From the Blog

Motivate and Inspire

The longer I teach, the more it is clear to me that a teacher really isn't there to teach a subject, be it maths, biology or English. I can prepare outstanding lesson plans and brilliant materials. I can get my students to do most engaging tasks including story building, games, races and creative exercises. I also can give them homework, which is my practice, and rewards for their achievements – which I also do. But,… that all goes to waste if students don't learn. And by learning I mean hard continuous work: exploration, repetition, practice, revision, etc. I have students who do that – and I can see how impressive their progress is. I also have students, who come to lessons and do nothing. They have huge expectations although I made it clear during our first meeting that without their involvement little could be done.  They don't move on. They waste time, money and their disappointment grows. My frustration grows as well. 

That experience has made me realise that my role as a teacher is not so much to illustrate vividly the difference between Present Simple Tense and Present Continuous Tense, but mainly to motivate and inspire students to such an extent that they find and illustrate that difference themselves. 

Motivation and inspiration – these are true treasures which a teacher needs to find in each student. The challenge is considerable, though, as in the case of each particular student they are hidden somewhere else. And you have to draw a map yourself.