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Could anyone be a teacher?

  • 22-08-2013 01:53PM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 220 ✭✭


    Right I was having a discussion about the teachers the other night with a group of friends some who are teachers and others who are not. I threw it out there that with the exception of higher level maths and some of the sciences, that anybody could actually be a successful teacher, qualified or not.

    The syllabus is there in place, most teachers just follow the syllabus and teach from text books. With repetition obviously the teachers absorb more and more so as to not need the text books. So in theory anyone could do that. Agree or Disagree? Is there a need to have teachers on such a pedestal as highly trained highly qualified people? Are they really? Other than having the degree and H Dip, which lets be honest is all about boosting income as opposed to benefiting students.

    Or am I just being very cynical and harsh on teachers?

    As they would say in the Leaving Cert. DISCUSS


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Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,433 ✭✭✭✭Mr Benevolent


    Nialler15 wrote: »
    DISCUSS

    No.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,496 ✭✭✭Boombastic


    Unqualified teachers have been in schools for years. They only clamped down on it a few years ago......


  • Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 31,087 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    Nialler15 wrote: »
    Or am I just being very cynical and harsh on teachers?

    As they would say in the Leaving Cert. DISCUSS

    Got it one.

    Anyone can read information out of a book. It takes skill to get kids and teenagers to actually engage with a subject and learn something valuable from it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 220 ✭✭Nialler15


    I am aware of that. Just talking in theory. Anyone could be a teacher.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,654 ✭✭✭TheBody


    Nialler15 wrote: »
    Right I was having a discussion about the teachers the other night with a group of friends some who are teachers and others who are not. I threw it out there that with the exception of higher level maths and some of the sciences, that anybody could actually be a successful teacher, qualified or not.

    The syllabus is there in place, most teachers just follow the syllabus and teach from text books. With repetition obviously the teachers absorb more and more so as to not need the text books. So in theory anyone could do that. Agree or Disagree? Is there a need to have teachers on such a pedestal as highly trained highly qualified people? Are they really? Other than having the degree and H Dip, which lets be honest is all about boosting income as opposed to benefiting students.

    Or am I just being very cynical and harsh on teachers?

    As they would say in the Leaving Cert. DISCUSS

    That is an extremely uninformed post. I don't even know where to begin with it. It's borderline trolling.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 220 ✭✭Nialler15


    Got it one.

    Anyone can read information out of a book. It takes skill to get kids and teenagers to actually engage with a subject and learn something valuable from it.

    I agree but again anyone could have that skill. A lot of qualified teachers dont have it.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,592 ✭✭✭drumswan


    You dont even need to have studied the subjects you teach yourself in school it would appear:

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057021460


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 220 ✭✭Nialler15


    TheBody wrote: »
    That is an extremely uninformed post. I don't even know where to begin with it. It's borderline trolling.

    How is it uninformed? I am asking a number of questions. Just looking for a general opinion.

    I am not abusing teachers I am asking the question, is it as highly skilled and highly specialised as teachers would make you believe?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,654 ✭✭✭TheBody


    Nialler15 wrote: »
    I agree but again anyone could have that skill. A lot of qualified teachers dont have it.

    There are qualified people in every profession that are crap at their job. Teaching is no exeption. However, to say that everybody can teach is ridiculous. In the same way as not everybody could be a nurse, engineer etc.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 220 ✭✭Nialler15


    drumswan wrote: »
    You dont even need to have studied the subjects you teach yourself in school it would appear:

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057021460


    Well surely that highlights my point and gives it substance?


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 91 ✭✭Dilly.


    Nialler15 wrote: »
    I agree but again anyone could have that skill. A lot of qualified teachers dont have it.

    Your second sentence contradicts your first one :confused:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 220 ✭✭Nialler15


    TheBody wrote: »
    There are qualified people in every profession that are crap at their job. Teaching is no exeption. However, to say that everybody can teach is ridiculous. In the same way as not everybody could be a nurse, engineer etc.


    Re read. I said anybody not everybody. There is a difference


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,995 ✭✭✭Sofiztikated


    Fact is anyone can do any job.

    Whether you are good at it or not is a different story.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,654 ✭✭✭TheBody


    Nialler15 wrote: »
    How is it uninformed? I am asking a number of questions. Just looking for a general opinion.

    I am not abusing teachers I am asking the question, is it as highly skilled and highly specialised as teachers would make you believe?

    It's no more highly specialised than any other profession. Everyone thinks they are experts in education because they went to school!! There is so much more to teaching than what you see on the surface. Same as any other profession.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,496 ✭✭✭Boombastic


    I think there is confusion between the questions 'Can anyone be a teacher?' and Can anyone be a good teacher?'


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,434 ✭✭✭doc_17


    Oh sweet lord


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 220 ✭✭Nialler15


    Dilly. wrote: »
    Your second sentence contradicts your first one :confused:

    Not really. I said a lot of people could have that skill and I said a lot of teachers dont have it. Talking about the general public and then talking about teachers.


  • Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 31,087 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    Nialler15 wrote: »
    I agree but again anyone could have that skill. A lot of qualified teachers dont have it.

    Anyone could be a professional footballer.
    Anyone could be a neuro-surgeon.
    Anyone could be UFC heavy-weight champion.
    Anyone could be Pope.

    See where that kind of logic takes you...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 429 ✭✭Afroshack


    Nialler15 wrote: »
    How is it uninformed? I am asking a number of questions. Just looking for a general opinion.

