After reading this chapter, the ideal characteristic of teachers for the Common school list by Horace Mann in this Fourth Annual Report caught my attention. I think if teacher do in fact still exemplifies these characteristic the educational system will improves. Teachers need to look at the fact that they are also responsible for molding the young minds and preparing them for society. Horace list that teachers need to have perfect knowledge of the subjects they are teaching. I think today one of the reasons why students are failing is because teachers are not enthusiastic in the subject they’re teaching. In my life I have experience bad teaching. I think some teacher they just don’t belong the field of teaching because they themselves don’t understand the material they have been teaching for years. Sometimes you find teachers that are really know their stuff but they are not good of executing a perfect teaching method to help the student understand the material.
Another characteristic that Horace stated is that teacher has to have a style of teaching; a method that will works and does not destroy the moral character of students. The example he used in the book is the teachers from Scotland tying the boys down and whipping them in order for them to retain knowledge. I think that could be seen as a little extreme but every country looks at discipline differently. Where I am from (Trinidad) one of the ways students were discipline into learning the material thought at school was getting whipped. If you did poorly on an exam or quiz you would get whipped with a ruler in the palm of your hand. Well to one that can of discipline could instill fear but it could so make students spend time studying so that they don’t get into trouble. I know even though that method is not approved by everyone I think that each country/culture looks at disciplining differently. When the class did well often times the teachers would give treats to the class or to the one who did the best and that motivate the rest of us who didn’t do well to strive to do better. When all is said there are upside and a downside to methods of disciplining.
Mann also talked about teachers having the ability to manage classroom. If teachers are given more respected or is trusted more, in that they’re allowed to discipline student once it doesn’t affect the child ability of learn or harm them intentionally I think classroom will have more order and students will show more respect to the teacher. In a way if the students are happy the teachers are and learning will be improved because the environment is one in which both student and teacher have respect for each other. Also teacher will be motivated to know and do their work because their students are learning. One of the questions I have is: Do you think that giving teachers the responsible to discipline students is too much power allowed to teachers?
