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Thoughts and opinion from the wards
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So, what do you expect from your teachers?
I am still a student, in my postgraduate study, and as a doctor I know I will continue being a student for a very long time (for my residency, for my research). On the other hand, I also teach, which I only started very recently, which gives me great pleasure and a fresh perspective on students and teaching. From what I experience, I know that still being a student can help me learn how to be a good teacher. I observe my own teachers, learn what is for me an exciting and great learning experience. I love it when my teachers stimulate me to think and answer questions in the class instead of just bombarding me with information because it helped me form my pattern of thinking in a logical way. I love it when they can capture my interest and award me with extra information. I love it when I realize that after a class I gain new knowledge and insight. I love it when the teachers engage personally with us and interested in what we have learned so far. I love it when the teachers give feedback about our assignments and our efforts in working on those assignments. I love it when the ultimate goal is to help us understand the subjects. I love it when they have time to teach us even though they are very busy, and focused on us during the class. I love it when they are interested and enthusiastic about what they teach, because it makes us understand the importance of learning them. I love it when they appreciate me and my efforts. I love it when they inspire! I only very recently started as assistant lecturer. And when I have discussion with my students, I know that I ask them to do “at least” the followings. I want them to be focused in class. I want them to be prepared before meeting me, because then we can engage more in the discussions. I want them to understand the fundamentals: why we think in certain ways, why certain things are very important, what is the “big picture”, what’s the underlying principle and philosophy of the things we learn, what I want them to learn specifically for the exams and also what they still have to remember for the rest of their lives as doctors. I want them to be able to learn how to think, and what to think about. I want them to start a class with focus and attention because there’s new information I’d like to share with them. I want them to do their assignments and do them well because I also prepare myself to give feedback on their assignments. I want them to read, because I also read and there are items in the reading material that I’d love to discuss with them. I want to share new things with them, because I don’t want them to be bored with the learning session. I want them to share their opinions, their questions and answers. I want them to be interested and to always want to do better. And for me, this quote has always been an inspiration, "Docendo disco, scribendo cogito"; I learn by teaching, I think by writing. So, what do you expect from your teachers? – AjengMD
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Well I suppose we all expect that which you have described in your observations.
I think in undergraduate and postgraduate study you are often presented with many different individuals who all have their own way of trying to get their message across. Ultimately though, there are only a handful who inspire you and make a lasting, positive impression.
Those teachers tend to be the ones who push you that little bit further, who are innovative in the way they teach and, dare I say it, a bit eccentric.
A good teacher/mentor can guide you and can make the difference between going into one speciality or another. Therefore the level of passion that an individual has for their topic (or the severe lack of it in some) can inspire you to go and do that little bit more self-directed learning that would spark your interest.
Sometimes I think that teachers have the hardest job as every student looks for something different to identify with.
I agree that the students look for something to identify with. Which then leads to the thinking that providing mentorship or maybe just a mutual connection (in an academic and intellectual context) is necessary, although it's not always easily achieved when the teacher-student ratio is too low.
And one of my own teacher once told me, "sometimes we want our students to be right all the time, to know the answers all the time, to do well all the time. But we should still allow them the room to make mistakes sometimes, and make them see how to correct it". I want them all to do well, but if some of them don't it's rather hard to "let go" sometimes, although we know we have always tried our best.
I am still undergraduate and I found that many teachers teach in a way that sometimes students dont get what he/she wants to tell. It is, I think, a personal problem whether they're able or they arent. But the point is that teacher should know what the students really need (and of course students have to know it first). I found some hard substances when I was on my 3rd year study.
Indeed, it is very hard being a teacher. Easier when the age-gap is not that wide (like you, AjengMD), I mean, young teachers are more 'get into their student' (=student oriented).
But teaching is a critical job. An unready teacher (principally) will diminish the quality of education.
Keep teaching the good things!
greets :D
*ternyata nge-blog di sini juga to.. hehe
An interesting point you make is about the age. Actually, now I doubt it. Perhaps it's not "young teachers" who are student oriented, it's actually "good teachers", whether they are younger or older. When they can communicate effectively with students then the students are usually more satisfied with the process.
so, what do i expect from my teacher? my answers are almost the same with your writing.
in my opinion, I like a teacher who...
