How do we produce good teachers to fix education system?

@thebigk • Oct 21, 2024

Oct 21, 2024

1.1K

We love to talk about how education system is flawed and how it needs to be fixed immediately. I think more than the education system, what needs to be fixed with more urgency is the teachers! Why? Because teachers are the connecting link between the education system and the students. I think this link has the power to filter out the bad elements of the broken education system and ensure that the basic purpose of education is solved.

However, the solution to this problem seems to be at the end of the mobius strip. You can just keep on chasing it but never meet an end.

If good teachers are the need of the time, how do we produce them? Should they volunteer? Who will decide whether they are 'good', and how?

There seems to be no end. Or is there?

Debate on!

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Sarathkumar Chandrasekaran

@sarathkumar-FEGRPw • Aug 6, 2013

I am the first participant kkkk ji.
my perseption-i dont think they lack knowledge but they lack knowledge on recent trends.They only knew the theories inside the book rather than practical thinking.
Most often those who know subject to depth choose other professions than teaching to earn more.
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Sarathkumar Chandrasekaran

@sarathkumar-FEGRPw • Aug 6, 2013

The society also has a role on pressurising teachers to get 100% academic performance.
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Ramani Aswath

@ramani-VR4O43 • Aug 6, 2013

Teaching has now become a career job. Somewhere near the bottom of the ladder of choice. Gone are the days of teachers considering themselves as the ladder that permits students to climb to great heights while itself remaining where it was.

These days I see very few, who actually want to teach. Placement has become the name of the game. Education has become a money spinner. Choice of school is related to its placement history. Managements concentrate on developing students that match the needs of the employers.

I feel pessimistic. Seems to be a downward spiral.
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durga ch

@durga-TpX3gO • Aug 6, 2013

I dont think everyone who become a S.Eng had a goal of becoming one. Somewhere around the incentive factor did contribute to their choice of career. Hene ,I think its to do with incentives what teachers are offered. Once the incentive for teaching is regularised, perhaps we see more people who proudly say - " I want to become a teacher".

The respect factor -though I agree that teachers now are not as good as what they were earlier, I dont support students disrepecting them.We disrespect them everywhere in classes, in labs , in movies and where not. Disrespecting has now become a trend and gives zero motivation for anyone who wants to take up a teaching job.

Challenge involved is also low unless and until some continuos research work is not done. Due to limited funds allocated for research, I dont think all teachers end up as researchers. Also the growth is low, you grow from teacher to asst lecturer to lecturer to asst prof to prof .

Frankly I think teaching job requires a lot of passion.
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Kaustubh Katdare

@thebigk • Aug 6, 2013

The other day my father and my father-in-law were talking about how teachers used to be in their times. I could deduce that the teachers in their times were 10x more dedicated to their profession and would not just rely on books. Plus they'd know the progress of each of their students by heart.

These days, neither the students are demanding nor the teachers are willing to make them curious. I feel like being a part of the problem. Is there no way out?
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Anoop Mathew

@anoop-FRTf1L • Aug 6, 2013

Well, to be frank teaching should have been a respectable profession. I've studied in Tamil Nadu and I must say that engineering graduates there often go for M.E and then join teaching profession as there are plenty of engineering colleges all over Tamil Nadu. However, learning M.E. doesn't mean a person is teacher material. It requires a lot of passion and dedication. Out of 100 teachers, I would say that 10 would be passionate and willing to teach. The R&D department in most colleges often function well because of the hardwork of these teachers. The salary given are however the same for those who actually put in all the effort compared to those who just teach without passion.- this has got to change. The colleges have to filter out all the 'Top Guns' in each department and should give them separate training, R&D projects and better salaries too. Maybe this could make teaching more exciting as a career.
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Ankita Katdare

@abrakadabra • Aug 6, 2013

Sorry for being a bit off topic, but I couldn't resist sharing this here -

We need that kind of attitude from teachers. Only those people should be teachers who have that spirit of teaching and that kind of respect and passion towards their profession.
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Nayan Goenka

@nayan-Dhpt4N • Aug 7, 2013

Teachers nowadays are just focused on completing their duty by filling in their lectures, teaching stuff right to the topic in a monotonous and traditional manner. It sucks to sit in a class. Only reason 80% students attend lectures in college is to fill in their attendance. If teachers make a change in their way of teaching, like if they try make the stuff more interactive and interesting, students will automatically understand better. I recently heared a teacher say that "I havent studied this subject. I have mastered in mechanical and I got a job in (IT) department. I go home, study from the books, come the next day and teach the same stuff in class." And not a matter of joke but if anyone had any query, he literally answered "I will think on it and answer tomorrow". WTF??????
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Jeffrey Arulraj

@jeffrey-xA7lUP • Aug 25, 2013

I am a teacher to several under privileged students in our locality I have taught to many students from 3 graders to fellow class mates

One comment they all tell is broadly in two categories as below quoted

I want marks teach me for that
Jeff I want to learn Why a transistor is a transistor?
When these Questions are asked we can decide what the student expects and teach them easily. In my opinions Teachers are good IF AND ONLY IF The students utilize them to the fullest.

