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Running Head: QUALITIES OF A PROFESSIONAL TEACHER

Classroom Assessment
Jose Idelfonso
Belize Secondary Teacher Education Bachelor Program

Qualities of a Professional Teacher

Personal Quality is the degree to which an individual expresses positive personal
attributes, practices meaning of personal quality good human relations and exhibits superior
work performance. (Malhi R.) Ive come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive
element in the classroom. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood
that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a childs life
miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or
humor, hurt or heal. In all situations it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be
escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or dehumanized. (Ginott H. as cited in Malhi R.)
As a teacher I can relate to the statements above, majority of the time when I enter the classroom
students already have a negative mood set, either because of personal family problems or
because they are being pressured by their peers. So as a teacher, I have the responsibility to
change such mood into a positive one, so that learning for my students is transforms from just
memorizing phrases into learning experiences. For this to occur, I must have qualities as those
stated by Paolo Freire in his fourth letter to teachers.
As a teacher I see the quality of lovingness as one of the most important qualities an
educator can have. As stated in Paolo Freires fourth letter to teachers, lovingness is not only
towards students but also towards the very process of teaching. This very quality allows me as a
teacher to properly deliver pedagogical strategies; it also allows me as a teacher to gain that
feeling of accomplishment when I see my students being successful in their classroom and work.
Personally I believe the quality of lovingness, for me as a teacher allows me to be more
dedicated to my profession.

Landing in the teaching profession a year ago, my views at first were Oh its just another
job. One year later, I have a totally different mentality of what education is. Being in the
classroom and experiencing first-hand what it is to educate young people, has made me realize
that education is not just about stepping in the classroom and giving handouts to students, it is
about caring whether they understand the concepts you are trying to teach them. I clearly recall
the first day I stepped into my classroom. I must say I was nervous; I had been in-front of a
crowd before and had done small presentations before but none like this. I knew this was a
challenge but I had always wanted to in some way or form give back to my community. This was
my opportunity, I stayed back after classes reviewing old lesson plans and asking for help where
ever possible, I even came to school on weekends to try and get a clear understanding of how the
school system worked.
After some weeks I had a general understanding of this new system, I never started as a
strict teacher. I was more kind-hearted to my students. Probably one of the reasons is because I
reflected a lot on when I was in school and thought of my teachers, especially those who were
very strict. I didnt want to be like them. I wanted to be different, firm but friendly. In my short
time here at Stann Creek Institute for Technical Vocational Education and Training (ITVET) I
have endured some demotivating experiences. I can recall being asked to assist in checking
papers in Belize City for our Belize National Vocational Qualification (BZNVQ) examinations.
Our head office Employment Training and Education Services (ETES) had promised to pay us
for this. No money was given to us at the time, but I wanted to experience this because I for one
had been preparing students for these same exams. I had to take out money from my pocket to
travel and cover all my transportation and food expenses. It is not my responsibility to check
such papers but I took up the responsibility because I want to expose myself to as much as

possible for the benefit of my students. These national exams are taken by students attending
ITVETs all across Belize and are offered in the different subject areas. Instructors from the
different ITVETs in Belize are then asked to assist with checking such exams.
Being enrolled in this Banana Belt program has opened my eyes to a lot of things that in
the past were obvious but I did not recognized. As an individual I now recognize the importance
of knowing how to properly delivery a lesson and that learning must be an experience to
students.
Having the indispensable quality of lovingness inter-relates to the other indispensable
qualities of teachers that Paolo Freire speaks about in his fourth letter to teachers. Also I believe
that this quality allows for constructivist teachers to create constructivist classroom
environments. In my profession I see a lot of negativity especially with how I see other teachers
treat and talk to students. As a teacher I agree with Paolo Freires statements and I believe that
we must also show the characteristics of humility, lovingness, courage, tolerance, competence,
decisiveness, and verbal parsimony. But Lovingness strikes me more because this quality will
enable me as a teacher to treat my students the right way, lovingness will enable me to ensure
that my students are learning the concepts and not just memorizing paragraphs and phrases, and
lovingness will enable me to be a role model for my students and thus help mold them into
individuals with positive attitudes.
These are my views of the quality of lovingness, as a teacher this is exactly what I look
forward to and I must accept that it is a huge challenge. I see myself on my way to
accomplishing this dream of democracy already with this Banana Belt program. What I have
learnt so far I try to implement in my classroom. It is a huge challenge I must accept, because

this involves far more work and preparation for me to be able to maintain my class well focused.
I plan on continuing forward with this challenge and I do it not because of a salary but because I
want to see greatness in my students and in my community.

Reference
Freire P. (2005). On the Indispensable Qualities of Progressive Teachers for Their better
Performance: Teachers as Cultural Workers: Letters to Those Who Dare Teach, (pp. 7184). Expanded edition, with new commentary by McLaren P., Joe L., Kincheloe &
Steinberg. Boulder, Colorado: Westview.
Malhi R., ENHANCING PERSONAL QUALITY, Retrieved on September 25, 2011from
http://www.moetqm.org/eng/presentation/Day3/RanjeetEnhancingPersonalQualitySaudi.pdf
Gray A., Constructivist Teaching and Learning, Retrieved on September 25, 2011 from
http://saskschoolboards.ca/research/instruction/97-07.htm