GRE Issue Essay

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Some people believe that the most important qualities of an effective teacher are understanding and empathy. Others believe that it is more important for teachers to be rigorous and demanding in their expectations for students.

Write a response in which you discuss which view more closely aligns with your own position and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should address both of the views presented.

Some people believe that the most important traits of an effective teacher are that they are empathetic and understanding. But, some others contend that an effective teacher must be more demanding and rigorous than understanding and empathetic. It is necessary teachers to be more considerate than demanding and rigorous as it not only inspires students to engage more actively in the lessons but also enables them to discuss their challenges openly with them.

An empathetic teacher sees the lessons from the student’s perspective and ensures that they are so planned that the student finds them to be not only useful but also interesting. While deciding on the assignments and assessments, an understanding teacher considers difficulty level of the questions against composition of the class in terms high achievers, average learners, slow learners, and students with learning difficulties such as dyslexia and autism. When I was in grade 9, my chemistry teacher after knowing about my mother’s sudden deterioration of health and frequent hospitalization it required, reduced the questions in the term-end assignment by one fourth.

Second, a student feels from fear of reproach or humiliation while sharing his or her personal problems or challenges with the teacher who is compassionate and understanding. This, besides enabling the student to get the things off his chest, lets the teacher have a deeper understanding of the student. During my first year study for the under-graduate degree, one of classmates who was being stalked by a student of a different class despite her repeated warnings choose to share her anguish with one of the lecturers as she was empathetic.

Some people contend that empathetic teachers are taken for granted. While it is true that there are a few students who may use the compassionate nature of certain teachers to their advantage, demanding and rigorous teachers carrying an intimidating aura can make the entire set of students in the class feel apprehensive about approaching them for clearing doubts on the lessons—let alone for sharing their personal problems.

In conclusion, an effective teacher by being understanding and empathetic is able to engage the students actively in the lessons and successfully addresses the problems of learning difficulties among certain students. Additionally, students feel free in sharing their difficulties they face with the lessons or otherwise once they are sure the teacher is kind and compassionate.