Strict or lenient - what makes a good teacher?

How crazy is it to say that the success or failure of each and every school class is determined by the actual teacher? Well, there might be schools with problematic students, where even the best teachers have trouble doing a good job, but as a matter of fact, the personality of a teacher can make a difference for pupils. The question is about being strict or lenient, or finding a perfect balance between the two.

Strict teachers:

We all have memories about those army-style teachers, who stopped talking the second they spotted you weren't paying attention. Let's see why it's a curse or a blessing to have an instructor like that:

it's easier to create and maintain discipline in the classroom with a tough leader, and as a result your only option is to study, which might pay off in the future
many students are only willing to learn when they are under pressure, so strict teachers can get the best out of them - you may have to study three hours a day for their classes, but you will pass your exams with flying remarks
strict schools teach students about adult life, because there are a lot of strict things in life, such as paying the bills or being on time - you learn to take responsibility for your actions
students genetically expect their teachers to be strict
you have to work hard for success, and sometimes you need strict teachers for it
these teachers set clear rules, and everybody has to obey them - they also get more respect
however, some students may hate education because of strict teachers, which means they lose their motivation to learn more
students may get stressed at a very young age because they are scared of failing – this can result in early symptoms of stress, such as insomnia or extreme fatigue
students may protest against a strict educator - making fun of them behind their back, or even deliberately not preparing for their classes
classroom atmosphere can be destroyed, so students may not participate actively
they get respect out of fear - students are fueled by extrinsic motivation instead of intrinsic
having strict teachers may cause a sense of guilt in students when they chill

Lenient teachers:

The other side of the story is about those "sure that's fine" type of teachers, who basically agree with whatever you say. Sure, they are students' favourite, however you may not want your school to be filled only by them:

by providing a calm, peaceful environment at schools, students may easily reach their own maximum without any stress
students tend to favor these teachers, which might make their classes very popular and enjoyable - chances are they will prepare for those under all circumstances
learning can be a pleasure for students, when teachers are interested in what they know, and not what they don’t know
the personality of a more flexible teacher might get to the surface, which can be used to impart more knowledge
these teachers are trusted - you feel free to ask questions, and even discuss some casual topics with the teacher, such as last night's football game, or boutique discounts
if school is a happy place, students will be happy to go there - the lack of feeling burdened can do wonders to knowledge
on the other hand, students may forget about their homework if the teacher doesn’t demand hard work - they might focus on themselves instead of what they are supposed to do
pupils might feel puzzled about the expectations - they may have mixed feelings about how hard they should work
if the teacher doesn't set rules, students might do it for themselves, and once they take over control, it is very hard to regain it
if a teacher is too understanding, many students will be very good at making excuses why they don’t do their job
while a strict teachers applies the same rules to every student, a lenient one may be motivated by emotions
teachers can be lenient, but this might lead to a false world-image in students’ mind, because their next school or workplace may be very strict and that can cause problems

TESZTELNÉK!