OLD COLLEGIANS’ FEATURE
Teaching – A Noble Profession
Thinking of teaching as a career? Well the official Government website for TeachNZ says:“ New Zealand needs well qualified, dynamic and enthusiastic teachers who enjoy working with young people.”
We gave a set of questions to a group of Old Collegians, current or former teachers / headmasters, to find out what the challenges and rewards are in teaching.
Who or what inspired you to go into teaching?
Often it wasn’ t top of the list when it came to career choices. Some, like John LEWIS( St John’ s, 1955-59) fell into it by accident. Others, including John, had family members who were teachers and role models. Some were inspired by their teachers when they were younger. Some had pursued other paths, before turning to teaching.
David O’ HALLORAN( Selwyn, 1995-99) says,“ Before becoming a teacher I studied Marine Biology and worked in the aquaculture industry where I enjoyed spending time with visiting student tour groups, noticing the reaction they had to seeing their school work in a real life context. This planted the thought that teaching might be something I could do in the future.”
“ I’ ve learned the value of patience, tolerance to diversity – but still always insisting on high standards of behaviour and good manners.”
Typically, there is a shared view that teaching is an opportunity to contribute to the development of young people. Peter VOS( Peart, 1981-85) says,“ If you are passionate about a subject or particular area, it is exciting to be able to pass on that passion and interest to someone else, particularly young people who by their nature, if inspired, are receptive and open.”
For Peter KAY( Marsden, 1977-81) the teaching path was one he chose early on. Having struggled academically in his younger years, he could empathise with children who struggle and sensed when they were confused.
What are some of the hurdles?
While they all claim to have made the right career choice and teaching brings many rewards, it is not without challenges.
John BECK( Marsden, 1959-63) quotes administrative bureaucracy as a major challenge, especially in recent times. Also, he says,“ Teaching has moved from didactic to more interactive – especially currently with ready access to devices such as iPads. However, even now there is still very much a place for‘ chalk and talk’ from good teachers.”
Peter Vos, insisting he’ s no technophobe, says the biggest challenge is“ what students are exposed to via the media, social networking sites and trying to balance our role with that of home. Schools and teachers are expected, unrealistically at times, to solve the ills of the technological age and society in general.” As Peter Kay suggests,“ The teaching of Digital Citizenship is essential.”
And while he admits that every parent has a right to question, he cites“ negotiating and balancing parental expectations” as an issue.“ Everyone has been educated at school, therefore everyone has an opinion. No other profession has quite that level of intense questioning and scrutiny.” While the vast majority of parents are hugely supportive, especially in his school, he knows of situations where unrealistic expectations are placed on teachers by a minority of parents.
Along with the confines of a syllabus and lack of time, which limits what can be taught and learnt, David ENGLISH( Parnell / Major, 1954-59) says one of the main challenges in his view is that“ teaching has become a social science with emphasis on equity and equality of teachers and learners, leading to reduced emphasis on learner enthusiasm and chances to discover things for themselves”.
With 2012 his first year in teaching, David O’ Halloran says the list of challenges was long.“ Teaching is a multi-faceted job. Staying abreast of the additional responsibilities, while maintaining course planning and contact time with students, is demanding. Also, communicating and connecting with around 100 different faces every day takes a huge amount of energy.”
What do you learn along the way and what makes a good teacher?
Andrew MASSEY( St John’ s, 1981-85) believes the teacher / student relationship is the most important part in the learning process; fostering this is a view shared by others.
John Lewis feels real progress has been made in the last two or three decades in developing good teachers.“ Departments, which used to be administrative units concerned primarily with organisational arrangements, have been much more interested in promoting good teaching. In turn, teachers have become readier than they were to share teaching, to observe others, be observed themselves and in general learn from their colleagues.”
38 AUTUMN 2013 • KING’ S COURIER