What do you need your teacher to be like?

[dwai]

I' ve observed many discussions about choosing he right teacher, finding the perfect teacher and so on. One thing becomes increasingly clear...we look for ( ie most beginners) some set of qualitites in teachers that are either the result of overactive fantasies or simply projections of wht we consider to be the ideal virtues in one person.

 

I ponder as to how realistic is it to expect perfection ( or as close to it as possible) in a human being? Are the rise and fall of most teachers ( in all thir scandalized glory) at least in part a result of the students' idealized projections being shattered?

 

What do the bums think about this?

[deci belle]

ahhahaahahhahahhahhaaa!!❤ I should not be so sassy~ forgive moi!

[Protector]

I think having expectations for anything makes you vulnerable for the time when these expectations get shattered

[Birch]

1)I need my teachers to be honest.

 

2) To your second question about unwitting projection. I don't know. I suppose it depends on how you choose your teachers and vice-versa. For example, if you choose people by their 'vibe' that's one way. If you choose them because of their prestige/lineage another. If you choose them by their demonstrated skills, another and so on.

 

And then they have to choose you. I don't know how they do that.

[Protector]

Best teachers are the ones you get when you don't have a choice

[sirius]

teachers should be patient.

 

teachers should have humour.

 

teachers should be filled with entusiasm.

[suninmyeyes]

I think choosing the right teacher, rather than the perfect one is the way to go.

Making very exactly sure what a person wants to learn and finding someone with that skill/ability/understanding .

For me it is also important to get along well and have a good communication more like a friend as I dont do master and student scenario .Also I would like to ensure that my teacher is mentally and emotionally stable and mature ,as well as having developed skill in desired field .

Rise and fall of the teachers is also very real as power can be so seductive ,hard to resist . As real as teacher projections of students being shattered.

Brutal honesty is always the best remedy and a good companion.

 

I have heard somwhere that teachers are like wine bottles ,drink the wine and throw away the bottle.

[Jetsun]

They will need to understand the mechanics of projection and how to skilfully deal with it as many people will look to them as substitute parents. The search for a perfect teacher is part of this I think as people begin life thinking their parents are perfect then they get hurt and confused when their parents behave imperfectly, then to try to heal that wound some people go and search for a perfect teacher who they inevitably discover to be imperfect in the end.

[RiverSnake]

My requirements are simply that a teacher be Honest and Sincere in there teaching.

 

Though i think it is a very common thing for people to project there expectations and limitations onto a teacher and be disappointed when there ideas are not met.

 

I am by no means a teacher but what i have experienced and felt is that every person has some limitations around them (some thicker than others) and this gives the teacher 2 choices...he can dance around the students limitations by not saying anything that offends them and bide his time in the hopes that the student will slowly get over himself (a more watery way) or the teacher can take out the hammer (a more fiery way) and plunge through the students discriminating ego...this ofcourse comes at the risk of losing the student...however, i think it comes down to the wisdom and style of the teacher in determining which way to go about things.

 

In the Zen tradition they have something called the Interview in which i think fulfills a similar role where the teacher picks apart the students limitations or ego.

 

-My 2 cents, Peace

Edited December 5, 2011 by OldGreen

[dwai]

They will need to understand the mechanics of projection and how to skilfully deal with it as many people will look to them as substitute parents. The search for a perfect teacher is part of this I think as people begin life thinking their parents are perfect then they get hurt and confused when their parents behave imperfectly, then to try to heal that wound some people go and search for a perfect teacher who they inevitably discover to be imperfect in the end.

Very true. I wonder if thats why many seem to think that a teacher is not necessary ( some even get incensed at the idea of a teacher) . Since they are afraid of having their perfect visions shattered?

[Aetherous]

How hard is it to be seen as perfect? I think not too hard at all. You don't actually have to be perfect...you just have to not ever reveal yourself as imperfect. It is actually the teacher's job to make this happen. Part of their work can include reminding the student that they are just human and can make mistakes...but at no time should they use that as an excuse for behaving inappropriately. They must hold themselves to a very high standard...this is part of the path of the teacher (their learning experience is NOT over). There's no excuse for: speaking about things which you don't know...lying...sleeping with your students...etc etc etc.

 

Real teachers exist.

[Patrick Brown]

I want a blonde one with a nice arse!

 

Actually I've learnt that lesson, I don't want anymore teachers.