Otherwise they can't force us

PS: If a teacher forces a student into any ideology then it is a crime punishable by the IPC so teachers are bound by this law as well
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Sarathkumar Chandrasekaran

@sarathkumar-FEGRPw • Aug 25, 2013

Nayan Goenka
Teachers nowadays are just focused on completing their duty by filling in their lectures, teaching stuff right to the topic in a monotonous and traditional manner. It sucks to sit in a class. Only reason 80% students attend lectures in college is to fill in their attendance. If teachers make a change in their way of teaching, like if they try make the stuff more interactive and interesting, students will automatically understand better. I recently heared a teacher say that "I havent studied this subject. I have mastered in mechanical and I got a job in (IT) department. I go home, study from the books, come the next day and teach the same stuff in class." And not a matter of joke but if anyone had any query, he literally answered "I will think on it and answer tomorrow". WTF??????
Atleast the person reads and then answer the students the next day.Teachers want to update themselves and inieractions between a student and teacher should be a good treat to students.It should bring confidence,innovation,knowlege inside the students.I really like the teachers who try to learn when we ask the questions.There are some teachers who really dont care about future of students and bunk the class.
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Kaustubh Katdare

@thebigk • Aug 29, 2013

Well, I've been thinking about this topic for a long time now and it looks like the fix is going to take a long time to implement. It won't be a quick fix for sure. First, people will have to be convinced that there is no point in fixing the current education system - because it's structurally flawed! Why? Because this system makes me study the things which I'll never use in my whole life. If you carefully look at the things people are taught in school, 80% of it was pure waste - which I can quickly forget the next hour and still be okay.

What the education system should do is prepare the students with the life skills, keeping in mind what we use in our daily lives. Why not teach kids the laws, computers, basic repair, medicine, live-saving skills, sports etc.?

Once this system is 'redesigned', the teachers will automatically be forced to be 'good'.
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Shailaja Tiwari

@shailaja-tiwari-lKhGjd • Aug 29, 2013

Yes with the kind of teachers we have ,Indian education system can be regarded better as EXAM SYSTEM .👎Students are compelled to pay more focus on muggin capability rather than the understanding of the subject and it's implementation .😡
Anyway I think even complaining on this issue will not serve any good unless people feel the urgency of actually doing something.
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Anand Tamariya

@anand-tamariya-DnfjEX • Aug 29, 2013

I don't see much problem with the education system than I see with people's expectation out of it. Their expectation to score cent percent marks, to get a job the day they finish their education... Current syllabus does have some focus on learning from history, laws (social studies), survival skills (NSS), sports, co-curricular activities etc. But how many people actually take them seriously and participate actively. Students are gradually moving to the approach that since they have access to google, why should they invest time in exploring or learning anything on their own. Trying to get "important" sections of syllabus to focus on only those areas that will fetch them marks. Now, that NEEDS to be fixed.
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Nayan Goenka

@nayan-Dhpt4N • Aug 29, 2013

Well here i agree with this. Students are more tending towards abusing google rather than using it. They just need to fix one small thing. Think before Googling. Blind search is not helpful. Plus the reason students are focusing on marks is because marks are over rated here. You change the criteria of evaluation of students which ultimately matters and they will stop mugging stuff up. Give them 20% extra bonus for research or similar stuff, and see the change.
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Anand Tamariya

@anand-tamariya-DnfjEX • Aug 29, 2013

Nayan Goenka
Give them 20% extra bonus for research or similar stuff, and see the change.
Not sure if you have noticed the recent posts here about ideas (read code, article etc.) for project work. That's the stuff that seriously bothers me!!!
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Jeffrey Arulraj

@jeffrey-xA7lUP • Aug 29, 2013

All college/University have a feature called RESEARCH ABSENCE which can be availed by students any time

But how many students are aware of this. The students can avail this feature any time.

