It’s Not What You Teach, It’s What Kind of Teacher You Are | Gregory Chahrozian | TEDxAUA

TEDx Talks

19 Jul 202310:15

Summary

TLDRThe speaker reflects on the profound influence teachers have on students, beyond academic knowledge. Drawing from personal experiences, they emphasize the importance of teachers as role models who impart life lessons through their behavior, attitudes, and interactions. The narrative highlights the teacher-student bond, akin to a second parent, and the responsibility educators hold to nurture and inspire future generations. The speaker encourages both educators and students to value this relationship, recognizing its potential to shape great citizens.

Takeaways

😨 The initial fear of teaching: The speaker reflects on the anxiety felt on their first day of teaching, emphasizing the pressure of first impressions.
👀 The power of perception: Before even speaking, students form perceptions about teachers based on their appearance and rumors, highlighting the importance of first impressions.
📄 The mentor's advice: A piece of paper as a prop to project an image of being busy and important, a lesson in managing perceptions.
🤔 Reflecting on teachers: The speaker prompts the audience to consider what they remember about their teachers, focusing on the intangible qualities that are not explicitly taught.
👩‍🏫👨‍🏫 Role models and inspiration: Teachers often impart life lessons and values through their behavior, not just academic knowledge.
🎨 The art of teaching: The art teacher's talent and humility serve as a lesson in not judging by appearances and the importance of caring.
👶 Breaking gender norms: The English and science teachers, a married couple, challenge traditional gender roles, showing that roles can be flexible.
👨‍👧‍👦 The teacher as a parent figure: Teachers spend significant time with students and can have a profound influence, akin to that of parents.
🤝 The importance of the teacher-student bond: A strong relationship between teacher and student is built on patience, trust, kindness, and respect.
🌟 The impact of teaching: Teachers have the potential to shape future generations and should strive to make a positive impact on each student.
📚 Beyond academics: The speaker encourages students to appreciate their teachers for more than just academic instruction, recognizing the broader life lessons taught.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial feeling about teaching on their first day?
-The speaker felt very scared on their first day of teaching, describing it as possibly the scariest day of their life.
What advice did the speaker's first mentor give them about carrying a piece of paper in school?
-The mentor advised the speaker to always carry a piece of paper to give the perception that they are busy, doing something important, and always up to something, which is about managing perception and gaining respect.
What qualities did the speaker's art teacher possess that left a lasting impression?
-The art teacher was described as petite, scruffy, a nail-biting mumbling man, but also as an amazing artist, which reinforced the lesson of not judging a book by its cover and the importance of being humble and caring.
How did the speaker's English and science teachers influence their views on gender roles?
-The English and science teachers, a married couple, showed that gender roles should not be locked or defined when the male teacher stayed at home to look after their child, which was unusual for the time, especially in an all-boy school.
What is the estimated average time a teacher spends with their students in a lifetime?
-A teacher spends an estimated average of over nineteen thousand hours with their students in a lifetime.
What is the term used in the educational world to describe teachers acting as parents?
-The term used is 'in loco parentis', which means teachers are given the responsibility to act in the best interests of their students and to treat them like their own children.
What is the significance of the bond formed between a student and a teacher according to the speaker?
-The bond formed between a student and a teacher is significant as it is based on patience, trust, kindness, care, and respect, and it should not be taken for granted. It is a special relationship that can greatly influence a student's life.
How does the speaker describe the impact of a teacher on a student's life beyond academics?
-The speaker describes the impact as profound, stating that students learn more from teachers' behaviors, attitudes, and the way they make them feel, rather than just from the academic content taught.
What role does the speaker believe educators should strive to fulfill in shaping the future?
-The speaker believes that educators should strive to have an impact and mold the future for the better, one student at a time, by being role models and influencing students' lives positively.
What advice does the speaker give to students regarding their relationship with teachers?
-The speaker advises students to look beyond exams and grades, to appreciate their teachers, and to learn from them, as there is much to absorb beyond the classroom.

Outlines

00:00

👨‍🏫 The Unspoken Lessons of Teaching

In this paragraph, the speaker reflects on the realization that the most important lessons teachers impart are not explicitly taught but rather demonstrated through their behavior and attitudes. The speaker recounts their first day of teaching and the perceptions students had formed about them before they even spoke. They share advice from a mentor about maintaining a busy and important appearance to influence perception positively. The speaker emphasizes the non-academic qualities such as zest for life, humor, kindness, tolerance, acceptance, and fairness that are modeled by teachers and absorbed by students. They also share personal anecdotes about teachers who made a significant impact on them, such as an art teacher who was a talented artist and an English and science teacher couple who challenged traditional gender roles.

