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Who is a 'real' teacher?

Any ideas? Who is a "real" teacher? Are only "certified teachers" real teachers? We hear this all the time. When anyone with a degree who is a native English speaker can get a job as a teacher, what defines who a "real" teacher is?

I've also heard some people say, "that's not real teaching" when describing teaching in a private language school.

What is "real" teaching? And, who is a "real" teacher?

To be honest with you, I have a "real" problem when someone says they are a "real" teacher or that they are doing "real" teaching. I challenge you to really think about this, how do you define it?

In my opinion, any time you are imparting or sharing knowledge with someone you are doing 'real' teaching and you are a 'real' teacher.

Like anything in life, there are better situations, where you have more support and resources and there are people who are naturally gifted teachers and those that are more sincere about what they are doing. Teachers are often more successful if you've got the background, IE a teaching certificate but this isn't always the case. I am sure you've studied with some people who you thought, thank goodness they aren't my teacher and I'm sure through your studies there are some teachers who you've encountered who were terrible at what they do.

Truth be told, I was one of those teachers. No previous experience with kids, no interest in becoming a teacher, I just wanted to travel. I didn't know how to plan, I didn't know how to teach, I didn't know how to motivate or manage my class. In truth, I didn't know much of anything and in the beginning, I hated my job. It wasn't until I got stuck in an office with a certified teacher named Mike LeBlanc that my students started to get a taste of real teaching.

Why do I tell you this, because in every situation, whether here or overseas, there are going to be good and bad teachers. Albert Einstein said, "It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge." Thinking about this in general terms is how I apply a definition to who is a teacher and what is teaching. Teach everyone, learn from everybody and always seek ways to share and learn more.