Teaching children to learn has become a profession for specialists. As soon as the one room schoolhouse became a vanishing breed, and the consolidation of schools moved them into large school districts, subject specialists started to replace the master teacher who taught all the subjects. These specialized subjects were first introduced in the higher grades. Over the years these highly specialized courses have seeped down into the lower grades with teachers trained specifically in one area. These course area specialties have expanded into non-academic areas such as drugs, sex, divorce, handling money and remediation courses.
Modern education had evolved not only into specialized subject areas but specific ways to teach different and reluctant students. There are special education teachers who are now teaching speech, reading, math, writing, language arts using “innovative” specialized approaches with the latest popular educational fad strategies. Ever increasing psychological disorders for children has become a breeding ground for newly trained specialized teachers.
The concept of a teacher being a generalist, responsible for the overall education of a student has dramatically shrunk in number and status. These teachers have to become proficient in all academic and character aspects of their students. They are fortunate as a teacher to have the opportunity to observe each student in all subject areas throughout the day. The teacher learns the student’s whole range of interests, behavior patterns and different academic endeavors. Some students may have an easier time in language arts while others do better in math, science, art, history or physical education. Each student’s unique character and academic profile allows the teacher to better develop a comprehensive, accurate assessment and individualized approach for each student. The teacher’s emotional attachment is more intense than a specialist who has limited time with a student.
Teaching is an art that is developed over years of working as a teacher. Any person who is going to excel as a teacher has to learn about their own strengths and weaknesses in a myriad of situations with different types of students. Generalist teachers develop a great self-awareness from being with the same group of students for a number of years. Students are always studying the teachers to figure out how to react around them. This is the reason a beginning teacher usually has wonderful intentions but often steps in minefields due to their ignorance of how manipulative students can be and their own reactions to certain stressful situations. They learn to analyze what responses work more effectively with different types of students. These specific experiences are filed in the memory bank of the teacher to be readily employed as needed with other students of similar temperament and character.
Necessity is the mother of invention and causes many teachers to spend sleepless nights problem solving. This problem solving process when gaining advice from more experienced teachers mentoring them gives a heightened sense to each lesson learned. The series of real life teaching lessons are building blocks to perfect abilities and awareness in specific situations, to practice techniques that work and they are comfortable doing. It is a personal repertoire of methods and reactions to specific situations that will reoccur throughout their careers. These experiences learned and stored help to create a master teacher.
The advantage to this interactional method of instruction as compared to higher education’s abstract and generalized book learning is that it takes into account the student and teacher’s character. What is more genuine, natural and comfortable for the novice teacher will more likely be spontaneously used in similar situations. The personality and character of the teacher affects what actions are best suited for her in particular situations.
Teachers are unique leaders whose personalities have an immense impact on every decision made in their class. The interactional method of learning is compared to the abstract book form. One is like learning to fly an airplane with the person actually in control of the instrument panel accompanied by an experienced pilot who will prevent any mishaps. In contrast is a student having only a flight manual abstractly telling him what to do.
Becoming a master teacher takes real life experience and someone to be a mentor to guide the person, give insights and suggestions that assist the new teacher. Helpful discussions assist the teacher to analyze and understand the best way for this teacher to react in many different situations. These field-tested options by the individual teacher show her their effectiveness with her particular personality.
As the person matures into a more realistic and aware teacher she realizes she will be more likely to share insights with other teachers. Her teaching of increased awareness and knowledge places the teacher on the path to becoming a master teacher.
Some people may be born to be a teacher but all of them should constantly learn to be better ones. The generalists have greater advantage over specialists to make a difference in a student’s life. A master teacher not only knows the subject matter, has self-awareness and always has the opportunity to know each child as an individual not just a number.