#Title
Dr Syed Saad Andaleeb
is distinguished professor emeritus at Pennsylvania State University in the US, former faculty member of the IBA, Dhaka University, and former vice-chancellor of Brac University.
An ideal teacher is an agent of change, transforming all who come into her/his ambit. As a sensei or guru, this “mystery” person is depicted by a long list of characteristics based on personality, knowledgeability, philosophy, professionalism, inimitability, and the like.
The ideal teacher is ultimately one’s own creation, based on experiences, personal fancy, or even fantasy. For a fair number of students, interestingly, such a teacher is the one who gives good grades! This is indeed misdirected, calling for a need to recalibrate.
Paulo Freire, a Brazilian educator, philosopher, and advocate of critical pedagogy, observed, “The teacher is no longer merely the one who teaches, but one who is him/herself taught in dialogue with the students, who in turn while being taught also teach. They become jointly responsible for a process in which all grow.” According to Albert Einstein, “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.”
While the two views focus on what a great teacher “does,” it is also important to reflect on what s/he “is” – a person who spans three concentric spheres expressing her/his essence, enhancements, and the extras: the 3Es. It is the “is” that fortifies, energises, and enables the “does.”
“Essence” is reflected in a teacher’s expertise, intention, authenticity, engaging spirit, a sense of fairness, respect for the learner, and creativity.
“Enhancements” are embodied in preparedness, friendliness and empathy, clarity in communications, listening skills, entertaining deportment, enthusiasm, effective classroom management skills, and feedback quality.
The “extras” make it all come together through one’s credentials, appearance, cleanliness, good personal hygiene, ease of making eye contact, and a clear and easy-to-follow voice. When absent, they are considerable distractors.
Interestingly, there’s an intrinsic dynamism we found in a study on what students seek in their teachers as they mature. In their freshman year, the teacher’s friendliness and ability to entertain , with good communication skills and enthusiasm , stand out as students prepare for a long academic journey. Sophomores value clarity , organisation , and a thought-provoking time in the classroom and beyond. Juniors seek a guide who allows freedom to explore , create , and express new ideas as they begin to strike out on their own. They also expect fairness – to be justly rewarded for their creative exploits. Seniors are looking for their lighthouse, their guru: one who is authentic and knowledgeable in her/his field, inspiring their imagination and instilling in them a desire to become trailblazers. In a profession that demands high integrity, enormous responsibility, and sustained hard work, I have tried to emulate some of my best and most inspiring teachers. In so doing, I have become a work-in-progress – learning, probing, questioning, discovering, innovating, and evolving. Along the way, I have also learnt to teach less, reach more – reach the mind, the heart, and the soul of the learner. The journey is an arduous one, sometimes thankless. For me, that journey and the inherent struggle continues.