המורה "הטוב" בעיני התלמיד המחונן בחברה הערבית

Abstract

This study deals with “good teachers” as perceived by gifted students. Its main objective
is to identify what characteristics and features gifted students believe their teachers
should have, that is, what they perceive as a “good teacher”.
A qualitative research method was employed to carry out the study. It was conducted at
an Arab secondary school in the north of Israel. The subjects were gifted students in
grades ten through twelve. The research tools used for data collection were interviews
and letters of recommendation. It was conducted in the course of one complete school
year.
The study’s main findings center on four categories, in each of which four main criteria
were identified. The findings show that the gifted students’ teachers demonstrated
knowledge at the highest level but did not function very well as teachers. In other words,
a significant gap was found between their theoretical training and their performance in
the field. We therefore recommend that more studies be conducted, in order to examine
the causes for this gap between teacher training and performance. We also urge to
consider the requirement that teachers undergo compulsory personality and professional
tests before they are certified to teach in classes for gifted students. In addition, regular
external periodic assessments should be carried out in order to maintain a close look on
the quality of work done by teachers of gifted students.