Everyone should strive to become their own best teacher. Many say learning is life long…and since I will be the one person that will be with myself all life long….I thought I needed to be my own best teacher.

Teacher accessibility: Important, but not always. But as you start out, it is handy to have good role models, and mentors to encourage and nurture you. So I mentally found the good things in a variety of teachers to emulate…sort of a do-it-yourself-since-no-one-is-perfect Franken-teacher kit…but drew from readings of past philosophers/educators as well as real people from my life.

Discussion: Important whether encouraged in the classroom or if you initiate it among friends/study group of classmates…or even folks outside of school. There is a vast pool of “experienced youth” and wisdom sitting (sometimes idle and ignored) in senior homes and community centers. Taking some time to bridge the generation/gender/ethnic.cultural gaps can give you better perspectives than just being in a classroom. Discussions can take many forms…but don’t argue….try to stay neutral and engage people to fully explain what they mean and don’t react to what they say. A good discussion brings out various points of views and reasons for those views….and lets each participant analyze and judge for themselves without forcing views or opinions on others. There’s a saying that minds, like parachutes, work best when they are open.

Challenge or not: some did…some didn’t. However, again, challenges should not be taunts, arguments, and shouting matches…but clear, concise, rational, and based on facts and logic….with the specific goal of developing understanding…not to force an opinion. Remember, opinions are like sex (gender)…we all have one, and neither is right or wrong.

From my imaginary Franken-teacher, I got a list of characteristics that all point to a word or function…teachers are facilitators….they guide the way to students learning how to learn and discovering knowledge and for themselves. My Franken-teacher is a true educator. [Education comes from two Latin words…”ex” (out of) and “ducere” (to lead). So the education process should lead people out of ignorance or lead information out of people…get them to examine or see it in a different light or point of view…and thereby enhancing their enlightenment or understanding…and hopefully to more fully utilize what they already had within themselves. So, with that in mind, I would prefer to fully utilize a brain that was only 1/2 full, than to not utilize a brain that was chocked full of data and facts.

My Franken-teacher creates lessons that are interactive (physically and mentally), spanning different learning modalities (verbal..text and oral, visual, kinesthetic, audio), are inclusive (spanning ages, genders, ethnicities, nationalities, cultures, capabilities (physical and mental), emphasizing systems and interconnectivity, and connecting people to one another, their communities, and their natural environments–all on a firm foundation of mutual respect / mutual benefit, ethics and integrity without imposing personal biases, and promoting neutral, friendly interpersonal communications among the learners—and is also a learner as well as a “teacher”. In fact, my Franken-teacher follows a cyclic saying….Teachers should be students, students should be teachers. So when you learn a lesson, the proof of your learning is demonstrated by you proficiency to teach that lesson to others.

OK, I’ll get of my soap box….and sorry, I don’t make or sell these Franken-teacher kits. You have to make your own…sort of a real do it yourself kit (hahahahahaha) because we all have different ideas of what is “good” and great….an opinion, get it….neither right nor wrong. So good luck and have at it.

Hope this helps.

Teacher accessibility is a must but in the case of after school it depends. I don’t think is needed for grammar/elementary school, limited use in high school and a lot more important in college or professional schools. The reason is that sometimes you need an answer to move on. Waiting for the next class will put you on hold and, eventually, all the other students while you get your answer. If you’re doing a project, you may need an answer that’s only for you. Basically, one student may need some time with the teacher without compromising the rest of the class.

Teachers must encourage classroom discussion and challenge. It’s the only way to put the student minds in action. You throw a concept and you get a thousand different understandings. Discussion and challenge allow the students to find the way from what they knew to what they’re learning. If you present to them as a fact, they know it’s there but they don’t know the way to get there. That’s the difference between faith and knowledge.

The reason why teachers are not working this way is that they don’t have the incentive to do so under a socialist education system.

Besides the poor payment, they have no real performance evaluation. The socialist system is an “all inclusive” and “all pass” system. This means that they perform a lot better lowering the bar and letting all go through. Discussions and challenge are a lot more work and damage the socialist performance. Plus, it takes students with the will to learn to make it work or the class falls into chaos.

Teachers must have the power to say “get out of the classroom” and evaluate students without the constrain of passing them all.

On a libertarian system, school is optional and you go if you want to learn. The best teachers are valued by their results and their certification respected in the market, that makes them more attractive to students who want to learn and get certified for the work market. Those who go to school without interest are left behind and those who don’t want to go are left to live their life the way they want to.

I can hear the socialists screaming for those who are going to be left behind. But I can’t stand this system where the goods are punished to support the bads. And they’re the bads just because they’re forced to take part of a system where they don’t want to be. They could be doing their life and be productive people out of school. The same way the productive worker is punished through taxation to support all the non productive ones, the hard working student is punished through bad education to support all those who don’t want to get education.

I don’t know if the last part answers your question. But I can see where you’re coming from, you want to have THAT teacher and you can’t find it because it’s not allowed to be in a socialist education system.

It’s time to change.

Since you posted in Higher Education (university +), I assume you’re talking about in college.

Teacher accessibility after class was extremely important to me as a big lecture is not the time or place to ask certain questions. However, it didn’t really have to be the teacher…if there was a Grad Student Instructor (TA) for the class, that worked too.

In college I don’t think classroom discussion was that important to me. At a good university the professor is often one of the most knowledgeable experts in his/her field, and THEY should be the ones talking, to be honest. Discussion has its place in discussion sections with a TA or private study groups.

Yes, but to be completely honest every single one of the professors I’ve had has been someone I have no reason to challenge :p…they know what they’re talking about. Sometimes they would ask “difficult” questions for which there is no solid answer to demonstrate a point, but other than that, not really…

Well..I’ve had all sorts of them. there were those who wouldn’t be challenged and didn’t allow much classroom discussion but there were many others who were great. I can say I’ve had the best teachers I could ask for. It is really important to me to encourage classroom talk and to challenge our teachers because that’s why we generate knowledge and new ideas. It allows people to speak their minds and complement each other. it paves the way for new theories, besides is fosters an flowing amicable elation with your teacher and your classmates. After class availability can be very useful for those who are shy and prefer to talk to a teacher privately. All of that makes a great teacher and an excellent student.

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