3 GETTING STARTED

3.1 BE ON TIME
    Be in school building, the industrial place or the 'training area' and at the right place at least fifteen [15] minutes before the starting time of your first class.  Starting promptly is a credit to the instructor and an incentive to the students.  Early arrival also allows time for last minute checking on facilities and materials plus the opportunity to talk or discuss individual problems or questions with some of the students.

3.2 DETERMINE OBJECTIVES OF COURSE
      Examine your teaching assignment in terms of the 'end products'.  Is it your responsibility to teach a complete unit or a single operation?  Does your schedule call for group teaching or individual instruction? First determine the objectives and purposes of your course and from them you will be able to develop the scope, content, time required and equipment needs.

2. WHAT IT TAKES

2.1  PERSONALITY

              Personality is often the "spark" or dynamic quality that types the individual teacher.  This can usually be observed through the enthusiasm, tactfulness, confidence and interest displayed in his teaching. The combination of a friendly attitude, a well-groomed appearance and a pleasant voice make for an excellent teaching personality.

2.2  KNOWLEDGE OF SUBJECT

                Accumulated knowledge and experience in your particular field, whether it be social work, science, machine shop, cooking, agriculture or art, will be invaluable.  Constantly improve your background, show enthusiasm for your subject, keep up with current trends and develop creative, interesting demonstration lessons and experiments.  These are the things that make good teachers better teachers.

2.3  SKILL IN TEACHING

               Skill in teaching is often judged on results.  You must have the 'show-how' as well as 'know-how' plus careful and adequate lesson planning.  A skillful teacher avoids stalling.  His questions have definite value and direction.  His tools, equipment and references are ready for use.

2.4  ABILITY TO GET ALONG WITH OTHERS

               A sense of humor is a must, along with the following; and understanding of human relations, a desire to help, the ability to listen, and the willingness to work cooperatively with your students or trainees and colleagues.  Practice these suggestions for successfully getting along with others.

2.5  LEADERSHIP

                 Effective leadership in teaching requires the ability and willingness to inspire, guide, direct and control youths and adults.  Try to understand group needs and desires.  Plan your course and lead the way. Be fair and gain the confidence of each students.

WHY TEACH?

1.5 Special Need

With the ever -present teacher shortage, the increased need for apprentice training, retraining, "new job" training, and the need for training and educating youth and adults in foreign lands, many men and women are entering teaching in response to this overall situation. 

While many of these teachers will leave teaching at the end of their assignments, others will remain in the field.  Good teachers are always a valuable asset to our country, in our schools, in business and industry, and in governmental organizations.

TECHNIQUES NOTES FOR TEACHERS - part 2

it has been a long time since i publish a few pages of the book entitled TECHNIQUE NOTES FOR TEACHERS....an old book found which had been used by my eldest brother when he was studying at SAM HOUSTON STATE UNIVERSITY [1983].

i decided to publish the rest as i found out that its contain is very useful for me and other teachers...

WHY TEACH?

1.4 Salary

Incomes for teachers in our schools are improving all the time.  Teachers of apprentices and other workers in industry are likewise experiencing increased pay checks for their "special services".  Special "government teaching assignment" usually include good pay, subsistence allowance and opportunity to travel.  The public is recognizing that teaching is a profession.  In the plant, the teacher is being recognized as a "key person" in the organization.  This all points to continuing improvement in salary schedules.  The economic status of those assigned to teach will improve in proportion to their attitude and ability to do the job.

money or responsibility?

teaching is a noble job.  it is not about money, but a responsibility.  teachers teach, while the pupils learn.  pupils gain knowledge while teachers gain satisfaction   unluckily, there are some teachers who are claiming that they don't get anything through teaching.  all they get are only tiredness and other big burdens..teachers have to deal with time pressure, rules and regulations, discipline problems from students and co-curricular activities that can drain away their energy.  why do more if the financial reward is not there?

things become different if we take this [teaching] as a responsibility..we are able to change people, from zero to hero...we are able to do more than others do...we work with people, not with machines...working with machines is simple....
just push the button and the machine will do everything...
working with people, we could not push any button...sometimes they push us back...imagine how a teacher could manage to handle 40 different heads with 40 different ideas......in a square room that we call classroom...then, the teacher has to treat all the different heads with different ideas within a limited time.....to satisfy the parents and their expectation...

wise words 2

He who knows not, and knows not
that he knows not, is a fool; shun him.
He who knows not, and knows that he
knows not is a student; teach him.

He who knows, and knows not that
he knows is asleep; wake him.
He who knows and knows that
he knows is wise; follow him.


*******************Asian proverb**********

force to teach?

yes, i was forced to teach English at first, but now i know that this subject is actually helped me a lot.  i started teaching English when i was in Kota Tinggi, at SK Sri Setia Jaya, Tg Sedili.  I can still remember how my GPK asked me to teach English for Year One pupils. He simply said," cikgu, you learned English since you were in Year 1.  you learned English for eleven years [year 1 - form 5].  Takkanlah setakat yes, no, alright, thank you..cikgu tak boleh ajar...." 

since that, i never teach Bahasa Melayu which is my major option in teacher training college.  what a pity!  in those days of my teaching, i didn't enjoy but i had to do my job until i got the opportunity to attend a course specially for non-optionist .  i experienced new things and started to like my teaching days...Now, i am still teaching English,not the non-optional English teacher anymore since i was graduated in TESL a few years ago.

A lecturer read to me Confucious saying," When you enjoy what you do, you will never have to work a day in your life."  It means, if you enjoy your work, it is no longer a work...whenever the students tell me that they have enjoyed  my class and learnt something from me, that will be the greatest reward of all.