Is the ability to teach inherent, or can it be learnt?

Answer 1

There are college degrees in education that are required to be a teacher. However, there are many, many bad teachers. Therefore, logic would dictate that you must have a natural talent for it in addition to the possible need for any formal training.

When things go by the lesson plan, it's easy to teach. However, a robot could do that. What makes someone a good teacher is when they are able to find out why a child is having trouble with a topic, and actually help them through it.

Example: I had a question about the difference between CDs and DVDs - why can one hold more info than the other. One person replied with a page-long detailed, technical answer which made no sense to me. The other replied that CDs use red lasers which have a wider wave length than DVDs which use blue lasers with a narrower wave length. Therefore, more would fit on the same space.

From whom would you rather learn?

Answer 2

I recall a poem I read somewhere;

No teacher I of boys or smaller fry
Nor teacher yet of teachers, no, not I
Mine is the longer arm, the distant reach
I teach men how to teach men how to teach!

There are techniques for more effective teaching that can be learnt, but I think the best teachers are those with inherent skills, and above all, a real desire to teach.

Answer 3

The ability to teach is not inherent, in other words, it can be learnt.

Nobody was a born teacher. You may conclude he has talent to be a teacher. All people have the same congenital characters. But why are some of them becoming scientists, engineers, scholars, etc? Their abilities are acquired.
I don't know how to speak English fluently,I'm trying to improve it. But you have to know I can speak Chinese fluently, more better than the president, Bush. Do I have language talent?

Answer 4

Many of the skills related to teaching can be learned, but I think teaching is a vocation. To be a good teacher requires a certain personality and perspective on life. Many would say that good teachers are born, not made. Education is important, but more important is philosophy and the understanding that teachers mold the leaders of tomorrow. Teachers make a difference.

These sites give an excellent perspective on teachers and teaching.

Answer 5

Some of the people have it right....ANYONE can be taught to teach. How well they ever teach is a completely different matter.
Communicating ideas is an extremely difficult task - especially if the students are not too well motivated to learn. To do it well is a very difficult skill and without some talent you are not going to manage....!

Answer 6

I suppose it can be learned, but I found that most of what I learned in my education classes in college were common sense to me. I don't think it was like that for other people. So maybe I have the ability to teach naturally and not everyone else is cool like that. :)

Answer 7

LEARNT? What the heck is that? Learnt! You need some learning. Hope you don't teach anyone I ever come into contact with.

Answer 8

I teach English in Korea and although I always wanted to be a teacher, I find that I am learning everyday. Different methods of discipline, presentation and general children skills!

Answer 9

It's not inherent.It can be learnt if u r interested. I'm not good at teaching when i started but now I'm improved. so learn it . the other important thing is prepare it before ur classes.

Answer 10

You can learn to be a teacher...how to write lesson plans...how to communicate with parents...how to handle students with disabilities, but you can't always learn to be a GOOD teacher. There is something about good teachers that other teachers don't have. Some special nurturing or caring inside them that makes them able to come to work everyday for very low pay and do everything in their power to help their students learn.