Another of this year’s conference speakers, Alex McNish:
“I hear a lot of teachers saying they’re happy because their students like them, but for me it doesn’t matter if my students like me, it matters why they like me (or not). If they like me because I let them get away with facile thinking and operating within their boundaries, then I’d rather be hated; if they like me because I challenge them to take risks in their thinking, to be able to see things differently, to have to ask rather than answer questions, to be cheeky even (if they can back it up!), etc. then I’m happy.”
Alex McNish
Interview by Martina Bednarikova
Teachers often find that the students they are trying really hard to inspire are actually the ones that end up inspiring them. Alex McNish, one of the speakers at ELT Forum 2014 in Bratislava knows that the role of a good teacher is to inspire hope, ignite the imagination and instill a love of learning. After all, it is the teaching profession that creates all other professions. Therefore as Mr McNish says, long may teachers love learning!
Slovak Chamber of English Teachers (SCET): Alex, tell us the story behind your teaching career. Have you always wanted to teach? What do you like most about it and why?
Alex McNish (AM): Ooof, “story”?!?! It’s generally more of a blind stumble from coffee to students to coffee and back! I never, ever, ever wanted to be a teacher! 🙂 Or drink so much coffee. I know…
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Stop Complaining - Enjoy Language Teaching! 