After teaching for 7 years at almost all conceivable levels of Korean society, I have some definite ideas about what is successful teaching practice within the classroom. Having been evaluated very favorably by students at a university I worked at, scrutinized in not one but two demonstration classes for my current job as part of the hiring process, and watched by audiences of up to 200 people when I gave presentations, I developed some strong notions about what successful teaching entailed.
If you consider yourself as a student, whether as when you were a child or now as an adult, one thing ought to be very clear. We learn things more easily when we are fully engaged with the subject material. When we laugh, we can remember what was amusing. When we are involved in an activity which requires critical thinking, such as roleplay, we take much more from the experience than we would than if our head were merely buried in a book.
For this reason, the first thing I ought to make clear is that I believe that if learning is enjoyable, not only will students be more motivated, but they will genuinely learn more easily. Crucially, if a student likes the person they are working with who is developing their skills then they will put in the extra effort; whether in order to communicate more effectively with them or to receive their praise or endorsement.
This brings me to my next point. A good teacher is a good psychologist. They establish lasting bonds with students and gain their trust and rapport. After all, language is merely a sociological device used primarily for the purpose of communal cohesion. To this end, a teacher needs to be a good listener who always has time and patience, who coaches rather than corrects, and who is sensitive to the insecurities and doubts of those using their non native tongue. Above all else, I see myself as a cultural ambassador opening the door to a new world of possibilities and experiences through encouragement and guidance. I befriend students whilst also maintaining a professional demeanor.
It is also my belief that an awareness of the pre-existing level of student ability within the classroom is imperative in order to identify progress and areas of specific development. In my professional opinion, garnered through extensive classroom experience, I believe that Korean students have often focused almost exclusively on grammatical study throughout their school life. Whilst this allows them to gain quite a good understanding of the syntactic aspects of English, they often lack fluency, and conceptual mistranslations often occur through a world view constructed through language. One such example of this is that Koreans say ‘our country’ whereas in English one would say ‘my country.’ An awareness of these conceptual differences helps to break down cultural barriers.
A good teacher must always be self reflective. If a class does not go quite as well as one would have hoped then it is always necessary to ask why. I am not afraid to ask for student feedback about classes and to ask students about any methods of learning that they would like to sometimes implement in the classroom. A teacher must never be content with simply being acceptable, but must strive to attain the level of respect that will make them remembered by the student for years to come.
Finally, creativity, innovation and a variety of different materials and approaches all contribute to achieving this standard. The one thing that cannot be emphasized enough as a prerequisite for success is preparation. If one enters the classroom over-prepared then they can have confidence that the class will run smoothly, even if not all of the material is used. The experienced teacher will have a plethora of resources readily available at their disposal. Development in areas such as technology- utilizing websites, PowerPoint, movie clips and smart phones are also a must if the modern teacher is to remain contemporary and relevant within modern society.