Practical Differentiationhttp://community.talenteducation.eu/c/message_boards/find_category?p_l_id=&mbCategoryId=227522024-03-29T13:08:24Z2024-03-29T13:08:24ZRE: Key features of a good teacherHans van Bemmelhttp://community.talenteducation.eu/c/message_boards/find_message?p_l_id=&messageId=300612017-06-27T14:13:17Z2017-06-27T14:13:17ZI agree with Judith that the pupil should be central in a teacher's mind:<br /><br />A good teacher has a keen eye for each child’s needs. He or she should always act in the interest of the child’s intellectual, social, and personal development. A child should be helped to learn to understand and work with the concepts of the subject field, to learn working together with peers, to know society’s needs, to build self-esteem and to know their own abilities and preferences… and much more!<br /><br />This means that a good teacher treats different children in different ways: for one, with more emphasis on academic skills, for others who need it: with more emphasis on for example learning to learn; stricter when a child needs such an approach, more helping when needed; some students are being prepared for an academic career, others for a more practical job, some learn by doing, others by thinking… these differences should all have a place in a good teacher’s class.<br />Besides looking at the child’s needs, a teacher should also do this in a sustainable way for himself: spending time on improving lessons is only beneficial to the extent that the teacher’s physical and psychological health are not damaged by too strenuous efforts.<br /><br />A good teacher is never cynical about a child, preferably maintains an optimistic atmosphere in class, is interested both in his subject matter and in children, and tries to give a positive image of being a teacher towards others: it is a complicated and challenging job, but also an important and fulfilling one.<br /><br />Perhaps this is the discription of an 'excellent' teacher, perhaps a 'good' teacher needs to meet these standards only 80% of the time.Hans van Bemmel2017-06-27T14:13:17ZRE: Key features of a good schoolHans van Bemmelhttp://community.talenteducation.eu/c/message_boards/find_message?p_l_id=&messageId=298752017-05-23T15:17:17Z2017-05-23T15:17:17ZIn addition to Judith's text:<br /><br />In a good school, two things are present in a balanced way: a general philosophy and room for individual initiatives by teachers.<br /><br />School management needs to make sure that all teachers agree on matters like:<br />-there needs to be a safe atmosphere, in which students are treated with respect by teachers and by peers, irrespective of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, opinion, appearance,...<br />-school is a place to learn and to grow, if a student is less bright, he or she should not be judged, but be helped to develop themselves in accordance with their possibilities, if for a very bright student standard lessons are easy, appropriate challenges should be provided.<br />-students are 'seen' with their personal learning styles, interests, abilities.<br />-academic standards are met.<br /><br />Within these boundary conditions, teachers should be able to develop their own interests: those who like to play a leading role in developing differentiated lessons should be allowed to experiment in class, those who would like to raise their own academic level by studying or doing a PhD should be encouraged to do so, those who would like to develop their skills as a counsellor or a school manager should be helped to fulfill such a specialized role. Also in class, if for example one physics teacher wishes to place somewhat more emphasis on modern physics, a second teacher on issues related to physics which are of importance in society and a third teacher is specialized in technical design, this should be possible, as long as all students learn about the core curriculum and as long as students can work on their own preferences as well.Hans van Bemmel2017-05-23T15:17:17Z