3671. Flexible Teachers Hit the Jackpot

 We do need flexible teachers. Flexibility may be a good characteristic of a good teacher. In no way do I mean you don’t have to be a constant teacher, plus a committed one. The point is that we teachers treat people, treat persons. 

Last post I told you what could be a possible lesson for the first day lesson of a new school year. Namely, it’s what I’ve planned for my first lessons at the three centers where I teach English to adults. 

But also I consider that that very first day something else may pop up in class and I’ve got to change the lesson planning. And nothing wrong and serious may then happen. 

The good teacher has to be flexible, I have to be so, if I wish to teach my students well. If we dealt with screws, well, then we would have to make all of them the same. But we treat people. Fortunately. 

When teaching kids twenty-something years ago I tried hard to follow the lesson planning, but I was told that sometime we could skip and spare a lesson, and take the students - boys - to the playground and sport fields to play a soccer game. Or something else. 

And I then had a colleague who once took his students to have a lesson someplace at the playground. Near spring I guess. 

We have to teach good and competent lessons for our students’ sake, and for their families’ one as well, but please do not be perfectionist, if the case. We have to seek what’s good for our students. We have to listen and listen to them. 

I also knew a female teacher who told us at an English course where all of us were learners, that after each lesson, some students came up to her desk … just to tell her about them and their concerns, bravo for her. She may do a big good to those kids. 

Listen, listen to your students. I knew two other teachers, one used to sometimes quarrel with his students, for just silly things that can pop up in class, and another teacher who was all tact for his students and never quarreled with them: which one do you prefer? That second teacher had a big lot of patience and knew how to tactfully treat his students. These ones preferred that latter teacher. 

So follow your lesson plan in order to actually teach your students and teach them to be good learners, but if you’ve got to change something because someone or they need something else, then shift into something else they need. They will be grateful. Love to your students may push you to be flexible. Have a nice day.

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