Does education need strict teachers or friendly teachers?

[-:Undertaker:-]

In education since the 1960s onwards, the ethos has very much been placed on being on friendly terms with the children of a class and teaching them as near equal adults - the idea being that if you treat children with the respect of adults, they'll respond in very much the same way. From this period onwards, the traditional schooling practice of strict disipline has been dropped (along with corporal punishment) which many claim is a good thing in that the 'abuse' of often timid children has ended - whereas just as many say that this has led to slide in standards which has been borne out in the crime statistics concerning young offenders.

But whats your personal experience of school? did you work better with friendlier teachers or harsher teacher? or are you like me where I needed (and still do in university) fear put into me so that I kept to deadlines and did the work? Debate away!

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The debate is open to you.

[Aiden]

Well, school isn't a great topic for me but I have thoughts on this! I think softer, nicer, kinder and more helpful teachers are better for me personally. They understand kids better, and pupils tend to be more relax and less hyper in class if they have a little bit of free will and the teacher isn't harassing them. I know that my science teacher was one of the nicest women ever, that turned out to be my best class, followed by IT which also has an amazing teacher. He is strict but treats every pupil different. I had him as an IT teacher all through school. In the first year we didn't get on. I shouted at him after he took my phone because my Mom rang me :L. He said sorry to me in end and he then became nice, and it was easier for me to get help from him and I learnt more after.

So softer teachers which can still do there job and are understanding.

[Zak]

I think it's good to have a mixture of both, strict at times so that the kids don't walk all over you but soft at others as most kids will work better for those teachers they don't hate. I think it depends on what age range you're teaching as well, teaching older people I do not feel the need to be very strict with my class as they're mature adults.. If I was teaching 12-18 year olds then really I think it's best if they are on the strict side.

Obviously we have all experienced strict and soft teachers and I know I work better for softer teachers but then again I didn't try and take the 'michael like some individuals would.

[mrwoooooooo]

Friendly teachers, your parents are there to discipline you.

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[Aiden]

Friendly teachers, your parents are there to discipline you.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

We finally agree on something *highfive* :L

Friendly ftw

[Kardan]

I've experienced both sides. When I did my further maths classes, I had a teacher, and he was the most fun teacher I've ever had. There were only three people in the class, so we moved through the curriculum nice and easy, and in the afternoons we'd watch the World Cup match that was on, or we'd start the lesson with just some internet trivia game, and we got the work done. We went over the past papers about 5 times each, and we got amazing grades. Obviously that's not going to work for everyone, and it was a really small class...

As for strict teachers, they just made me feel uncomfortable and made me worry about things other than schoolwork. I don't mind teachers that are strict, it's just that you do get some that go over the top. I always imagine that when I go into teaching I'd be of the more friendly type, but I imagine with the age group I'm going into, I'm going to have to be strict at times. You have to get the balance right. Too friendly, you're too relaxed and the work never gets done. Too strict, then the place isn't a nice environment to be in.

[bogan]

Generally speaking, I would agree that a mixture of both soft and strict would be desirable, not only enabling a teacher to deal with different types of issues that might occur in the classroom, but also adapt to the different personalities and behaviour of each student. Obviously it depends on the age group, but I agree with Kardan that you don't want too much of either trait.

[Mr-Trainor]

At secondary school you'd need stricter teachers, whereas at sixth form/college you need softer teachers. That's my opinion anyway, I'm in year 13 now and work much better than I did at secondary school, because all the teachers treat you like adults now etc .

[Empired]

Friendly is more important to me as I feel like I'd want to go and talk to them about something that is bothering me more if I knew they were going to be nice about it.

Also, if your pupils respect you because you respect them, they are more likely to work hard because you tell them to.

[Cerys]

I have a teacher in my school called Miss Langley.

She is honestly one of the best teachers we have ever had, and we work so well when we're with her. This is because she lets us have a chat and chats with us, asks us how we're doing when she's taking the register and knows how to chill out and have a laugh with us!
From this experience, I think that we work better when we're with her because we are more relaxed, therefore friendlier teachers are better.

My science teacher is awful ~ makes us work in silence and shouts at us LOTS if she catches us talking. This makes us want to 'rebel' and not do the work. So strict teachers are worse c: