What do you think about "personality" teachers?

[Cali]

You know, the one in the classroom next door that has the class roaring with laughter all the time, making your class seem like the consolation prize when it came to teachers?

Do you think that these teachers crave the attention or are actually inspiring and teaching wel?

[cool ice]

I think you summed up my teaching style perfectly. I do get a rip and roar out of my class at times, but it's not the whole lesson. My students do knuckle down for some good quality teaching.

Teachers that don't bring a sense of fun to the classroom, I pity their students. Let your personality shine also in the classroom.

[waixingren]

My first year I taught next to a guy who had the same level of students as I did (years 1 and 2). There was a gap in the back of the wall, so we could hear each other fairly well. It seemed that every time I would yell at my class, he would follow, and vice versa. It was rather amusing some days.

[openenglish]

I believe: the more fun your class is, the more motivated your students are going to be to at least attend your class.

[Boke]

I think it depends on why your students are studying english.

But often "personality" teachers rely too much on their personality and not enough on their teaching ability

[MrStuff]

Originally Posted by openenglish

I believe: the more fun your class is, the more motivated your students are going to be to at least attend your class.

I think that's really true. One of the things they covered heavily in (at least in my) training was getting the "affective filter" down. The more fun students are having, the more they will associate what they learn with positive emotions and the easier it will be to stay focused and remember things. Of course, that can be taken too far, to the extent that the teaching content suffers, but at least some amount of positivity is a very good thing.

[zielwolf]

Actually, I used to be horrified whenever a tidal wave of laughter would emanate from the classroom next door (usually every 5 minutes or so) while my students were quietly and seriously discussing the topic, completing the task or whatever. It seemed like every time it happened everything would stop and my students would longingly look in the direction of the laughter...

Then, on reflection, I figured that most of us in this school weren't getting that kind of response as a norm from students and Mr. Personality was the odd one out, not me. Also, that I was employed as a teacher, not a stand-up comedian.

On further reflection, I remembered transferring at Uni from one German class to another (it was my major), due to a timetable clash, and the class I transferred to just happened to be taught by a "personality teacher". I reflected that at the time, as a 2nd language student myself:

1) I would never have chosen a class just because it was being taught by a "personality teacher" myself - this might have been a plus, but certainly not a deciding factor

2) Although we had a lot of fun laughing, I actually wished I hadn't had to transfer because I hardly learnt anything in Mr. Personality's class. I missed my old, quiet but busy class. Mr. Personality was always so busy telling us funny anecdotes, we never seemed to get much done.

In the end I let it go. After all, my students weren't howling to be transferred out of my class or anything. And we did have some laughs

[exported_kiwi]

A lot of the problems that students here in China have is confidence in their own ability to learn. I like to give them an atmosphere where they can be relaxed enough to try and if this entails me being a "personality' teacher, then so be it........I've taught thousands of students around China the past 4+ years and it works. Laughter is relaxing and when one relaxes they have the ability to listen and try more objectively and that's what it's all about....getting them to try and learn!

[Motivated]

I think finding a balance is the most important thing. I love having a laugh with my students; after all they are teenagers who for the most part are surrounded and hounded by Russian teachers who generally don't have a sense of humour, so a good laugh often makes a welcome change to their norm.

I also believe that a display of a sense of humour when using the English language is a good gauge of a student's abilities. Pun jokes can take some time for a non-native speaker to understand and I get a sense of 'breakthrough' when students get the joke or tell their own.

Of course it's not all beer n skittles; there's much serious work to be done and the kids know I'm still the boss in the classroom. There is a huge difference between being buddy-buddy with students for the sake of popularity and showing them that you are an approachable and likeable person who uses humour to enhance the learning environment.

Some of my 11th grade students who recently graduated told me that they had never had a teacher quite like me, and they would always remember me in years to come. Definitely the greatest compliment a student can give to a teacher.

Happy kids = happy parents - and they are the ones who are paying my wages!