In BIM, Teaching

Before I started teaching my class at BIM, Trichy, I asked my students to write down the qualities they liked in a good teacher. Its a great list to aspire towards. I’m sharing the list here for the benefit of anyone interested in teaching.

  • A teacher who treats students as soon-to-be-managers and not as kids.
  • Encouraging the students to actively participate in the class.
  • Teaching with future career of the students in mind rather than just blindly following the syllabus.
  • Using simple, easily understandable language while teaching.
  • Less lecturing and more hands-on exercises.
  • Dicarding old methods of teaching and using new methodologies.
  • Teachers who have practical consulting experience make better teachers.
  • Allowing students to go away from the topic if it takes them to explore new grounds.
  • A good story-teller.
  • Giving good examples to explain a complex subject.
  • Being very enthusiastic in teaching.
  • Gives attention to students ( even to the last benchers)
  • Making every class a unique learning experience.
  • Empathizing with the students.
  • Having a casual attitude and not being formal with the students.
  • Having neutral attitute towards all students and not showing any favoritism.
  • Having positive engergy and being a good motivator.
  • Giving lots of examples for a topic.
  • Being the kind of teacher whose classes the students would LOVE to attend and never bunk.
  • Being very approachable.
  • Encouraging the students by removing the fear of failure.
  • Very jovial and fun filled sessions.
  • A teacher who has radical ways of teaching.
  • Having excellent communications skills.
  • Giving sufficient breaks in-between classes.
  • A teacher who follows a “Why? Why Not?” kind of approache instead of stating mere facts.
  • One who avoids using jargons.
  • Honest and transparent. If a teacher does not have an answer, he should accept so instead of bullshitting.
  • Proving constructive comments to improve.
  • Adherence to deadline and giving the right assignments.
  • Punctual person. Prefer a teacher who arrives to the class before the students.
  • A teacher who the students respects and not one who demands respect.
  • Involve everyone in the discussion and not just the few enthsiastic bunch.
  • One who jokes a lot and makes us smile.
  • Giving reference links for further reading.
  • Structured flow that is visible.
  • Being a good mentor than a teacher.