What is Good Teacher?

Being a good teacher or lecturer or tutor is not too hard but not easy either. Gampang-gampang susah in Bahasa. But above all, what is a good teacher at all?

When such a question is delivered, I am pretty sure that there will be various answers. As for me, a good teacher is an inspiring, discipline and understanding at the same time, and supportive teacher. While academically, he or she must be smart and mastering the material he/she teaches. Not necessarily funny, but must be able to engage the students so the materials can be well delivered. 

Re-thinking about my teacher so far, I have some in mind when the words "favourite teacher" appear. One was my English tutor, Mam Ratna, and the other ones were my lecturers in Undergraduate Program.

Mam Ratna was a killer. Her voice, her eye contact, her expression, was like a thunder. She has a friendly face actually, but when she speaks, you will directly know that she has a strong character. I remembered every students would be so quite and focus every time she taught the class. Nobody wanted to get scolded, of course. She broke my heart once, when I asked her to assist me because I would join a news reading competition. She said, "How could you join it, your intonation is always flat while reading." ("That's why I asked you to teach me, mam" I though back then). Well, what doesn't kill you make you stronger. I joined the competition anyway and I lose, and again, I was getting stronger.. Ha! 

The other good teachers, who are good teachers for me, were my lecturer. Mrs. Fatimah, my morphology lecturer, and Grand ma, our poetry lecturer.

Mrs Fatimah is a dicipline and understanding lecturer at the same time. She is so young, consistent, strong, steady, and friendly. Emm.. friendly may not be the appropriate word to describe her, but yeah.. she was friendly in her way. Did not talk too much but always smile and wave back to us. 

Grand ma, on the other hand, is so old and seldom smile. She was 76 years old when she taught me, what do you expect. It was her who preferred to be called Grand ma rather than Bu Rumbilin. Please don't miss imagine her, she was strong, energetic, so loving and lovable although most of the students in her class got C or D. Very seldom did the students got A even B in her class. Two students got an A in her class are a lot. One in a semester is good. None got A in a semester, pretty often. Two things are identical with her appearance, walking stick and round hat. Not that she cannot walk without the walking stick and she covered her head from the sun with the hat. Our beloved grand ma never use the walking stick in the class even thought she always moved around, and she never put off her hat even inside a room. It's her style. That's it. 

Talking of which, my favorite teachers are all strict and discipline, however it is hard for me to apply that to my students. I really want to be more strick and strong, but always end up permissive. It is good but dangerous as well, for if you are too permissive, you will spoil the students and not helping them at all. 

Sigh. I will always try however. At least, to be more strict in a situation. Not permissive but understand in some situations. Now I can understand what my elementary school teachers always said. Teachers always wish the best for the students. The students failure are their sadness, and the students success are their pride and happiness.