The Perfect Teacher Does Not Exist

When I was a child, I always observed my mom in her profession as a preschool educator going to great lengths to make her little students feel happy in class. I noticed that she always set weekly goals and planned her classes by designing and creating various didactic materials with drawings and eye-catching caricatures that aroused the interest and imagination of the children. Her dedication and interest in each student seeded their parents a steadfast commitment to their children’s education. My mother’s (not so) secret was to teach her classes with love and passion. Now her first students, 25 years old, stop her in the street, store, or plaza to hug her and tell her that they will never forget the love she brought to each lesson. So, how can we create that excellent outcome for our students?

Now that I am a teacher, I realize the enormous commitment we must make to train the new generations and the challenges we face with the constant changes demanded by the environment, to which we must adapt quickly. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, I worked in a  relatively simple environment where students interacted in class in person, chatting fluently and always wanting to participate. However, with virtuality, everything changed, both the interactions among students and teachers. Although the children do not realize it, teachers also feel the same fear of making mistakes, being judged, and being subject to the scrutiny of the adolescents. We also had little social interaction during the last two years because of the pandemic.

“For some students, the classroom is the only ‘safe’ place where they feel heard, seen, and nurtured.”

Whoa! I feel good

Due to students’ different circumstances, the classroom is the only “safe” place where they feel heard, seen, and pampered. We find that each student is a unique being facing complex family or economic situations. Although we cannot change everything, we can help them make their time in the classroom more enjoyable. Until recently, the student’s mental health was a topic not often addressed, but those times are over! Now we are change agents, and we must consider making time between 5 and 10 minutes to listen to our students. If you take a whole class to listen and play with them, rest assured that they will appreciate you even if they do not say it. Even for ourselves, it is fantastic to disconnect a little from the day-to-day and learn from each student.

Times have changed, bringing new learning needs, so the teacher must integrate the dynamics to build students’ trust and identify the situations that affect them. As is well known, young people acquire information through technologies, social networks, and interactions that awaken their concerns. Therefore, it is necessary that the teacher not only acts as an observer or guide but also applies didactic strategies that result in learning applicable to students’ daily lives to prepare them to face different situations appropriately.

We can use the QPR technique in class (Question, Persuade, Refer). We can train to use it, where they teach us to identify when someone is in a vulnerable situation and show us how to intervene to prevent the situation from worsening. 

Mental health is everyone’s task, especially those in charge of students (parents, grandparents, or guardians), teachers, and school administrators. Although sometimes we can not go to get guidance personally, we can do it through the National Telementoring Program in Mental Health and Addictions 2022. It was launched by the Government of Mexico so that the stigma of mental health is eliminated and we can create a better connection with our minds no matter where we are.

Activities to promote integration between students and teachers

In this article, I share activities to promote integration between students and teachers. I recommend doing these at least weekly, depending on the class frequency, but, above all, the syllabus must be designed to provide the necessary time. If you have to take an entire class break, although it seems burdensome to resume and get the class back on track, I assure you that it is easier to motivate students to continue working on class activities if they are relaxed.

On the other hand, I don’t want to lie to you by saying that all the students will be happy to leave their seats to start doing something different. There will be those who say “no” from the beginning. Therefore, I recommend not forcing anyone (not getting them angry). You will see that, little by little, they integrate into the dynamic, but if they do not, they will come to you and share their reasons later. In past experiences, the children encourage each other to participate in the dynamics. Thus, we must join and be part of that fun moment “out of class.”

Some of the activities that you can apply in class are:

• Are you an owl or a lark? You can do this exercise at the beginning of the class. Ask each student if they consider themselves more productive during the day or night. You will observe that everyone has different points of view, but you will also understand the results of their tasks or progress in class.
• Hot potato. Use a simple object that students can pass to each other. Play songs or music that your students might like. Prepare questions in advance, such as: “Are you a dog or a cat?” “Are you a cold team or a hot team?” “Mention a funny moment that happened to you during the week.” These are questions about life for students to answer once the music stops.
• The five favorites. Groups of four or five people are created. Each has to consider and share their five favorite movies, books, songs, or cities they like the most. In each team, one player notes what others say and then acts as a spokesperson to explain it to the rest. Volunteers are asked to read their favorites list and discuss possible matches with members of other groups.
• Drawing blind. The class is divided into teams of two people. In each team, one person receives a card with an image, and the other, only listening to instructions, must draw the image without seeing it, only using the description he hears.

I have applied these activities in my classes; some I have repeated. It all depends on the “mood” of the class and the accumulated tasks we have done. After taking these small breaks, the students comment that they feel heard, noticed, and, above all, loved. It is my principal motivation for doing them. Classes run smoothly. Students who did not participate gradually begin to get to know each other better and open up to different groups of friends.

What if I’m an introverted teacher?

Each of us, as a teacher, has a different personality. Not all of us like to dance, sing, or jump. Therefore, we must rely on tools comfortable to us, not only, so the students feel at ease, but also ourselves, so we enjoy a sincere dynamic transmitted in the classes.

It is not easy to be in front of a class. We must deal with the students’ looks and questions of all kinds. Here are some recommendations to relax before class and arrive “fully charged:”

1. Think about how you felt when you were a student and saw your favorite teacher. You will remember those moments fondly, making you feel at peace with your surroundings.
2. Count to 10 and back. It makes us listen to our bodies and be able to connect.
3. When planning the class, add the activity as an opening, so you can watch the time and add extra time in case the activity is extended.
4. Avoid doing activities that you would not do on a day-to-day basis. If you do not like to expose yourself to little races or are afraid of playing musical chairs, do not do it! Remember that the activity is for everyone to enjoy, so look for the one that best suits you.
5. Nothing is written in stone! You can use videos, books, realities, or internet dynamics. The activities do not necessarily have to be to the letter; add your touch so you will relate to the activity. The result will be charming.

Reflection

There are no limits. If movies, series, and life itself have taught us anything, it is that perfect people do not exist. However, we can get up every day and choose to be our best version for our students and ourselves. We know examples of great teachers, real or invented. The important thing is to consider that in our hands is the present moment. The students see us as an example and are always aware of our movements. The point is to feel comfortable in your environment. Please don’t take it as an obligation but as fun.

We are a vast community of teachers who awaken daily, looking to impact students through our classes, creating safe, affectionate, and humane environments. I want to learn more about the activities you have done, and if you carried out any of these I shared, what is the touch you put on it?

I invite you to leave your comments and reflections about the creative and relaxing times you experienced in your classes.

Finally, I leave you with the question: What kind of teacher do you want to be?

About the author

Yadira Díaz (lic.yadiradiaz@gmail.com) is a lawyer from the University of Sonora and has a master’s degree in Education from TecMilenio University. She has taught at the high school and university levels. She is confident that “the world is a place where we can all improve and every day is an opportunity to believe in ourselves.”

References

Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey. (2021). QPR and Active Witness. June 05, 2022, Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey website: https://tqueremos.tec.mx/es/qpr

Secretary of Health. (2021). Programa Nacional de Telementoría en Salud Mental y Adicciones 2022. June 05, 2022, Government of Mexico website: https://www.gob.mx/salud/documentos/programa-nacional-de-telementoria-en-salud-mental-y-adicciones-281314

Edited by Rubí Román (rubi.roman@tec.mx) – Observatory of the Institute for the Future of Education at Tec de Monterrey

Translation by Daniel Wetta.

Yadira Díaz

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