BETTER POLICIES, BETTER TEACHERS

ROWENA Y. MANABAT

What makes an effective teacher? Is it a graduate degree? Is it the teacher's knowledge? Will certification or a license be required? Could it be subject-matter expertise? Will it be the teacher's level of literacy? Will the teacher's alma mater be relevant? One may say that these are some of the characteristics that are typically examined in a teacher to determine whether or not the teacher would be effective. However, we should not rely solely on these characteristics because, according to studies, some of them may not truly lead to an improved teacher. Instead, we should focus on creating policies and looking for better ways to help us select the right teachers and improve their quality. We look for those kinds of teachers that we want our own children to have. However, looking for a quality teacher is not as easy as counting one, two, and three. We may agree that most of what makes a teacher effective are the soft attributes like being high-achieving, responsible, a critical thinker, organized, motivating, respectful, and sharing the goals of the organization. However, content, or the knowledge of the subject matter, is also important. Teaching lessons would be extremely challenging if you were not well-versed in the subject matter. It should be clear to us as educators that we must continually develop. While no teacher is flawless, there are educators who are prepared to grow, learn, and make sacrifices in order to help their pupils succeed.

-oOoTHE AUTHOR IS TEACHER I AT ANDRES M. LUCIANO HIGH SCHOOL