5 Things Teachers Should Never Do
A list of things that you are never to perform if you are just beginning to don the role of a teacher.
The world of academia is an exciting place to be in right now. I have always been adamant towards learning through failure and advising my peers as well to do the same. To never repeat the same mistake twice. Even though College has been fun for me, I mentor the students in my free time and that is a lot.
When you have the will, you have the way to spend time on people that can grow.
I have always collected advice, from my peers as well as my instructors over the years. I have learned through their bad practices, and their good as well. What sets a teacher apart are perhaps many qualities and character traits. But there are specific things I would advise a teacher who has just started to don the role of one.
As you have to be very careful with the actions and words you choose because it will affect your children and students dearly if you slip. There are certain practices that you need to understand as well to never perform if your aim is dedicated to the well being of your children and our future.
1. Never disrespect the student.
This is perhaps the most obvious one when you’re starting out. Most people resort to rage, and anger out of frustration because they don’t know how to connect with them or make them listen.
The no.1 rule to teaching, you can never make someone listen by being rude or using obscene remarks that tarnish the self-esteem or reputation of the child or student. That child will forever remember that moment when that insult would singe in his/her being and they will despise and always hate you for it.
A Child never forgets an insult, so as long as they live — they will curse you forever.
Trust me, I have known students my entire life. I have even been one, more often than not. I have seen students that never choose their words with kindness when talking about a specific “d**k bag” who ruined their self worth in the classroom. Never be that person, if a student is non-compliant there are other ways to deal with them using kindness and empathy.
“[Kids] don’t remember what you try to teach them. They remember what you are.” ― Jim Henson
The best way to come around this sentiment of bad-mouthing one another is by fostering an open communication channel when you come into the classroom for the first time. Build and bridge the gap between teacher and student. Introduce yourself, use humor, and be witty about it.
Mutual respect and companionship matter to build a strong bridge between a student and teacher that never breaks.
Show enthusiasm, give them what they want. I recently wrote one of my philosophies handed down from generations and apply it. It works wonders, When you have successfully implemented and filled the communication gap — then you can get to teach them with respect and dignity.
2. Never entertain bribery.
Bribery is the worst thing a teacher could do that harms the mindset of their students as well as could get you in serious legal troubles. Bribery is of many kinds, such as asking for favors, asking for money, and asking for the bad stuff from their students.
If a student is giving you bribery, then he definitely needs to learn failure. If you accept his bribe and pass him then you are building a mindset that will always look for shortcuts and never achieve great things in life. There will come a point where these ploys won’t work and this trait would have become a part of their character and nature. It would be much harder for them to change because they had never learned how to.
The worst thing in education is when a teacher resorts to bribery, or when he/she entertains a student doing it.
You are raising criminals, not students. People who will steal and take from other people as you will teach them the bad way of doing things, and that’s a shameful act. If the student substitutes to bribery to pass him, give him “D-” and never accept bribery. The lowest most grade there is, never entertain any favors, neither bribes from students nor by students.
If he/she really insists fail them and report it to the right authority.
You have a role to play, because if he/she can’t learn from failure and would never do effort show them the better way of doing things. It is your role to do that and your responsibility for guiding yourself and your students by maintaining professional and ethical conduct.
3. Never compromise in the nurturing of the student.
There will come a time, where you will find a student so desperate to pass he/she will bribe you. This is where you have to find a better way of getting to know what their problem is? and where does it really lie?
Remember the main responsibilities of a teacher are to nurture their student’s weaknesses into strengths. They have the ability to become wise souls when fully crafted through a systematic process of highlighting their weaknesses and how they can be tapped to unleash the true potential of your student.
Teaching is hard when your heart isn’t in it, but who’s to say that you can’t?
Most often than not you will compromise in the nurturing of your students as you would find it hard to deal with everyone. I advise you humbly to never do that as it will affect the kind of students you will be sent into the word. Do you want your students to become mentally crippled that need spoonfeeding to make things work? Or do you want to nurture your students into fine-tuning them towards what they really can accomplish with their intellect and set of skills?
