Are TEFL/CELTA teachers "real" teachers? - Page 4 - Ajarn Forum

haltest · 6th March 2006, 08:36

CELTA and TEFL are of course real teachers of the English language.

They are however not qualified to teach things like literature, science, maths etc unless they have the appropriate qualification.

Even teaching very young kids requires some knowledge of the appropriate pedagogy to use and child psychology.

Having a PGCSE/Grad Dip/ Bed/Med etc. should make you a better teacher (and will mean you can get the better jobs ) most importantly it demonstrates a commitment to Continued Professional Development which is something all teachers should show.

expatwannabe · 6th March 2006, 10:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unwell

only the ones too up themselves to realise that they don't hold a monopoly on 'good teaching'.

the smart ones know better...

:smile:

I agree, Unwell. :smile:

Unwell · 6th March 2006, 10:40

why thank you my good chap...

:smile:

dongintheklong · 6th March 2006, 16:02

Quote:

As Adam (the poster) once said, it's easy to "just go on auto-pilot."

I'll say! I think I've clocked-in several thousands of miles in the last year. :smile:

Quexana · 6th March 2006, 18:43

While I think my BSc in Sociology and experience as a counsellor might help a little in my teaching career, I certainly wouldn't want to try it without a CELTA.

I've only just started the course but I am already overwhelmed by how much I don't know!

PeaceBlondie · 7th March 2006, 06:56

I don't understand why several posters who normally behave better than this, have wasted so much time baiting someone about their religion and then lambasting them for it without cause. It's off topic, so I'll split that portion off to the Ize Box, though it really deserves to be binned.

Quexana, our sincere apologies to you for these unwarranted attacks by the contigent who think it is their divine duty to bash whatever other folks think is divine.

Bangkok Phil · 7th March 2006, 08:41

Yes, I looked at this thread this morning and it had gone hopelessly off topic. I did think about bunging the whole lot in the soap box but it's unfair on the few that have made sensible posts.

Nice work anyway PB

Nickyboy · 7th March 2006, 08:56

A good teacher needs to have soooo much more in his/her locker than qualifications.

Who would you rather teach your kids, a 24 year old TEFLer with no degree but who genuinely cares and tries to create successful lessons, or a 42 year old uber ajarn that doesn't give a fuck anymore and has been regurgitating the same lesson for years?

By the way, I'm neither!!

kingwilly · 7th March 2006, 10:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gipkik

full of theories of questionable value (child-centered education and holistic language learning are fraught with controversy as theories that just don't translate in the classroom).

I'm not a language teacher, so I wont comment abt that,

but child centred learning is hardly controversial or indeed unable to be tranlated into the classroom.....

I would venture to suggest that nearly all learning has to be child-centred to some degree .... to say otherwise just suggests an incomplete understanding of what it is all about ....

I'l tell you wot it is not;

it is not competely non-structured learning,

it is not without rigour

it is not less work than a authortarian teacher directed classroom.

students need ownership of their learning - as well as guidance and structure in their studies. The 'teacher as a font of all knowledge and students as an empty vessel to be filled' model of learning has been thoroughly discredited about 3 decades ago.

tazmanian · 7th March 2006, 10:54

A good call by the mods to cut off the "Off topic" posts including my own, sorry about that.

Thanks to all the people who replied on topic. It seems this will be a never ending cause for debate........

Jellybean · 7th March 2006, 13:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by haltest

Even teaching very young kids requires some knowledge of the appropriate pedagogy to use and child psychology.
.

I think being a parent (the first teacher) probably teaches you more than a casual awareness of these things.

ajarn farang · 8th March 2006, 15:27

Quote:

haltest wrote:
Having a PGCSE/Grad Dip/ Bed/Med etc. should make you a better teacher (and will mean you can get the better jobs ) most importantly it demonstrates a commitment to Continued Professional Development which is something all teachers should show.

this above all!!! teaching and learning are just two sides of the same coin.. i realise that every day i spend teaching others is a day i learn a little bit more. if people start these threads in an effort to absolve themselves or convince themselves that a CELTA or whatever is enough then they're barking up the wrong tree. the whole process is an open-ended one for all of us.

MikeS · 8th March 2006, 15:56

Our CELTA group in Brisbane included two experienced teachers.
One was great and bitzed the course.
The other was hopeless and failed.
Moral: Even experienced teachers can make bad language teachers.
I know farangs with Phds who have real problems teaching the English language effectively.
I know some Thai teachers of English who have MAs but not TESOLs or CELTAs and think you teach a language by lecturing for hours on end

I have a relevant degree and CELTA, but still know I have a huge amount to learn, which is why I'm reading and learning all the time, love to observe other teachers (if they don't feel threatened) and plan to do an M Ed. (TESOL) and eventually also a DELTA over the next few years.
So, my take is, the more training the better, but it doesn't automatically make you a good language teacher.

PS: A healthy sense of fun also helps.

ajarn farang · 8th March 2006, 16:06

well yeah true either you are good at something or you're not. no point in flogging a dead horse is there. what you say is pretty obvious but probably needs reiterating: i think this is true of most things.

PeaceBlondie · 8th March 2006, 18:19

Isn't it amazing how many people of varying qualifications decides to try teaching? Well, teaching tries them, and often finds them wanting.