.gives an opportunity for the students to understand by asking the students do they already understand what the teacher is explaining, is it too fast or too slow;
encourages the students to question/comment the lecture, for instance, brainstorming question "why do you think people can die by malaria?" (in order to get feedbacks even only to get them speak);
and give good/wise responses for questions/comments (not then be angry or put unfriendly face or underestimate the questions/comments from students).
.teach in a 'catchy' way, creative, and enthusiastic so the class will not be boring -> it doesn't have to be a very modern audio visual equipment...the teacher can even simply teach with board and boardmarker. because then the important thing is how this teacher makes the story, the subject, become interesting, such as put some example cases or quiz or headline on it, why we have to learn it, what so special with this topic in the real world...not only putting some numbers of objectives. my friend gave such a nice presentation last two weeks about dengue. she explained that dengue has no definitive treatment, only supportive treatment. since there is no definitive treatment, to tackle dengue problem, public health aspect plays a big role in controlling dengue. --> i think it is a nice introduction to make the students start thinking that public health is interesting, not only a boring abstract subject). being enthusiastic will also make the students become awake and pay attention to the class.
keep on teaching, keep on writing :)
(read: keep on teaching me, keep on writing and letting me read ;))
i really want to be in your class when you teach...may i?
:x
Indeed, more than sharing knowledge it's also about sharing enthusiasm.
Also, last week I had a lecturer who spent most of his training as a researcher in Japan, and he after answering our questions he always closed his answer by saying "So, do you think I answered your question?", by asking for that confirmation he both clarified whether he answered the question right on point and whether we needed more explanation. It also gave us a little time to reflect and digest the extra information he gave us.
When I realized he did that I immediately thought, "I should do this in my class as well"
Teaching may be a lecture of 500 students, ten, five or even one to one as I have when students do a term with me and are my shadow for several weeks. It also depends on the receptor (student) and its binding affinities.
A good teacher can make the complex simple, teach ways to remember, engage with students, show pitfalls, encourage creativity, engender passion, transmit humour and encourage reflection as well as be a role model and both an inspiration and someone to aspire to. These are the Dead Poets' Society teachers and are so rare that you never forget them.
Mastery of the subject is mandatory for a teacher, but many are ineffective as they have not mastered life, never think outside the square and cannot put themselves in the shoes of the student grappling with the subject.
Few teachers are "good" at it in my experience. Many just pass.
There are different answers, but indeed there seems to be some traits that repeatedly comes up in the discussion, like humor, enthusiasm, passion. And good point on putting themselves in the shoes of the students struggling with the subject.
And I'm still amazed that some words of some teachers just seem to last forever in my head, while other teachers never left any specific nor lasting impression. It's the authentic teachers that stood out the most, for sure.
As you know I don't have much experience in teaching yet. How about the other way around. Have you ever encountered any particular situations where you find the students being extra "challenging"? And in these situations, for example, when the students are lacking motivation or lacking understanding of the subject, how do you choose to deal with the students? And to what point do you think that the teacher is "responsible" for a student's success or failure?
The job of the teacher is not to make a perfect world but to teach with passion and to make your students want to aspire to something competent and passionate too. If you are a substandard teacher it will tell but even the best teachers will have students who fail. Indeed it is your responsibility as an examiner (at least I am) to ensure they jump as high as the bar you set and if they fail, they will not stand the pressure of the real world and must repeat or drop out.
The real world of medicine is life and death and coronial inquests and court cases and even jail if you get it badly wrong, so raising the bar to a high level and exhorting them to jump is essential.
I don't kid myself I am their friend. I am a quantum leap and thirty years their senior. I am friendly and I am their mentor as the word Mentor was originally used in Homer's Odyssey but I am their teacher and their drill sergeant and I have done a thousand parachute jumps into the enemy lines of incoming fire and have survived and I cannot jump for them.