THE CLASS TEACHER

The education of children in their formative years is a difficult and important trust which places a considerable burden of responsibility on the teacher. The qualities that have enabled teachers to carry this responsibility are not easy to define. Yet there qualities exist in abundance in our primary schools, and it may be useful to try and enumerate some of those that characterize the good teacher in the primary school of today.

Qualities of heart and head go together in the making of a good teacher. Her whole attitude is optimistic and cheerful. She does not pretend to be omniscient, but is lively, keen, receptive, enjoying her work and sharing w ith her pupils their jest for new discoveries. The fact that her interests are far, wider than the school curriculum helps to make her more interesting as a teacher. She can explain a difficult point clearly, knows many ways of presenting information and is resourceful in creating situations in which the pupils make discoveries for themselves.

Out of her daily contacts with children comes an understanding on which the mature teacher relies. She is sympathetic, patient, especially with slow pupils, and fair to all, avoiding any appearance of favourites. Her sympathy is genuine but unsentimental, she can be firm when the situation demands.

Above all, the good teacher is alive to the possibility of improving the comment and method of her teaching and therefore keeps abreast of new developments, gives them adequate trial, and. absorbs, whatever elements are suited to her own situation. She herself is able through the discoveries which she makes in her classroom, to contribute to the body of knowledge upon which educational progress depends.

She influence of the successful teacher extends beyond own classroom in yet another way - through the help which she is able to give to inexperienced colleagues who may at first find difficulty in translating educational theory into classroom practice. In return she is quick to appreciate the value of contacts with younger teachers trained in advanced methods.

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