A great teacher
One of the topics we discuss in the Ethics and Teaching (EDST 404) classes is the notion of a great teacher. In my class, I ask students to reflect on “What makes a great teacher?” They discuss what the qualities of a good teacher are and what these qualities should be.
In all the discussions, they come up with different responses. In fact, there is no single answer to this question. Because of the nature of the question itself, which comprises participants’ understanding of what is ethical and their own personal values, multiple answers to this very important question are inevitable.
Anyone who endeavors to respond to such a question should also keep in mind the entire context in which the question is asked and is going to be answered. We assume that John Dewy didn’t say ““If we teach today’s students as we taught yesterday’s, we rob them of tomorrow” without reason. We understand the need to consider the social environment as well as recent technological developments that greatly contribute to and/or challenge our teaching. And we remain with Colleen Wilcox’s notion of teaching as “the greatest act of optimism.”
The pictures below show some of the responses by my students in my Ethics and Teaching (EDST 404-973) class in Summer, 2019.
Feel free to share responses so that they can be shared among students.
Special thanks to student Madisen Butterfield for sending the pictures of group stickers by email.
Email: ashenafi.alemu@alumni.ubc.ca