through research but increases our respect for you. Sometimes, especially when it pertains to technology and computers we may know more. There’s no wrong in this, neither is it shameful. Naturally, being a generation born into an era of computers, this is also intrinsic knowledge, one we’d love to share with you. We may also have our own views pertaining to various foci, try to take in those too, and consider what we say, even if it’s a contradiction to your outlook. Or at least just act like you are listening. Mere listening helps greatly.

6.       Teach not to get done with it, but to transfer the power of knowledge. Teaching is like a charge transfer. Teachers are like remote controls, whatever button they press, that’s what works on us to create a certain effect. Try to be lively and teach to share valuable information instead of considering it a trauma, which would only make the class extremely dreary and difficult to handle, for every one alike. Of course, this rule applies to students too, for if we listen, looking vacant and zombie like, that will only demotivate the teachers.

Whatever it is, I think most teachers of today are doing an excellent job, of herding us, which can sometimes be a tough thing, and I doubt I’d be able to handle such a challenging role myself. However, we as human students, also feel like teachers could be bettered by our opinion, at times, and this are what I have put forward. Moreover, this not only applies, I think, to teaching but any courier any one pursues. Enthusiasm, dedication to work and respect for the individualism of others play an important role in everyone’s life.