The Rewards of Being a Teacher

This piece explores some of the most rewarding aspects of teaching learners.

With a little help from my teacher

Doing good deeds, being positive and helping others go hand in hand. What do educators get out of the whole experience? This question arises from time to time. For the most part, one rarely sees teachers drive fancy cars or boast about their earnings. This must mean that there are ways to feel fulfilled or get job satisfaction other than being a high earner. Believe it or not, there are some good-hearted souls who only want the best for those they teach and don’t expect anything in return apart from a little respect, a good attitude and a willingness to learn. Naturally, teachers are often woefully underpaid and never get a pay rise or an increase to keep up with the rise of inflation. Though, be this as it may, a great many get on with the job at hand and manage to sustain that good feeling they consciously or unconsciously once sought with regards to the important work they do.

The value of validation

Teachers are human beings and have feelings. It is only natural that being shown appreciation in some shape or form is important to them. Very often, acknowledgement of worth or performance comes only from the students and not from the organisations they work for. It may be just a fact of life that they need to get used to, but the learners do benefit from teachers’ hard work and are best placed to give back something to those who gave them the tools and techniques to improve their language skills, for example. Only they can tell you how they feel regarding progression and whether they feel more confident, can find words more easily, if they enjoyed the course you designed, your style of teaching or personal touch, by way of illustration. It makes perfect sense that these types of comments that may surface at the end of a course are considered as being more valuable or meaningful than words of praise from an administrator who isn’t well versed in teaching methods or hasn’t a foggiest about what kind of teacher you are.

A pleasurable profession

Being a language teacher has many perks. For instance, analysing grammar, word play, the wonders and metamorphosis of language and discovering new examples of mistakes through L1 interference can all float your boat. Experience makes a difference here, as is knowledge of the L1. After a while, it will become easier to spot examples of language interference and to explain how the mother tongue causes some mistakes to happen.This means a lot to these learners as it helps them to understand why these errors occur and the very fact that these are typical mistakes that such people make, means they know that they are in the same boat as others, and it may help to increase their confidence and realise that it is only natural to make slips such as these. Next, for those who like to tell a joke, using humour while teaching is always fun. Then, there are psychological speaking activities, which are fascinating and insightful to those with a keen interest in psychology. In addition, one-on-one teaching is the best way to get to know a learner and build trust between the two of you. A safe learning environment must not be underestimated; even without realising it, it can lead the way to great things; this kind of teacher-student relationship can help form a bond which strengthens the learning experience. Another enjoyable area worthy of mention is discussions, which can be stimulating, and with your passion and enthusiasm, as well as exhibiting a curiosity, complete with follow up questions, the trick is not to give them room to stop talking. By keeping going, they produce plenty of language and develop their fluency in the process.

Anything else?

Are you kidding? Meeting new people is especially desirable for sociable types, having fruitful relationships with clients, i.e. colleagues via language centres, universities and schools is certainly satisfying. Doing an age-old job that benefits society may have enough of a feel-good factor for some. Passing on knowledge and honing one’s skills cannot be understated. Not to mention leading by example, working on yourself, i.e. adapting, adjusting, improving and being a better person all round makes it all worthwhile. Perhaps it’s all about mindset; although there is always give and take between the educator and the students, by giving 110% and sticking to one’s guns, it’s hard to go wrong. An example of this would be to ensure that the target language is spoken at all times by the learners without fail. Practicing what you preach is likely to work at least with those who are serious about learning. This reinforces the advice you give when you recommend and share tips such as maximising exposure to English, for example. It goes without saying that seeing the results of your hard work speaks volumes, i.e. as you pass over the baton to a more confident learner with heightened awareness re error correction, and who is fully equipped with tools and techniques to go forward when a course finishes. The final word: it’s worth appreciating how lucky you are when you are able to earn a living by doing something you enjoy.