The ideal primary school teacher for year 4 pupils

Abstract

In this dissertation our intention was to focus on the views of year 4 primary school pupils attending state schools in Gozo as regards their mental conception of an 'ideal' teacher and the behaviour s/he is expected to adopt in class. A previous study at hand (Wragg & Wood, 1989) has shown that pupils, although young and naive, (but also very innocent and sincere) are able to evaluate their teachers and sort the positive and negative practices the latter adopt in their class. It emerges from our study that pupils seem to value most the teacher's human positive aspects and the concern the teacher shows to each child in his/her class. Pupils hold high expectations of their teacher. They feel committed to schooling when their teachers meet their expectations of teaching. The pupils we interviewed emphasised some characteristics of an 'ideal' teacher. Although we cannot generalise results, we believe that these traits can serve as guide lines to teachers who want to be successful in class and be loved by their pupils.