I make every effort count, every word said, and every action is done when it comes to my students. There have been times, where my students have shown that they don’t want to do a specific quiz but I encourage them in another way to do a test where they can be really good at. We have to find a way to highlight a process to help them build their understanding.
Your students are free men and women, not slaves. Treat them as such.
Every other student that you will meet will be different. So treat them differently but equally provide them with the things that make them complete. That is what nurturing is you complete them, and not cripple their minds by killing their curiosity and creativity.
4. Never let your students fall prey to the evils of society.
I remember a student that came to me once, he asked me that if I would be able to help him score “hash” I was surprised, I asked him what would he do with it? He replied, “All the other guys were smoking it, and I wanted to try it.” I said, “why would you ask me such a question?” — he replied, “I trust you, that you will give me an honest answer and not judge me for it.”
I told him, “It’s not a good thing to smoke weed, even if its medication.” — there are other ways to deal with your condition and even if you’re willing to try it. There is no harm in doing that, but the more you hang around with the wrong crowd the easier it will affect your physical and mental health. I don’t want that for you.
“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” ― William Arthur Ward
I called a friend of mine, who once O.D on drugs — he came from rehab and hasn’t done drugs ever since. I put him on the phone with my friend who was a rehabilitated addict, about the dangers and what happened to him. I also showed him videos of when he was in the hospital and how he would vomit when I took care of him.
He was scared when he saw the videos of my friend. He never knew doing drugs can affect you this much, even if it comes to smoking hash. It’s nothing to be in the hands of children. I don’t smoke, never had to and don’t need to. Before the pandemic, I never even took any drug for my migraines. I would wing it. I told him a personal story of mine, of how I have been given the opportunity to try drugs as my friends are avid drug users — long story short now they are sober somewhat.
But it affects their mental health and their habits as well. My student was in sports. I told him you would even lose your scholarship if you fall into this mess. It’s not for you. He obliged and told me, “Thank you, sir. I promise I won’t do these things and I’ll try to stay away from the wrong crowd.”
I showed my student the right way, smoking, using drugs is never the solution. If they feel anxious be someone, they can trust.
There are perhaps many evils your students can fall into. It is your role and responsibility to show them a better path and a better way. All of these things come with patience and the willingness to genuinely influence your student’s lives and helping them become an impactful part of society that strives to become positive and realistic in all aspects of their life.
5. Never make promises you can’t keep.
There will come a time when you have to say goodbye to your students. As one of life’s hardest inevitability, I would advise you to never make a promise to a student that you can’t keep. If you form a harmonious bond with a student and become close emotionally. Never make promises, as this will affect the child in particular who would get fond of you.
I know it’s easy to understand what I am talking about. Never involve yourself in activities that will affect the development of the student’s mind otherwise all your effort and hard work will go down the drain if you keep promises that you will never fulfill.
The student has to learn to let go, someday. You have too as well. This is perhaps the best you can teach yourself and the student.
If you promise the oddities of life, being there and all that. Somehow you will fill the mind of the student with something that you can’t make up for. This can go wrong in many ways. Always be clear about your intentions, and be courteous and considerate but never mix up the two. When you’re beginning to teach a class of students, always try to be forgiving and exhibit an environment of forgiveness.
“True teachers are those who use themselves as bridges over which they invite their students to cross; then, having facilitated their crossing, joyfully collapse, encouraging them to create their own.” — Nikos Kazantzakis
Because this has to come to them sooner or later that they have to learn to accept that some promises no matter how trivial and challenging are always never meant to be fulfilled. They are a motivational quirk used to channel the child but this is why you should never resort to this tactic or method as it will always backfire on you and the student’s well being as well.
The Takeaway
- Be respectful, loving, empathetic, and kind.
- Foster an understanding and not a trade — teach them the art of experimentation and failure, where a method fails, find another.
- Nurture them, and focus on the process of building their strengths, and mitigating their weaknesses.
- Show them a better path, and a better way of living life and managing problems.
- Try to strive for balance, and never play your students into doing something that you’ll regret.
Thank you for reading.
Stay Blessed and Stay Safe!
With Love ❤️
