I can't tell you how many times I've heard the statement: "teachers are the worst students." That statement, however, is extremely flawed.
Though they may be difficult, frequently off task, and highly impatient, that doesn't define them as bad students. In my opinion, that actually makes them the perfect students. Seems wrong at first glance, I know, but you must go deeper than the obvious.
Personally, I love the students who push and challenge me beyond the mundane and the rote nature of a subject. The ones that get bored when you stand and talk about material that you have already discussed and reviewed.
Those are the students who get to the meat of the subject. They are able to go beyond definitions and memorization to the next level, where real learning happens. A place where critical thinking takes them to synthesis and personal discovery.
My argument then becomes: that's exactly what good teachers are...they are the ideal students. The students who push back. The ones that have passed the point of simply being talked at and force-fed information. The ones who desire more, no, require more. They push the bar higher, but frequently come off as disengaged.
In reality, though, they want to be productive and utilize what is there and then go beyond. They talk and do other activities during meetings and tutorials, not because they are being disrespectful or rude, but because they believe their time must be used when available and, to be blunt, they're frequently bored. For example, it is extremely frustrating to sit through meetings about differentiated learning through a presentation consisting of someone merely rattling off words at the front of the room. They understand what's at stake with education and are the workhorses that help to propel students forward to where they need to go.
So then I'll push my argument even further. I argue that for a teacher to be at the top of the field of education, they must be able to engage a room full of other teachers; that's the true test. This person has accomplished the seemingly impossible, stimulating the minds and interest of a group that always craves more knowledge and wants to go that next step.
