I have been teaching for nearly 2 month and have been to 2 primary schools during my 2 month tenure of teaching.
Well, to be frank, I have no idea why I will end up in teaching during my 'free time' while I was looking for a career transition, and to be frank again, I thought I will enjoy teaching, but the reality of teaching in a school proved to be a tough challenge often make me think twice to make teaching as my long term career.
In fact, teaching is not a bed of roses.
I would like to share with my readers about an interesting and informative article written by Nithya Siddhu, a school teacher and also a keen writer for the STAR EDUCATE section.
In her article, she introduces us 3 Greek words: ethos, logos and pathos which will what explain about the art of teaching. The quote of the article as follows:
Ethos is the Greek word for “character”. It speaks volumes of the spirit, attitudes and beliefs of the speaker. A teacher’s disposition is determined by her ethos. You cannot gain respect as a teacher if you don’t even realise that teaching is classified as a profession and hence, bound by a distinct code of ethics. Being punctual, honest and giving immediate feedback are inherent in teachers with good character. Aren’t we more convinced by someone who has a credible character?
The second is logos. To me, logos is about content and logic — when a teacher clarifies, criticises, comments or expresses an opinion, it should ideally spring from rational thinking and reasoning.
This knowledge and skill comes from diligent reading from varied sources, understanding the facts and organising them. Imagine a teacher who is ill-prepared and does not even know her subject content when she begins to teach!How can she hold a “reasoned discourse” with her students when they query her? Can a teacher who can’t support any argument with facts progress to using language effectively to convey content?
Finally there is the quality of pathos — an appeal to emotion and feeling. The best of teachers are able to touch lives, arouse interest, inspire learning and motivate achievement. Emotional intelligence is needed for a meaningful interaction with students.I have learnt, from personal experience, that no matter how knowledgeable, passionate, prepared and ethical I was as a teacher, teaching was only effective if I was able to evoke a yearning to want to read, understand and appreciate knowledge in my students.
Developing an out-going personality wasn’t enough. It had to come in tandem with a persuasive way with words, actions and facial expressions. It’s no joke being a teacher!
Students are naturally drawn to teachers who appeal to them emotionally which is why young teachers must work on their people skills in order to generate warmth and affection in their charges. When they teach, they have to be audience-sensitive.
Are their students interested and attentive or bored, restless and tired? How do they create a positive emotional response in them? This art of being interesting, kind, understanding and approachable while remaining firm takes time, skill and experience. Academically-weak students need an extra dose of empathy and compassion. Being credible, logical and compassionate is what ethos, logos and pathos are all about.
If you are interested in being a person of positive influence, then the three words should not be all Greek to you! As Aristotle himself put it: “Quality is not an act, it is a habit.”
Source: Lesson Reinforced
