A 'Know-It-All' Teacher – Is It A Boon or Bane?

Education is a two-way process, and within any classroom around the world, the chief learner is the tutor. Students do not want a know-it-all teacher, who solely transmits information from the textbook in the form of lectures. They want someone who makes them learn, interact, discuss and gain knowledge.

There is an assumption in the minds of the teachers that they know-it-all because they hold a superior degree or have more practical experience of life. Knowledge is distributed from both sides. This is why the arrogance of superiority in the minds of those teachers is the root cause for lack of communication in their classrooms.

Force-feeding the curriculum chapters into the minds of the students won't transform into success. Let us take an example to understand the above line:-

Paul, a Ph.D. holder in Literature, is a professor in a reputed college who believed that if his students listened to him, it would guarantee them academic success, but the kids were resistant. He finally asked them one day what do they really care about? The students responded with their grievances, hardships, struggles and growing problems in their families. This prompted Paul to ask them to write, speak and discuss their own life stories in the classroom. What followed next was an incredibly interactive classroom. They shared thoughts, ideas, discussed about their problems, conducted debates and most importantly made Paul realize that he is yet to learn a lot. Each and every single day was an opportunity to know something new both for Paul and his students.

Students want their teachers to give up some of their authority and acknowledge the student's thoughts, this way both becomes powerful. Once a tutor understands that he is no longer the expert in a classroom, he comes to learn a lot about teaching.

• Hearing them out

Every student has an opinion or a point of view which needs to be understood by the tutor. This, in turn, builds their self-esteem and lets them know that the teacher cares about their thoughts. They learn to interact and articulate their thoughts in the process. A know-it-all teacher neglects the opinion of their students, making the class proceedings a one-way traffic. 

• Taking their feedback

Often teachers are reluctant to ask their students feedback. People are afraid to hear something negative which they don't wish to hear. In order to improve and educate the students in a better way, they need insights regarding their teaching methods.

• Patience is the key

The pace of learning for each individual differs from one another. It is up to the teachers to be patient with the students. Eventually, they will reach the end line, but it doesn't necessarily have to be at a pre-determined pace. Even the method of learning and adapting may be different; the key is not to lose patience.

• Removing beforehand judgments

Teachers often tend to make judgments beforehand about a student based on their external appearance and class behavior. Kids who seem to be extremely disruptive in class can also be highly able in studies. Equality in the classroom is vital where the teacher views each student equally. 

• Challenging Them

Students of all ages love to face challenges and overcome them. Challenges help them to remain motivated and complete the tasks at hand. We grow once we face challenges in life as it's the steep roads which lead us to fascinating destinations. Coming out of the comfort zone results in a more interesting classroom atmosphere.

• No one is perfect

"The Art of Teaching is the art of assisting discovery". There is always a scope to learn more in life. A teacher is supposed to be someone who has the correct answer for everything. Admitting not to know the answer to something is the toughest task for a tutor. 

When the teacher is honest, students relate with them. They do not want a know-it-all educator; they long for a guide, an inspiring personal.

A know-it-all teacher shoots down the opinions and suggestions of the students and judges themselves as the supreme authority in the classroom in terms of both power and knowledge. A good teacher hears the views expressed by the students and encourages class participation. This difference is the primal cause of dislike the students show to the know-it-all teachers.