    I am not abusing teachers I am asking the question, is it as highly skilled and highly specialised as teachers would make you believe?

    Tell you what, why don't you volunteer to teach your degree subject for a week using only the textbook, since that's all you think teachers need to do?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 220 ✭✭Nialler15


    TheBody wrote: »
    It's no more highly specialised than any other profession. Everyone thinks they are experts in education because they went to school!! There is so much more to teaching than what you see on the surface. Same as any other profession.


    I agree with you 100%. But is it not just down to the person and not the "teacher" in the person. If you can be personable and interact with your students then your going to be able to teach them. Whether you are a "teache" or not.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,264 ✭✭✭✭jester77


    Nialler15 wrote: »
    Right I was having a discussion about the teachers the other night with a group of friends some who are teachers and others who are not. I threw it out there that with the exception of higher level maths and some of the sciences, that anybody could actually be a successful teacher, qualified or not.

    The syllabus is there in place, most teachers just follow the syllabus and teach from text books. With repetition obviously the teachers absorb more and more so as to not need the text books. So in theory anyone could do that. Agree or Disagree? Is there a need to have teachers on such a pedestal as highly trained highly qualified people? Are they really? Other than having the degree and H Dip, which lets be honest is all about boosting income as opposed to benefiting students.

    Or am I just being very cynical and harsh on teachers?

    As they would say in the Leaving Cert. DISCUSS

    Not everyone can, while you may understand the topic you would still need to be able to teach it.

    I had a physics teacher in school and she was useless. I just about passed the exam in my leaving cert. She spent so much time trying to explain things and none of us could get it.

    Then when I went to Uni my heart sunk in the first week when one of our professors showed us the course content. A lot of it was based on what my physics teacher had been trying to teach me, I thought I was screwed. In the first week the lecturer had basically explained everything that my previous physics teacher couldn't and it was straight forward and logical.

    Difference was he could teach, she couldn't.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 220 ✭✭Nialler15


    Anyone could be a professional footballer.
    Anyone could be a neuro-surgeon.
    Anyone could be UFC heavy-weight champion.
    Anyone could be Pope.

    See where that kind of logic takes you...

    That wasnt my logic at all and your just being silly. :D:D:D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,353 ✭✭✭✭jimmycrackcorm


    Anyone could be a professional footballer.
    Anyone could be a neuro-surgeon.
    Anyone could be UFC heavy-weight champion.
    Anyone could be Pope.

    See where that kind of logic takes you...


    Home schooled kids have as much success as those in school primarily because of the close teaching ratio (parent to child).

    I don't fancy home based Neuro-surgery much though.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 220 ✭✭Nialler15


    Afroshack wrote: »
    Tell you what, why don't you volunteer to teach your degree subject for a week using only the textbook, since that's all you think teachers need to do?

    Ah the first of the teachers going on the defensive. I was not slating teachers. Just asking a question???


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,823 ✭✭✭DublinArnie


    There's a huge difference with a new teacher who just started and a teacher who has many years of experince. Yes, maybe anyone could teach, but I don't think everyone could teach successfully. It takes years of teaching, earning a rep and learning new methods to become a good teacher who actually does something in the classroom. Also, textbook teaching never works.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 220 ✭✭Nialler15


    jester77 wrote: »
    Not everyone can, while you may understand the topic you would still need to be able to teach it.

    I had a physics teacher in school and she was useless. I just about passed the exam in my leaving cert. She spent so much time trying to explain things and none of us could get it.

    Then when I went to Uni my heart sunk in the first week when one of our professors showed us the course content. A lot of it was based on what my physics teacher had been trying to teach me, I thought I was screwed. In the first week the lecturer had basically explained everything that my previous physics teacher couldn't and it was straight forward and logical.

    Difference was he could teach, she couldn't.

    And there is my point. That in theory anyone could have explained you something in a logical way. Doesnt need to be a teacher.


  • Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 31,087 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    Nialler15 wrote: »
    Ah the first of the teachers going on the defensive. I was not slating teachers. Just asking a question???

    Your OP included this:
    Nialler15 wrote: »
    So in theory anyone could do that. Agree or Disagree? Is there a need to have teachers on such a pedestal as highly trained highly qualified people? Are they really? Other than having the degree and H Dip, which lets be honest is all about boosting income as opposed to benefiting students.

    Are you really surprised you're getting a negative reaction? ;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 220 ✭✭Nialler15


    There's a huge difference with a new teacher who just started and a teacher who has many years of experince. Yes, maybe anyone could teach, but I don't think everyone could teach successfully. It takes years of teaching, earning a rep and learning new methods to become a good teacher who actually does something in the classroom. Also, textbook teaching never works.


    I agree with you. But take someone who goes in brand new. They start with a text book and develop in time like these teachers with years of experience. In time they use the text book less and less.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 220 ✭✭Nialler15


    Your OP included this:



    Are you really surprised you're getting a negative reaction? ;)

    Not at all but I believe I am correct in what I am saying...dont you? :D:D


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,339 ✭✭✭Artful_Badger


    In my experience yes they could. It doesnt take long for an intelligent adult to familiarize themselves with the stuff being taught in schools. And I rarely came across a teacher who understood the material well enough to be able to easily explain it. Primary school and secondary school is all carrot and stick stuff.

    I think the old adage of "Those who cant do, teach" is true in a lot of cases too.


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