Episode 004 – What Makes A Good Teacher? A Good Clint Eastwood Impression
2010 January 22
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:36 — 24.4MB)
In this Episode:
What does a good Clint Eastwood impression have to do with being a good teacher?- How Teach For America is revolutionizing the teaching scene
- Can you teach good teaching?
- What’s up with Texas and their maniacal standards for graduation?
References
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I volunteer to wack Tom’s with a ruler if Nick is unavailable.
I completely agree with the conclusion of this segment. I am a high school English and theater teacher (what many would consider the opposite end of the spectrum from what you guys do!) and agree that the best teachers I have had are not necessarily the smartest or funniest, but have this X-factor that is sometimes indescribable. But, I have found more often than not that this X-factor is a genuine and enthusiastic interest in students. Teachers can fake being smart; it’s actually quite easy when no one else in the room has a high school diploma, let alone a degree! Teachers cannot fake caring.
Great comment, Joe. My fiance is about to finish her masters in teaching (she wants to teach middle school math – far far braver than me!), and she has noticed a marked difference in how the students learn in the classrooms of those teachers who care deeply about education vs those that are “in it for the paycheck”.