English, baby!

Teachers

Date: May 22 2009

Themes: School

Grammar: Count and Noncount Nouns

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Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Remember that awesome history teacher you had in high school, the one who told all the funny stories and inspired you to read everything you could find about the Battle of Waterloo and the last tsar of Russia? Or how about that awful math teacher who smelled weird and always gave you poor grades?

Good or bad, teachers often make a strong impression on us. But what makes a good teacher, and what makes a bad teacher? Listen to the dialog and find out what Devan and Marni think.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Marni

Devan

Marni: So, what do you think makes a good or a bad teacher? You’re in school right now, right?

Devan: Yes. And I have good and bad teachers right now.

Marni: OK.

Devan: Well, I think what makes a good teacher or a good professor is if they really care about what they’re teaching. Like there’s some teachers that just seem completely detached.

Marni: Right.

Devan: Teachers that just assign a lot of busy-work I feel like that’s a cop-out sort of, you know?

Marni: Yeah, absolutely. Well, I’m probably a little biased since I am a teacher. But I’m at the elementary level so it’s a little different. But I agree, I don’t like to assign busy-work because it doesn’t inspire kids to learn. But I look to someone…you know, I try to be a mentor to kids and really get them excited about learning. I don’t…I don’t want to be too strict, but…

Devan: Would you say you’re a pretty easy-going teacher?

Marni: I am in some respects but I definitely have my limitations and I’m very firm. I like to say firm but fair. But I think that I had a lot of bad teachers in my growing up, so I really strive to be a good teacher.

Grammar Point

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

Devan is in college right now and has both good and bad professors. For her, a good teacher is someone who is passionate about their subject and doesn’t assign a lot of meaningless work.

Marni agrees with Devan’s ideas about what makes a good teacher. She teaches elementary school children and tries to be firm but not too strict. She thinks it’s important to inspire students and be a mentor to them.

Want more about teachers? Read Devan or Marni’s blog posts about this conversation. Or check out the Ebaby! teacher blog.
What do you think makes a good teacher or a bad teacher? Can you describe the best teacher you ever had?

Comments

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cihan can

Turkey

helllo how are you and what are you ing

mellowr

United States

I didn't like teachers. They scared me.

Korean teachers are very scary.

But now I look back, I appreciate their discipline, because I didn't turn out so bad. I want to thank them.

teenager

Brazil

i think both of them are correct….in my opinion marni ended up been the teacher devan was wanting to desccribe….

liuwangning

China

A good teacher just like a guide , he introduce the great view to the pupil , and told them how to get there .

othman ahmaro

Jordan

I think the teacher to be good should have the following characteristics ;He should be firm and fair.He should be patient and passionate .He should be smart and undestanding.He should be friendly and funny to some instance.He should be impressive and creative.Every time he enters the class he has something new.So he should be unpredictable.

pauladrlopes

Brazil

To be a good teacher, the person needs to be easy-going and makes classes interesting and bad teachers don't need to be mentioned. LOL

cihan can

Turkey

hi how are you and are do you ing

sepideh1973

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Frankly speaking,Iliked learning English when I was in secondary school.I have been learning English since I was at school.What made me successful was one of my teachers.She inspired me to study as much as I could.Actually she helped me to be more confident while I was speaking English in class.She is the best English teachers that I have ever had.Her name is MANDANA AMIRI.She was one of the best teachers in KISH institute in IRAN.She left the country inordre to live in Australia.I loved her,love her and will love her for ever.GOOD LUCK TO YOU DEAR MANDANA.

todesss

Lithuania

I'm glad I have my best teacher now. She's lithuanian teacher. She's very experienced, has a good sense of humor, but also she's quite strict. She always encourage us and tells something about her experience, it's really interesting. My teacher really really loves her job. I can even bring her my extra exercises and she always correct them and explain my mistakes. She's very cool, the best teacher I've ever had.

sary64

Saudi Arabia

to be a good teacher first you have to love your subject and try to make your lesson intresting

L_a_d_a

Ukraine

I think it`s difficult to be a good teacher/professor`s a grates responsibility

boddi

China

I think that is very different from a colleage professor and elementary teacher.The kids aren less smart and self-discipline than college students,but there is same thing for a good teacher is that they must be passionate about their job.then they will do their best to teach students.

javiercitobaby.com

Peru

hi teather

my name is javier

Marcelolic

Brazil

If a teacher has a good didactics he is a good teacher ;)

Marcelolic

Brazil

I'm graduated in Physical Education…In my country this area is linked to education,so I'm a "teacher" too :)

Then,a good "theacher" is one who can transmit knowledge to students the best possible way,in other words,a best didactics ;)

jhpb2004

Brazil

It doesnt depend on own teacher. Basically, i can say yes, not only in specific profession of teacher, but also in any profession you gotta love what you do. In other side you probabily are doing it only to get some money, not more. In my school, a teacher is gradueted in math, natural science and electrical engineering, in others words, the dude lives to it, and i thank God. Unhapilly where i live some dedicated tearchers are not so valued as they should be. Furthemore , public school owns the lowest education structure. Once i cannot afford money enought to pay a particular school, the way is try do the best by yourself, like I do with english. lol

THEBABY

Dominican Republic

HELLO EVERYONE FROM DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. WELL IN MY POINT OF VIEW I THINK TEACHERS SHOULD BE EASY GOING, FRIENDLY AND FIRM. WHEN I WAS STUDYING ENGLISH I HAD A TEACHER WHO WAS VERY FIRM BUT WASNT FRIENDLY AND EASY GOING SO I DIDNT FEEL COMFROTABLE WITH HER EVEN DO SHE HAD GOOD METHOD.

Storm123

Viet Nam

i think a good teacher who always care about your students and what he or she are teaching. they should know about feeling of their students and have many diffrent methods to teach them.Absolutely, he's easy-going, funny.

André Lopes

Brazil

In my opinion, what makes a good or bad teacher is if they really care about what they are teaching.

I had some bad teacher when I studyed, but a had good teachers too. I think I learned much better with good teachers, becouse I had more pleasure when a whatched their classes.