Don't blame the teachers all along your awareness also is important if you plan to survive in this competitive world
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Sarathkumar Chandrasekaran

@sarathkumar-FEGRPw • Aug 29, 2013

Dont expect teachers to feed all the things they had learnt.I beleive that Today's generation definitely has tge potential and exposure to spark in world arena but the real succes of students really depends on four things as follows:
*parents
*teachers
*friends
*surrounding.
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mail154

@mail154-dIBzbF • Sep 5, 2013

Well,Thanks For the topic 😀 and sorry for a long post i am going to make here :-(

Teaching is all about interest,passion and determination. As Some one talking above, Teaching is no longer the same as mentioned.
Every Good Listener is not a good speaker Likewise every person who has passion towards subjects cannot teach the same,but they should also have passion towards teaching.
Assume a college having final year students of 60,some one will have good academic records,have a great passion towards teaching but will opt for companies paying much,because they need to live their live happily. I Don't think they are selfish,they are not serving for people etc.,
There are another group pf people who wanted to work in a company but couldn't make there. So obviously they next proceed for teaching.The low quality teachers will surely make low quality students. M.Tech has become a entry to become a professor for those who can't make it into a job. And This has become a vicious circle where low quality professor makes low quality students who later went on to become professors/teachers. As BigK Mentioned, mostly to be frank about 80% of the time were completely waste which i forget in minutes. I Don't find any reason to simply go to school/college daily make an escape from every periods,being physically present and mentally absent,studying for exams etc., What is the problem with that is we are forced to study and not to learn. Learning should be atleast some what related to life. But nothing is happening here. Everything cannot be practically explained. But Now everything is possible with technical advancements such as animations. "Good Teacher can make even boring lessons interesting"-A wrong proverb according to me since there is no lesson which is boring but it is the teacher who bores.

Coming to "How To Produce Them?"

* Let them understand,
(i)Teaching,A Noble Profession.
(ii)Teaching is not transferring things from book to mind and mind to paper.It is how to make students think.
*Make Teaching as a profession with which one can survive in his life to ensure quality teachers come out to the class rooms from companies.
*Teaching is not a profession for those who doesn't get placed in companies.
If mnc's look for people of top qualities,why don't our education board do that?
*Fill-in All Opportunities to make teaching-A dream job.

😀 :-(
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Jeffrey Arulraj

@jeffrey-xA7lUP • Sep 5, 2013

A 100+ @#-Link-Snipped-# I am of the same feeling If the elite in the society feel teaching is not for them though it is their passion, I am sure WE are missing a lot of quality teachers.

Teaching is a skill that only a few get Hope they realise it

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Saandeep Sreerambatla

@saandeep-sreerambatla-hWHU1M • Sep 6, 2013

Teachers, this is a topic which is close to my heart. As 10 of my close family members are teachers in government schools.

So, I dont know how to define a good teacher, but what I observe in my mom ( she teaches telugu (regional language of Andhra pradesh) to high school) is there are people in both English medium and telugu medium where people lack basic skills in language.

My mom takes special care of them, helps them understand how to read and write. She even used to stay awake and call them in the night to know how they are doing. THis one i saw practically.

Next comes to my teachers in Btech, the problem with these lecturers is they can teach but the system which involves students and teachers will not let them teach in their full potential.

But, I have also seen few our lecturers who teaches the subject how it is to be taught!

Next comes lecturers in coaching centers, there is a coaching center in hyderabad where I saw lecturers teaching exactly how it is to be taught. We used to go to classes for 14 hours a day but i never felt bored.

I think we concentrate in coaching because we are paying so much for 2 months where as for college we are paying little amounts for an year.

But honestly, if a student asks any question 90% of lecturers today will answer them by referring or taking some time.

There are good teachers already available and we have to utilize their skills.
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Anoop Kumar

@anoop-kumar-GDGRCn • Sep 6, 2013

There is one key point in teaching apart from qualification. How to make a subject interesting.
Make a subject interesting and every student will become curious to it.
I have differ with opinion that money makes student to get interested in subject. I studied in village government school for one year in my 8th grade at fee of just 5/- per month but proudly say those are the best teacher in my whole life. The way they teach subjects taking good practical examples even in maths.
During B.Tech. there have been few subject for which whole class attendance been over 90%, student came to college only to attend those subject only.
Only because of way of teaching.

I felt that teachers are now forgetting their duty to teach rather they are more treating as a job. Also education system is being more theoretical rather than practical approach. I don't think anyone here have studied with more than 30% of practical waitage .
Also elementary classes (Kinder garden to 10th) teachers should get proper training in specific time interval about the approach of teaching.
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