THE CHARACTERISTICS OF PROFESSIONAL ENGLISH TEACHER

           Many people want to become a professional teacher. Being a professional teacher is not an easy thing. Teachers are required to have characteristics or skills that fulfill certain requirements and also required to become a professional teacher. Teachers’ role is very important for us and for the next generation. Teacher help us to know something that we don’t know before. Teacher gives knowledge without any sense of selfishness. There are five ways that can help us to be a professional teacher.

First, teacher is expected to know the students well. Murray and Christison (2011) states, “Learners’ places in the world are multiple, changing, sometimes conflicting, and influenced by the power relations in individual interactions and in society more widely. This influence may result in the desire to assimilate, adapt, or reject.” That is why teacher is expected to know the students well, because individual interactions and in society may affect to students character. Naker (2009) mention that “Children’s social development is a delicate process that is dependent on how their environment responds to some of their basic social needs.” “When children’s social needs are met, they blossom, into healthy and postive individuals who are committed to their schools and communities. They become better learners and invest their talents and energies for the betterment of all.”

Teachers is expected to know the character of their students, for example the student is lazy or not, emotional or not, there is a problem or not. Every students have different characters and teacher are required to know how to deal with that. “Getting to know students and getting to know about them are important prequisities for effective teaching, especially since it is becoming increasingly likely that today’s students will differ more in their demographics, preparations, attitudes, and interests than we were undergraduates” (Committee on Undergraduate Science Education, 1997, p.55) not only about students character that teacher should to  know but teacher is expected to know the ability of the students because it will influence learning process.

            Second, teachers have to see themself as the students’ mentor, not their friend. “Mentors are advisors, people with career experience willing to share their knowledge; supporters, people who give emotional and moral encouragement; tutors, people who give specific feedback on one’s performance; masters, in the sense of employers to whom one is apprenticed; sponsors, sources of information about and aid in obtaining opportunities; models, of identity, of the kind of person one should be to be an academic.” (The National Academy of Sciences, 1997, P.2) and Murray (2011) mention that “A currently popular dichotomy concerning the role of the teacher is often expressed as ‘sage on the stage’ compared with ‘guide on the side’. This catchy phrase is meant to capture the difference between teacher-centered instruction and learned-centered instruction or teacher-fronted instructions and peer interaction.“ also teacher must be firm to their students.

Teachers have to be a good mentor for their students. “A good mentor is approachable and available. Often students will not know what questions to ask, what information they need, or what their option are (especially when applying to graduate programs). A good mentor can lessen such confusion by getting to know students and being familiar with the kinds os suggestions and information that can be useful.” (The National Academy of Sciences, 1997, P.4). Then, teachers is expected to know about teacher identity. Thornton (2013) state that “by relating their teaching to something inside themselves – what they really believe in and stand for.” “relating teaching to something deep in oneself, beliefs, convictions, and purposes corresponds to the self and it’s powers of constancy and motivation.” And  Danielewicz (2001) states that “An identity is never fully or finally achieved; we are always actively being and becoming.”

Third, teachers have to vary and use different teaching techniques. Thornton (2013) state that “one thing I discovered is that effective teachers have a purpose for teaching that’s more than simply presenting content. They’ve discovered for themselves who they really are that can make their teaching fresh and exiting every day.” That is way teacher is expected to use different teaching teachniques and know how to make students not easily bored, because it will make the teacher looks fresh every day. Teachers can use the game to create classroom atmosphere fun, for example use crossword for teaching about new vocabulary. Damayanti and Faozah (2016) states, “having games in class will help young learners English teacher make the teaching situation much more exciting.” And don’t use the same technique in learning process, because it will make the students feel bored and not exciting.

Fourth, teachers is expected have plan everything before they come to the class. Murray and Christison (2011) states, “teacher plan instruction, both prior to class and during class, in order to create the optimum environment for student learning.” Then, teachers is expected to plan a course syllabus because it will help the teachers to operate the class. “Curriculum and syllabus are often usd interchangeably in the literature, although some writers make a distinction. Syllabus is often used to refer to the instantiation of a curriculum in a particular class or setting.” (Murray and Christison, 2011, P.1). It is not only about syllabus and curriculum but also teachers is expected to know what they will do from the beginning until the end of class. “A syllabus typically includes the organization of topics into an outline of the course study, readings, exercises, examination, and grading scheme.” (Committee on Undergraduate Science Education, 1997, p.5) And then, Teachers is expected to have plan A and plan B.

Fifth, teachers is expected to have evaluation procedures. Danielson and McGreal (2000) mention, “evaluation procedures are those methods (the “how”) that teachers use to document or demonstrate their skills and knowledge (the “what,” or the criteria of good teaching). The “how” and the “what,” of course, must be aligned.” Evaluation need some key component, Murray and Christison (2011) state that “there are a number of key components that must be addressed in program evaluation no matter what the context may be. These components include texts and materials, financial resources, support staff, physical facilities, and quality of instruction.”

