I am a child teacher and I also have been a student(I still am). I may not have taken up the job in a classroom since I do more of home educating, however I have gotten to live most of the experiences and
One thing that i always tell my students is that it is my job to offer them quality learning environment and give them all the best information and attention that i can, while on the other hand, it is their jobs to make the most of them. I can only do my part but if they do not do theirs, they cannot be guaranteed of performing well in the end, since it's a two-person(teacher-student) interaction. And with that, I did my job and most students did theirs.
One of my students, Joel, whom I had written about in a number of my previous posts and who alongside two of his siblings I tutored has an amazing approach to his studies. For everytime I came to class, he was glad to study. He read his notes, did his assignments, sometimes when studying ahead and prepared questions on where he had encountered difficulty. It was easy, even interesting to be his teacher. His immediate sibling, his sister, was good in her approach to classes too but she wasn't like him. She only did what she was asked and barely put as much effort. To ensure that each child performed in best capacity, I implored different styles of teaching as I assumed most efficient for each.
On my part, I ensured to give in my best, simplifying the studies, carrying out practicals were necessary and including elements of fun.
Teaching is a give and take thing. An exercise where both parties do their assignment and put in all the effort to ensure that it works. None of the k8ds I ever taught who did not put in an effort, however, strengths and capacities still cone ro play.
You can only attribute a students failure to be a teachers fault if the teacher neglects his duty and is incompetent.
However, one of the things that I have learned as a student and as a teacher is that a motivated student can achieve growth In any topic
Even as student, I have understood that my intentionality and dedication to studies matter. When a teacher gives lessons and material and time, it is my responsibility to get back and study and make my notes and seek more clarity if I face a block. There's no way that I should expect to pass by solely relying on just what the teacher had taught me in class without my taking the time to study and do more research on the topic(s)
I get that a teacher should be a reliable subject-matter expert, with high expectations and willing to help students grow especially given that he has so much influence on the student. But then, the students need to bring the character and discipline of a student into the classroom.
I hope this answers the question. Thank you for reading.