Teaching, the Humble Art of Helping
Education can be seen as the combination of two key elements that assist the creation of knowledge: 50 % teaching + 50% learning = knowledge. However, how can we have students access the whole 100%? At this point is where the teaching professional turns into a “humble artisan” that will lead his apprentice to achieve a goal, knowledge.
Like the artisan that plans the execution of his art pieces, the teacher guides his student through the learning process. Along the process (i.e. a lesson), the instructor can spot the difficulties a student has and then find a way to help the student overcome that hardship. Likewise, the teacher can identify what the strengths the student has to help him/her develop them much more. To sum up, the identifiable mistakes along with his/her strengths can be of great help to deepen and achieve the course contents and objectives.
The planning of a course takes another color shade in helping students learn. Part of the course planning should include the creation of a class culture that can allow student on-going learning, class after class. A good class culture can host a great deal of debate and exchange of ideas with a teacher-moderator. This healthy way of exchanging ideas can contribute greatly to the creation of a hearty PLN (Personal Learning Network) for each single student in a course.
If teaching is the humble art of helping students to create their knowledge, by making good use of the key components of a good teacher, we all can trigger some good meaningful and ever-lasting learning in each one of our students in the classroom.
Jonathan Acuña
Universidad Latina
Costa Rica
Extra links on What Makes a Good Teacher are these:
Saturday, December 18, 2010
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