Incompetent Teachers
In this cover story, “Showing Bad Teachers the Door”, Rebecca Jones addresses the problem with incompetent teachers. “Research shows poor teaching has terrible, lasting effects on student achievement.’” There is nothing more frustrating to a student who is trying to succeed in a class to end up with a teacher that literally does not care if the student comprehends the material or not. William Sanders, a statistician at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, says that “What we have consistently found in this research starting back in the early 1980s that the single largest factor affecting academic growth among students is the teacher.” This is a huge factor that can make or break a student and I believe that there is no room for these types of teachers. If a teacher is just simply not motivated to teach he or she needs to quit digressing the students who want to be taught and learn the subject.
Reading this story, I can not help to think about our own school and the teachers that currently teach here. Being at a university there is going to be plenty of teachers qualified to teach. However, are those same teachers motivated to be the best? Do they have the student’s best interests in mind? These are some questions that come to mind being a student. Students are naturally going to have teachers they like and dislike but with some teachers we have to draw the line. I believe there needs to be steps taken to get rid of these “Bad Teachers” and it starts with the students letting their word be heard and presenting the problem to the right people.
Some things to think about as you respond. What do you think of the teachers here at Lander? Are there teachers here that really need not to be? What would you do if you were in a situation where the teacher is incompetent or unmotivated to teach? I think that if you’re going to be a teacher it is defiantly something that you need to have a passion for because the students educational progress is at risk if the teacher is incompetent.
13 comments:
So far in my time being here at Lander I have not had an "incompetent teacher", but I do understand what Rebecca Jones is saying in that essay. I remember being in high school and I had a few teachers that really did not care how about their students and they never really taught. Like Jones said in the essay, it frustrates the students. I know it frustrated me because I actually wanted to learn! All I have to say is that I hope that I do not run to any "incompetent teachers" here at Lander anytime soon!
I agree with both Kristen and Rebecca Jones in that having teachers who do not want to teach is very frustrating. Especially when the stuff you need to learn from that class is needed in your other classes. I don’t understand why some people are teachers. Could they just not figure out what they wanted to do with the rest of their lives so they just decided I am going to be a teacher.
I agree with you Adam about some teachers not caring. If the teacher does not care it makes it hard for the student to want to learn. The best teachers are the ones that care.
I haven't had a teacher at Lander that was incompetent, the same as Kristen. However, I did have one in high school. My english teacher basically did our work for us. On our research project all I really had to do was type the paper up. It was nice at the time because it was so easy. But no that I look back on it what did I miss that I need now.
I do see a problem not necessarily at Lander but at larger institutions of teachers not caring whther their students comprehend the material or not. I think that there should be something done about these teachers because they are only harming their students in the long run.
The problem with complaining about these teachers by students is that some students are liable to complain about them and make false charges based on whether they like the teacher or not. So it puts the school in a hard position as well because they have to pick which side to believe, and in today's world where teaching is becoming a harder and harder profession the schools are most likely going to take the side of the teacher.
In high school, I had a tough time asking the teachers for help because they always appeared to get frustrated when I asked if I could stay after for some help. I usually had to wait until my parents yell at me for my low grades until I got the courage to ask them.
But at Lander, The first day of class the last thing that comes out of a teachers mouth before we leave is stressing how much they want to help. I have no problem going up to my professors and say "Hey, I had a question about..." and instead of acting angry or short tempered they actually smile! They want you to learn and understand the material.
I disagree I think that teachers already have the passion for teaching before pursuing that career. I think the students cause teachers to become a "incompetent teacher".
There are a lot of teachers in the world today who don't have a passion for teaaching. I definitely agree with Adam because many teachers are looking forward to their checks and not worrying about the progress of their students. All teachers aren't like this, but there is a great percentage of them that exist amongst us.
You make a very interesting point. Teachers are the basis of our education and with them not caring then our future is at risk. I, as some others have stated, have not had a teacher here at Lander that has not show at least some care for the students education. However, my high school teachers, as Chris stated where not the greatest. I had two that I can remember that just did not care for the teaching. In my AP Human-Geagraphy class we would watch movies, pretty much everyday, as the teacher was on his computer; occasionaly he would attempt to teach. When it came time for the AP exam, over half the class made a two or lower out of a possible five. This class was a waste of my time and I could have taken another course that would have been more interesting.
I have only been here for two semesters and i can honestly say that each of my professors have helped me instead of hinder me. I am fresh in college and still trying to adjust and they have been there to lend a hand.
I do believe that if I do come in contact with an incompetent or unmotivated teacher, I would just have to talk to them because they are getting paid to teach, and i'm paying them to learn. I feel its the students responsibility in some aspect to talk to the teach if they feel they are getting their "money's worth".
I definitely understand what's being said in this essay. I don't think it applies just yet to my experience in college, but in high school, I had numerous teachers who didn't care and didn't have the skills to be a teacher.
One of these people made up lies about our class and eventually got fired because we fought for our right to be taught by someone who knew what they were doing.
I agree with Adam about if you want to be a teacher you need to have a passion for it. I think that the more the teacher is passionate about the subject that they are teaching the more the students learn.
I feel that so far the professors that I have had at Lander has really been doing their job and helping me.
I agree with Rachel, having an teacher who doesn't want to teach is very fustrating. I believe if you go to school to earn an degree in teaching, then u should have a passion for teaching.
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