The class teacher

Text 2

Text 1

Exercise 1. Read and translate the text.

TEACHER’S PROFESSION.

Teaching is a very difficult job of great responsibility and most specific character. There is a wide variety of work in teaching. A good teacher is not only a communicator of knowledge but a model of competence. He forms attitudes to his subject and attitudes to learning, becoming himself a symbol of education process, a person who is learning as well as teaching. While communicating with children a teacher studies them closely to discover their interests, their strengths and weaknesses, their needs and abilities. Thus a good teacher always regards capacities his pupils have, trying to temper his teaching methods to children’s abilities and aptitudes. He builds his work upon what he learns about his children.

An environment should be created to stimulate children to develop their abilities and satisfy their interests. “Climate” of a classroom depends on the nature of personal relationships between a teacher and his pupils. These relationships should be founded on respect for a person. Thus a primary condition of creating a good atmosphere in class is that everybody in it respects everybody in it. Teacher’s authority will be ensured by respect of his pupils, because his knowledge and skill are greater and better coordinated and his thinking is at a higher level than that of his pupils. His commands are likely to be respected and obeyed then.

It is a purpose of education to liquidate ignorance. But it is also the function of education to help children to live in the community, to prepare them for real life situations. Social development is paid just as much attention to as intellectual development. School becomes a place of work and play, of living and learning. A teacher takes an active part in shaping of a child’s character, fostering honesty, kindness, loyalty, cooperation and respect for ideals.

Quintilian, the prominent Roman school master, wrote in his work published about 95 AD the following about a teacher and his work: “Let him adopt a parental attitude to his pupils. Let him be free from vice himself. Let him be strict but not austere, kind but not too familiar: for austerity will make him unpopular while familiarity breeds contempt. He must control his temper without shutting his eyes to faults requiring correction. His instruction must be free from affection, his industry great, his demands on class continuous, but not extravagant. He must be ready to answer questions. In praising the answers of his pupils he must be neither grudging nor over-generous. In correcting faults he must avoid sarcasm and above all abuse to discourage industry.”

Here is an exacting job, but those who are well equipped for it will have a happy and satisfying life.

Exercise 2. Complete the following sentences from the text.

1. Teaching is …

2. Thus a good teacher always regards …

3. “Climate” of a classroom …

4. Teacher’s authority …

5. A teacher takes an active part …

6. School becomes …

Exercise 3. Explain the meaning of:

A communicator of knowledge, to temper teaching methods to children’s capacities, climate of a classroom, social development, to be free from vice, familiarity breeds contempt, neither grudging nor over-generous, those who are well equipped for this job.

Exercise 4. Combine words into sentences and translate into Russian.

1. upbringing, a, should, children’s, all, regard, of, teacher, aspects.

2. is, respect, of, necessary, part, pupils, the, teacher, and, on.

3. development, and, provided, physical, for, social, the, conditions, full, psychological, are, child’s.

4. the, regarded, teacher, generally, and, treated, as, friend, a, is

5. discover, on, school, new, a, entering, children, world.

6. with, character,, child’s, growing up, of, along, shaping, his, goes.

7. helps, a, communicate, play, peers, child, his, with, to.

8. school, attitude, a, forms, in, positive, to, pupils, labour.

Exercise 5. Answer the following questions.

1. What can you say in general about teacher’s work?

2. A teacher forms attitudes to his subject and to learning, doesn’t he?

3. What does a teacher have to regard in his job?

4. Is it necessary for a teacher to know his pupils’ abilities and aptitudes? Why?

5. Why is it important to create a good atmosphere in class?

6. What does “climate” of a classroom depend on?

7. Should personal relationships between the teacher and pupils be founded on respect or fear?

8. What do children mostly respect their teacher for?

9. When are teacher’s commands likely to be obeyed?

10. What are the chief tasks of education?

11. Which qualities does the teacher foster in children?

12. Do you think that school should become a place of living and learning?

13. When does teaching bring satisfaction and happiness?

Exercise 8. Say whether you agree with Quintilian’s words about the teacher’s work. Prove your point.

Exercise 1. Read the text.

Notes: omniscient – всеведущий

zest – живость, энергия

mature – зрелый, сформировавшийся

abreast – в ряд, не отставая, на уровне

The education of children in their formative years is a difficult and important task, which places a considerable burden of responsibility on the teacher. The qualities that have enabled teachers to carry out this responsibility are not easy to define.

Qualities of heart and head go together in making of a good teacher. Her whole attitude is optimistic and cheerful. She does not pretend to be omniscient, but is lively, keen and receptive, enjoying her work and sharing with her pupils their zest for new discoveries. The fact that her interests are far from wider than the school curriculum helps to make her 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 the 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 it.

Above all, the good teacher is alive to the possibility of improving the content 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.

The influence of the successful teacher extends beyond her 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 translate educational theory into classroom practice. In return she is quick to appreciate the value of contacts with younger teachers trained in advanced methods.

Exercise 2. Suggest an alternative title.

Exercise 3. Give a rough summary of the text. In your summary answer the following questions:

1. Why does education place a great responsibility upon a teacher?

2. What makes a good teacher?

3. How far does the influence of the successful teacher extend?

Дата добавления: 2015-05-26