Friday, March 20, 2009

Characteristics of a good teacher

My good friend and above all beloved teacher, Azahari Ismail shared this piece of work with me that I thought I'd post for everyone to enjoy. The piece entitled “13 Semi-visible and invisible desirable characteristics of a good teacher” was an assignment submitted for a Testing and Evaluation class and carried the date December 12, 1975. For posterity, the piece is rewritten in its originality without any amendments and is posted with permission from the author.

……. Class distraction …………. 7121975
_____ _______________________________________

13 Semi-visible and invisible desirable characteristics of a good teacher*



1. Has the minimum functional desire to teach.

2. Has a thorough knowledge of the subject matter taught and likes it.

3. Has the ability to shift the students’ state of learning at least from
negative to neutral and knows the difference between the two.

4. Has the ability to disengage the students’ yawning mechanism at least for a one hour period.

5. Has the ability to maintain the behavior of a complete human being
while in the classroom.

6. Has the ability to communicate in different but proper wave-lengths.

7. Has the ability to lead and remains in front while leading.

8. Has the ability to maintain the mirror image of oneself while engaged in a
personal conversation in front of a mirror.

9. Has the ability to translate imaginations into proper actions.

10. Has the courage to accept the fact that the world is unstructured.

11. An observant, interested and dedicated learner.

12. A product of the college of education out of choice but not circumstances.

13. Has the ability to continue teaching while other job offers are pouring in.

-Azahari Ismail-

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*Lack of any or all these characetristics does not necessarily deprive anybody from being a marginal teacher regardless of sex.

az/july '75

15 comments:

  1. Although some of the characteristics are debatable,but there is a lot of truth there and they are applicable then and now. Anyway, I think teaching involves skills that can be learnt and qualities that can be nurtured.

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  2. salam...would someone pls explain no.8 to me?huhuhuhuhu blurr lah....TQ

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  3. Ha ha. Stand in front of the mirror at home and see how you looked and bring another mirror to the class or choose a class with mirrored walls and see how you looked then!

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  4. how i lookk in front of the mirror at home at what tyme kak?heheheh...in the morning? or at nite getting ready for slumberland?heheheh....owh...yelah...i remember micro teaching room...with mirror walls where we use to go and change..er i mean exchange our clothes...(heheheheh....sweet memories tu)...sometimes we can change how we look at home and at work...because being a teacher we r also good actors..ermmmm...wait...guess being a good actor make it easier for us to become a chameleon...we can become almost anything we want right? we cud be a jester, a prime minister, a mommy,swami (and frenz....heheheh), Grand Brilliance shud scout us lah kak...heheheh

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  5. interesting...now I get a better understanding of becoming a good teacher...an I strongly believe the characteristics can be expandable not only to teaching profession but also to other managerial positions and bosses (too!)....especially in the meeting room...

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  6. hi all...a friend just started his 1-month teaching practicum last monday...surprisingly...our cikgu pelatih who is a major in PJK and PSV(and a band 2 MUET)...taught English during relief...I am really proud to hear that he is eveready to teach any subject....

    Talking about teaching other subjects out of those we are majoring in...fuhhhh....I can tell u that the only subject I have not had the opportunity to teach so far is Pendidikan Agama Islam...and those Physic,Bio and Chem.Other than that...heheheh...from History to Living Skills...to PSV to Commerce...to Mathematics and Geography and Accounting....Malaysia Boleh!!!!

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  7. East Tiger...sonyap jo? Masih sibuk masak gulai daging salai ko? wakakakakaka....

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  8. heheh...east "tigress" laa..sibuk merawat "anak-anak" baru la beb...teaching my "homosapien babies" about responsibilities of taking good care of their "feline" siblings...i discovered that i have characteristic no.6!!! Even my feline babies understands me...!!

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  9. Salam and Hi All...

    I would like to share this pencil parabel, which i got many years ago from a great teacher...

    In the beginning, the Pencil Creator spoke to the pencil saying, "There are five things you need to know before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and you will become the best pencil you can be."

    1. You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in your Creator's hand.

    2. You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but this is required if you are to become a better pencil.

    3. You have the ability to correct any mistakes you might make

    4. The most important part of you will always be what's inside.

    5. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write. You must always leave a clear, legible mark no matter how difficult the situation.

    Now replacing the place of the pencil with you; always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.
    Even the best teacher develops from a pencil...

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  10. adoi east....nampaknya next year income tax kuranglah sket...anak dah jadik '4'...hehehhehe

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  11. Thanx east for ur pencil parabel,i like it especially this one :

    2. You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but this is required if you are to become a better pencil.

    how true...very true indeed....

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  12. zil..

    i think the sharpener is too sharp la bebeh...

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  13. who dares to scratch his itchy back while Dr. Azahari is in front?

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  14. East..
    the sharper the sharpener the better lah ...produce sharper pencil...hohohohoho...(wink..)

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