tuckova

Seems like some people want to teach their subject, some want to inspire in a more "life lessons" sort of way, some want to be popular, some want to be in control. I went into teaching with a certain amount of excitement about language that I wanted to share, and at some point I maybe became a bit of a Nice White Lady about it, and then when I was no longer that person (i.e. no longer inspirational to people) I at least had the courtesy to quit. I'm saying I'm not above teachers in any way, having been a good one and a totally crappy one at different times, so I'll even give the crappy ones the benefit of the doubt. But I feel increasingly like people sort of "get" that students are not all that into the subject, and they compensate for this not by trying to make the subject more interesting, but by making themselves, the teachers, the focus of the lesson. This can be by means of making themselves more fun, or likable or whatever, or by making themselves more intimidating. In neither case does empathy for the student or the sort of approach of trying to involve the student in the lesson seem to come into play. You should learn this because it is good for you in some moral values way seems useless; you should learn this because otherwise I will flunk you seems not the best lesson, either. If you can't come up with a reason why the thing you are teaching is worth learning, maybe you're teaching the wrong thing? Or maybe you're not a teacher. I don't know. I understand unmotivated students, and I once had an adult fly an airplane at my head so I understand the frustrations of teaching those students, but it was never beyond my grasp how entirely useful my subject was. 

ANYWAY. Tip of the iceberg, here. I have to go to an audition now. I AM READY FOR MY CLOSE-UP, MR, DEMILLE.