Next, teachers can do question and answer with their students.”producing their own questionnaires can help students in a variety ways. Firstly, itt allows them the time to formulate question before they use them in a communicative context. Secondly, students gain in confidence when they are able to use language that they have produced themselves, and know to be correct. This then provides a solid foundation for more spontaneous interaction.” (Chandler and Stone, 1999, P.52). Teachers can make a quiz in the beginning learning process. This way can help students to recall the materials that teachers have given to them. Teachers can make test at the end learning process. This way can help teachers to evaluate students ability.

We can see that being a professional teacher is not easy. This essay tell us that if we want to be a professional teacher we are expected to know our student character, we have to be a good mentor for our students, we are expected to have different technique in learning process to make our students not easily bored, we have to make plan A and B and the last is we have evaluate our students ability. So this is five ways that can help us to be a professional teacher. Hope this essay will help you for being a professional teacher.

References

Chandler, J., & Stone, M. (1999). The Resourceful English Teacher: A complete Teaching Companion. UK: Delta Publishing.

Damayanti, S., & Faozah, S. (2016). Teaching English to Young Learners Through Games and Songs. Bogor: UIKA Press.

Danielewicz, J. (2001). Teaching Selves. United States: State University Press.

Danielson, C., & McGreal, T. (2000). Teacher Evaluation to Enhance Professional Practice. United States: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development.

Education, C. o. (1997). Science Teaching Reconsidered. Washington DC: National Academy Press.

Murray, D., & Christison, M. (2011). What English Language Teachers Need to Know Volume I. UK: Taylor & Francis.

Murray, D., & Christison, M. (2011). What English Language Teachers Need to Know Volume II. UK: Taylor & Francis.

Naker, D. (2009). What is A Good School. Raising Voices.

Sciences, T. N. (1997). Adviser, Teacher, Role Model, Friend. Washington DC: National Academy Press.

Thornton, A. (2013). Artist Researcher Teacher. USA: The University of Chicago Press.

Kritik Terhadap Hermeneutika_Anisya M & Euis Deviyanti_Dr.H.Akhmad Alim,M.A_Studi Islam III Wawasan Islam

Paragraph Structure

What is paragraph ?

A paragraph is a group of related sentences that discuss one (and usually only one) main idea. A paragraph can be as short as one sentence or as long as ten sentences. The number of sentences is unimportant; however, the paragraph should be long enough to develop the main idea clearly. A paragraph may stand by itself.

The three parts of a paragraph

            All paragraph have a topic sentence and  supporting sentences, and some paragraphs also have a concluding sentence.

            The topic sentence states the main idea of the paragraph. It not only names the topic of the paragraph, but it also limits the topic to one specific area that can be discussed completely in the space of a single paragraph. The part of the topic sentence that announces the spesific area to be discussed is called the controlling idea. For example:

Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics.

^{TOPIC                                                                                                 CONTROLLING IDEA}

            Supporting sentences develop the topic sentence. That is, they explain or prove the topic sentence by giving more information about it

For example:

first of all, a Macedonian coin remains as untarnished today as the day it was made 25 centuries ago.

            The concluding sentence signals the end of the paragraph ad leaves the reader with important points to remember. For example:

In conclusion, gold is treasured not only for its beauty but also for its utility.

The topic sentence

            A topic sentence is the most important sentence in a paragraph. It briefly indicates what the paragraph is going to discuss. For this reason, the topic sentence is a helpful guide to both writer and the reader. The writer can see what information to include (and what information to exclude). The reader can see what the paragraph is going to be about and therefore better prepared to understand it.

Here are three important points to remember about a topic sentence:

1. A topic sentence is a complete sentence; that is. It contains at least one subject and one verb. This following is not complete sentence because the sentence don’t have verb.

Driving on freeways.

2.       A topic sentence contains both a topic and controlling idea. It names the topic and then limits the topic to a specific area to be discussed in the space of a single paragraph. For example :

Driving on freeways requires skill and alertness.

3.       A topic sentence is the most general statement in the paragraph because it gives only the main idea. It doesn’t give any specific details. For example :

English has been influenced by other languages

•      Position of Topic Sentences: the topic sentence is usually (but not always) the first sentence in a paragraph. Experienced writers sometimes put topic in other locations (at the end), but the best spot is usually right at beginning. For example:

Synonims

            synonims, words that have the same basic meaning, do not always have same emotional meaning. For example, the words stingy and frugal both mean “careful with money.” however, calling someone stingy is an insult, but calling someone frugal is a compliment.

