Describing teachers

 Welcome Back :)

I am so happy to be here updating this blog with important information about our didactic class, but at the same time I am sad because this is the last register of the semester and we are not sure if we will be having the same teacher for Didactics II, I hope yes because teacher Orlando is the best teacher ever. This class is my favorite.

Okay, let me start, for this week we started studying "Describing Teachers" We started the class with the question "When you think about your teachers... what ideas come to your mind? we discussed the question in pairs, we had to think about ideas about our teacher inside and outside the classroom, in an academic context. some of our answers were: Dynamic, moving around, and providing examples (inside way). Referring to the outside way: approachable (if we need help), check homework, they are in training or meeting most of the time. 

Then we discussed some of the aspects that are taken into account when describing teachers:

Teacher’s role in the classroom

Controller -- Leading from the front.

 Prompter --When students forget something, such as the instructions for a task, the teacher is there to remind them.

 Participant -- Taking an active role; for example, in a class discussion.

 Resource -- When students ask for the teacher’s help. For example, when they don’t know how the meaning of a word.

 Tutor -- When giving feedback about a large project. 

As an organizer prior to a lesson

It is important to remember that teachers always plan their lessons and reflect on them before, during, and after these have been developed. 

As performers (activity-behavior) 

Upon what they are doing, teachers vary their behavior. In other words, the activity that is being developed inside the classroom shapes the way teachers act. The following image illustrates this panorama:

Their rapport (+ or -) 

 “The relationship that students have with the teacher and vice versa” (Harmer, 2007, p. 113). It is, somehow, a magical connection. 

The following characteristics help achieve successful interaction:

Recognizing students -- Students love it when their teachers know their names and try to understand their character and preferences. 

 Listening to students -- Students respond very well to teachers who listen to them. 

Respecting students -- Especially at the moment of being corrected. Teachers who don’t react with anger do their best to seem their students “in a positive light” (Harmer, 2007, p. 115).

As teaching aids (input, gestures)

Even though most teachers always have many resources available, they sometimes have to convey meaning and instruction through their expressions, body language, and pronunciation (especially when modeling a dialogue). For example:

As native or non-native speakers 

For many years, non-native-speaker teachers have felt a sense of injustice, have experienced some kind of inferiority, and have struggled to demonstrate their credibility as English teachers. All of this happens because some people still have a couple of preconceived ideas of superiority in favor of native-speaker teachers.

However, times are changing. Nowadays, teachers prefer to see the bright side of their teaching experience and rely on their strengths instead of pointing out their weaknesses. 

Strengths of non-native-speaker teachers: Since they have previously gone through the process of learning a foreign language, they may have a better understanding of their students’ sensations and concerns at the moment of being instructed. 

Strengths of native-speaker teachers: Their linguistic confidence about their language in the classroom, and their cultural knowledge.

If you have a question about "Describing Teachers" please let me know

See you soon :)

With love, Kat