On November 24th and December 1st, 2007, I taught a continuing education course for teachers at Association of Support for Minors and Educational Assistance (AAMAE), from Campos Gerais, Southern Minas Gerais, my city Christmas.
At a certain point, the dynamics of the course led us to inquire about the figure of the “good teacher”. In this step, using the book Representations and reflections on the 'good teacher', by Mary Rangel (7. ed. Petrópolis: Vozes, 2004), I read, on page 10, the following representation: “A good teacher is one who does not teach. He builds the class with the student.” I kept the content of this sentence with me, but offered the motto “A good teacher is one who does not teach...”, suggesting that they complete the sentence. My intention was to capture how that group of education professionals conceive of themselves, in particular their conceptions theoretical-methodological studies on the effective exercise of teaching in the classroom, a very important moment in conducting the process teaching-learning.
After they made their sentences, they were socialized and debated by everyone, which contributed a lot to our reflection and to the increment of our action with those we work with.
At the end of the activity, I requested authorization from the authors of the sentences to publish them, which is why I will post them as they were given to me. They are rich in meaning and give rise to thinking about how we think the class of a teacher who can be considered 'good' should be.
“A good teacher is one who does not teach a class without preparing it” (Andréia)
“A good teacher is one who does not teach. He builds his class according to the knowledge he receives from his students” (Eunice).
“A good teacher is one who does not teach classes just to pass on knowledge, but for the love of education” (Fatinha).
“The good teacher is the one who does not teach, but rather, the one who produces the class according to the reality of his students” (Janaína).
“A good teacher is one who does not teach, but one who seeks to give his students his best to prepare them for life, that is, for the world” (Keila Cristiano).
“A good teacher is one who makes a survey (diagnosis) of the students and then plans through the reports to perform a productive work” (Leonilda).
“A good teacher is one who does not teach, but one who is always in search of knowledge” (Maria Auxiliadora).
"A good teacher is one who does not teach... He is the one who seeks to interact with students, proposing a creative and pleasurable way inside the classroom, cultivating in each child the pleasure of learning” (Maria do Carmo).
“A good teacher is one who does not teach; he prepares and transmits it” (Mercês).
“A good teacher is one who does not teach a class without knowing the content (content according to the students' reality)” (Neide).
“A good teacher is one who does not teach classes without knowledge and without preparation” (Simara).
“A good teacher is one who does not teach, but one who helps others to get to know the 'world'” (Sueli Silva).
“A good teacher is one who does not teach, but shows the reality in the way we are to act intensely today” (Valéria Camondá).
“A good teacher is one who does not teach, but who works as an intermediary between knowledge and the student, as he not only teaches, but learns” (Vera).
A wealth of critical representations, no? I believe that the practice of these professionals also goes in the same direction as the quality they refer to in their speeches, because these professionals formed an enthusiastic study group, in which the sparkle in their eyes said they were doing and suffering education for commitment social dimension that it implies and the possibility it offers to make boys and girls, men and women humanize themselves through the schooling.
To the dear group of teachers, my thanks for the generosity of shared thoughts and success. in this arduous task of educating for a better world than the one we found when we came to existence.
Do not stop now... There's more after the advertising ;)
Per Wilson Correia
Columnist Brazil School
education - Brazil School
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
DANTAS, James. "Who is the “good teacher”?"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/educacao/quem-bom-professor.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.