Do all graduates make good teachers?

The Primary Education Review and Implementation Committee has since October 2008 started its review on how to improve the primary school education. One of the changes most likely to take place is to have only graduates as teachers. Naturally, there is already a fear that the schools might lose a pool of good non-graduate teachers. The fear is legitimate. But, I think we have got to be very objective in looking at this whole issue fundamentally.

Do all graduates make good teachers? Are all good teachers graduates? I think what is important in teaching is the ability and experience to impart skills, knowledge and attitudes. With that ability and experience, comes the passion and commitment. Being a graduate helps in some ways but it is not the deciding criterion. I personally know of a non-graduate teacher who was a master teacher and was even teaching the trainee teachers in NIE. She really went many many extra miles to help her students. We need good teachers like this, not just graduate teachers. So, non-graduates do make excellent teachers.

I recall my younger day experience when working in an MNC, where good engineers were usually promoted to management positions as a form of reward for their long service with the company and soon after that, the managers were severely critised for doing a lousy job. Why? The answer is simple. Not all engineers make good managers. Period. Some people are more technically-inclined while some are more people-oriented. Don't put the right people at the wrong job. In the same token, with all due respect to those with PhDs, not all PhD holders teach well. Having a good solid head knowledge and knowing how to transfer the head knowledge to students in a way that is practical to and understood by the students are entirely two different things. Not all graduates make good teachers!

In the early 80's, there was a big talk about graduates marrying graduates and the offsprings would be more intelligent. I am sure we have personally witnessed many cases that prove the contrary and there are also many intelligent students from parents who are not so highly educated. Not all graduates produce smart children.

The media had previously reported instances of local graduates not being able to work well at the workplace even though they were academically qualified. Not all graduates work well.

What the teaching profession needs is first, the heart, then the brain; first the passion, then the mission.