I think we all had a bad teacher somewhere at one point in our lives and I have the unpopular opinion that they are actually very useful and good for us. And even more for people who want to become teachers as well.

I am one of those who are studying education, specifically secundary education of English language and literature and philosophy. It is in my “school description” to actually think a lot about things that I see around me, and which can and will affect me. Of course, there are and will be a lot of things that will affect us, but I also like to look back into the past, analyze some elements and that often helps me realize important things, such as that bad teachers shaped me more than good ones.

What is even more interesting is the fact that now that I am studying education, I actually understand why they were and probably still are bad teachers.

The reason is that even though we are taught the theory behind different teaching styles and different kinds of school, whether traditional or not, we are not taught how to actually teach. You don’t have the space to try different teaching styles, go to different school and try traditional teaching or non-traditional.

You know how it is supposed to be, but every class, every situation is different and unique. It takes one absent student to completely change the dynamics of the class and lesson and I think that most of the teachers will agree with me.

In my school, we have two months dedicated to go to school and teach, and although I do think this is good, the education system could do better. Why? Because you as an “intern” come to school, which has its own teaching methods and styles and you are supposed to comply with them and basically continue teaching for the usual teacher. But that doesn’t teach us, the interns, nothing.

We need to know how to create lesson plans, not be given them. We need to learn how to adapt to certain situations, but yet we cannot try them out. I think this can be one of the main reasons why bad teachers even exist in the first place. Many of them can teach, they know the subjects they are supposed to teach, but the way they teach could be improved at the very beginning, if the education system would actually be more strict and helpful for future teachers.

“Let us remember: one book, one pen, one child and one teacher can change the world”

Malala Yousafzai

---

Teachers make us think what kind of person and teacher we don’t want to be

I think this is the one which can be heard in many cases, even with bosses etc., but I think that with teachers this is something a bit more important. Teachers teach, shape and influence the future generations, whether we like it or not and if we have bad teachers who don’t teach the necessary topics in a good way, then why do they even teach?

But wait, that sounds a bit sad, however, the hope is still there. Some children still want to teach and even the ones we don’t think would want to teach, may end up studying education (I am the living example).

From very young age I wanted to be a detective. I wanted to help people in this way, but while in high school, I injured my knee to such point where my dream was shattered. It was during the exams to Police Academy and during the running discipline, I had to forfeit, because I couldn’t run anymore. I pushed myself to the limits and left to the locker room before anybody else.

I knew that there is no way I will be a detective, because I still am not able to run as good as before the injury. I cried in that locker room, not knowing what I will do with my life, because getting to the Police Academy was the only thing I wanted. And I couldn’t have it. After a few calls to my closest family and friends, I left, and I felt really bad.

The one thing that I was glad to have at that point was a back-up plan, something my family made me to do and I cannot thank them enough now. They told me to pick a different school, different major and field of study just in case. I picked education of English language and literature and philosophy, because I knew that teachers of these two subjects tend to leave for better pay etc.

So, I thought that why not, maybe I can help people in this way, to actually make a change we want to see so badly in future generations. Now I am finishing my bachelor studies and I intend to continue in the same major to master studies. And I like it, because I know that I will be able to make a change.

How do I know that? Because I went through bad teachers and I know where to make a change. I know that I don’t want to mentally bully my students, because my class was treated this way. I know that I want to help my students grow and become better every day, even if it is just by a small amount, but that is everything it takes. I want to move them forward and not to push them backwards as it was done to me and my classmates. There are tons of examples, but I think you got the point.

Thank You for reading.