•      The two parts of  Topic Sentence

A topic sentence has two essential parts: the topic and the controlling idea. The topic names the subject of the paragraph. The controlling idea limits or control the topic to a specific area that you can discuss in the space of a single paragraph. For example:

Convenience foods are easy to prepare

                   ^{Topic                          Controlling idea}

Supporting sentences

              Supporting sentence explain or prove the  topic sentence. There are several kinds of specific supporting details: examples, statistics, and quotation. For example:

Synonims

              Synonims, words that have the same basic meaning, do not always have same emotional meaning. For example, the words stingy and frugal both mean “careful with money.” however, calling someone stingy is an insult, but calling someone frugal is a compliment.

The concluding sentence

A concluding sentence serves two purposes:

1. It signals the end of the paragraph
2. It leaves the reader with the most important ideas to remember. It can do this in two ways:

•      By summarizing the main points of the paragraph OR

•      By repeating the topic sentence in different words.

              A paragraph doesn’t always need s concluding sentence. For single paragraphs, especially long ones, a concluding sentence is helpful to the reader because it is a reminder of the important points. However, a concluding sentence is not needed for every paragraph in a multiparagraph essay.

End of paragraph signals followed by a comma	End of paragraph signals not followed by a comma
Finally, In brief, In conclusion, Indeed, In short, Lastly, Therefore, Thus, To sum up,	The evidence suggests that .... There can be no doubt that .... These examples show that .... We can see that ....

Exercises

Circle the topic and underline the controlling idea in each of the following sentences.

1. Driving on freeways requires skill and alertness.
2. The volcano erupted much more violently.
3. The automobile has changed our way of life.
4. The furniture of japan is very attractive.
5. Adventure travel is the hot heard in the tourism industry.
6. A major problem for many student  is the high cost of tuition and books.
7. Idioms are of ten difficult for newcomers to understand.
8. The caribbean island of Trinidad attracts tourist because of its calypso music.

9.      Where is the supporting details?

My hometown is famous for severalamazing natural features. First, it is noted for the Wheaton River, which is very wide and beautiful. Also, on the other side of the town is Wheaton Hill, which is unusual because it isvery steep. The third amazing feature is the Big Old Tree. This tree stands two hundred feet tall and is probably about six hundred years old.

10.  Where is the concluding sentence?

My hometown is famous for several amazing natural features. First, it is noted for the Wheaton River, which is very wide and beautiful. Also, on the other side of the town is Wheaton Hill, which is unusual because it is very steep. The third amazing feature is the Big Old Tree. This tree stands two hundred feet tall and is probably about six hundred years old. These three landmarks are truly amazing and make my hometown a famous place.

11.  What is paragraph ?

Reflection of Bridge to Terabithia

Katherine, Paterson. (1977). Bridge to Terabithia. United States. Thomas Y. Crowell Co.

Jess Aarons lives in a small town called Lark Creek and has a hard family life. Jess and Leslie spend a lot of time together. They take over a part of a nearby forest that's only accessible by swinging on a rope over the creek, and name it Terabithia. In this imaginary land, they're royalty. They can escape from the bullies and the boredom of fifth grade, and dream all they like. When the resident bully, Janice Avery, steals May Belle's Twinkies, Jess and Leslie get revenge on her by writing her a fake love letter and embarrassing her.

The cover is really nice because it shows about adventure and magic. I really like the colour of the cover. This book focuses on the sweet friendship of a tween boy and girl who share imaginative play, creating a world of their own just a rope swing away, far from the school bullies they face. It also features a child's death and grief in the aftermath of the tragedy, and may provoke tears. There's mention of cremation, which may be upsetting to some kids.

Reading this book reminds me a book called Harry Potter. This novel tell us about many Adventures and Magic. in which the world is divided into two parts, namely the world Muggle (ordinary human world) and the world of wizard. Anyway, this is an interesting novel to read. This simple tale of belonging and family will inspire readers of all ages.

Reflection of Morning Girl

Dorris, Michael. (1992). Morning Girl. America. UOP.        

Morning Girl is a young Taino girl who 'dreams too hard' at night, and therefore wakes early every morning. This early waking is why her family calls her Morning Girl; and she loves the beginning of the day, she said, 'If the day starts before you do, you never catch up.' One of the lovely things about this young girl is what she says about her approach to treading on the world: 'I try to step lightly on the path so the sounds I make will blend into the rustle of the world.' She also goes on to say, 'You'll see more if you're quiet.' Star Boy is different than his sister: he likes the night. His sister says he see's everything so upside down.

I like the cover, but too dominant white color. The cover only decrypt his sister ‘Morning Girl’. A peaceful, tropical world is the setting for Morning Girl, a simple yet rich glimpse into the lives of a young sister and brother.

Reading this book reminds about my sister and me that almost fight everyday.  No matter how often we quarreled, we are still need each other and love each other. Even we have an unique character, she still my sister, and i still her little sister. Anyway, this is an interesting novel to read. This simple tale of belonging and family will inspire readers of all ages.