05:01

👨‍👩‍👧 The Role of Teachers as Second Parents

This paragraph delves into the significant role teachers play in shaping students' identities, akin to parents. The speaker discusses the concept of 'in loco parentis,' where teachers are entrusted with the responsibility to act in the best interests of their students. They highlight the deep bonds formed between teachers and students, which are built on patience, trust, kindness, care, and respect. The speaker shares a poignant story of a parent-teacher interview that underscores the importance of these relationships. They also mention the societal benefits of strong teacher-student bonds, which can lead to the creation of great learners and, ultimately, great citizens. The speaker encourages educators to strive for a positive impact on students' lives and urges students to appreciate and learn from their teachers beyond academic lessons.

10:01

📚 Perception and Learning Beyond the Classroom

In the final paragraph, the speaker concludes with the idea that students learn more from teachers' behaviors and attitudes than from academic content alone. They reiterate the power of perception and the influence teachers have on students' lives, encouraging teachers to be mindful of the example they set. The speaker emphasizes the importance of teachers' non-academic qualities and the lasting impact they can have on students, urging both teachers and students to value the educational journey beyond grades and exams.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Perception

Perception refers to the process by which individuals organize and interpret sensory information to give meaning to their environment. In the video, it is highlighted as a crucial aspect of a teacher's influence, where the mentor advises carrying a piece of paper to create the perception of being busy and important. This concept is integral to the theme, emphasizing how teachers are perceived by students can shape their learning experience.

💡Role Models

Role models are individuals who serve as examples to others, often inspiring them to emulate certain behaviors or values. The video discusses how teachers can be role models, influencing students not only through their teaching but also through their personal qualities and behaviors. The art teacher's talent and humility are cited as examples of positive role modeling.

💡In loco parentis

In loco parentis is a Latin term meaning 'in the place of a parent' and refers to the legal responsibility and authority taken by educators to act in the best interests of their students. The video uses this term to describe the deep responsibility teachers have for their students, akin to that of a parent, and how this relationship can significantly impact a student's development.

💡Gender Roles

Gender roles are the societal expectations and norms associated with being male or female. The video mentions an instance where an English and science teacher couple challenges traditional gender roles by having the male teacher stay at home to care for their child, illustrating the message that gender roles should not be rigid or predefined.

💡Inspiration

Inspiration is the process of being motivated or stimulated to feel or do something, often by someone or something. The video emphasizes the inspirational role of teachers, as they can ignite a passion for learning and life in their students, as exemplified by the art teacher who conjures up 'magic' in his classes.

💡Tolerance

Tolerance refers to the acceptance and respect for differing opinions, beliefs, or behaviors. The video suggests that teachers embody tolerance, which is an important quality that students can learn from and internalize, contributing to their personal growth and societal harmony.

💡Kindness

Kindness is the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. In the video, kindness is portrayed as a trait that teachers can model for their students, fostering a positive learning environment and teaching students the value of compassion.

💡Patience

Patience is the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset. The video highlights patience as a key attribute of teachers, necessary for nurturing students and allowing them to learn and grow at their own pace.

💡Respect

Respect is a feeling of deep admiration for someone elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements. The video underscores the importance of respect in the teacher-student relationship, suggesting that mutual respect is foundational to effective learning and personal development.

💡Curriculum

Curriculum refers to the subjects and learning activities that are taught in a school or college. The video points out that while the curriculum provides the framework for education, it is the intangible qualities of teachers, such as their zest for life and sense of humor, that are not explicitly taught but are deeply influential.

💡Impact

Impact refers to the effect or influence of one person or thing on another. The video's central message is about the profound impact teachers can have on their students' lives, shaping not just their academic abilities but also their character and values.

Highlights

The importance of first impressions and how students form perceptions of their teachers before any interaction.

The advice from the first mentor about always carrying a piece of paper to project the image of being busy and important.

The concept of 'perception' and its significance in the educational environment.

Reflection on the qualities remembered about teachers, such as their zest for life, sense of humor, kindness, tolerance, and fairness.

The realization that important qualities of teaching are not explicitly taught but are modeled by role models.

The anecdote about the art teacher who was an amazing artist and played football, teaching the lesson of not judging a book by its cover.

The story of the English and science teachers, a married couple, and the lesson on gender roles and family dynamics.

The statistic that teachers spend over nineteen thousand hours with their students in a lifetime.

The idea that teachers act as parents, with the responsibility to act in the best interests of their students (in loco parentis).

The powerful bond formed between a student and a teacher, likened to a second parent.

The impact of a teacher's patience, trust, kindness, care, and respect on the student-teacher relationship.

The societal benefits when the student-teacher relationship is nourished and supported.

The quote from William Saroyan emphasizing the importance of children as the future of humanity.

The call to educators to strive to have an impact and mold the future for the better, one student at a time.

The personal motivation of the speaker to become a teacher to influence and touch lives.

Encouragement for students to appreciate their teachers beyond exams and grades, as there is much to learn from them.

The reminder that perception is a powerful tool in teaching, where students learn more from observing teachers than just from books.