Teaching might be the most undervalued profession, but it is essentially the one that makes people skilled enough to outshine in other fields. It is harmless to say that a teacher can change a person’s life; therefore, good teachers are a blessing. So what does it mean to be a good teacher? Are all teachers not good? While teaching is a noble profession for anyone adopting it, not all teachers can be considered good. Some traits and skills separate an excellent teacher from someone who has not mastered this craft yet.
A good teacher can make a significant difference in a student’s life. From the classroom to their career and long-term success, such teachers’ wisdom and hard work stay with their students, guiding them at each point. But to achieve this level of influence on your student’s life requires being inspirational, using exceptional teaching methods, and having mentors like The Teaching Couple behind you.
Some people are born teachers, similar to innate leaders; teaching is in their blood, a natural predisposition that allows them to excel in their careers. But for others, it is a long learning process, so one can say that you can learn to be a good teacher if you have a passion for teaching or being an educator. If you are ardent about making a difference in the life of your kids, be associated with education. You may even look to boost your elementary teaching career with a master’s in Elementary Education degree. As a teacher, you must know the qualities that contribute to student success in the classroom and the workplace.
So, what makes a good teacher? Know yourself below!
Good teachers are great communicators
Your communication skills as a teacher can single you out among a crowd. As a teacher, you must be an expert in all forms of communication (reading, writing, listening, and speaking). You have to interact with students all the time, discuss ideas, and explain complex concepts. All this is essential if you want to excel in this career.
If you have loads of information but fail to deliver it to the students sitting in the class, your information is useless. It can only benefit them once you communicate and share it in the most effective and explicable manner. Using complex jargon to describe a phenomenon or conveying information beyond their scope can distance the students, making you fail miserably.
Good teachers never stop learning
Learning is essential for professionals belonging to all careers, but it is indispensable for teachers, and why not? They prepare students to go to the market and display the information imparted to them in the classroom. Therefore, the teachers must be familiar with research breakthroughs in their field and replenish themselves with the latest information pertaining to their work area.
Teachers who are not constantly getting new information don’t last long because they prepare students with outdated and incomplete information. Finally, these students are not able to perform according to industry standards. To impart students the most up-to-date information, you must continuously learn, read books, stay in touch with industry news, and make relevant changes in your course plan.
Good teachers pay attention to non-verbal cues
Kids in the classroom won’t always be ready to share their problems with you. So, as much as listening to their concerns is important, more crucial is your ability to understand non-verbal cues. A student might be trying to communicate their lack of understanding about a concept, might be scared of getting reprimanded, or perhaps trying to conceal their anxiety. A good teacher does not always need words to understand their student’s problems. Changing their body language, facial expression, and various hand gestures is enough for such a teacher to locate the issue.
When you try to solve a student’s issue without making them utter a word, trusting you comes naturally to them with time. A time comes when they start discussing their issues with you. As a result, you must work to build their confidence, reduce their anxiety, and put effort into making them a productive part of the class. With this much understanding about your students, it is easier for you to tailor your lessons in ways they learn best.
Good teachers adopt a positive attitude
Students often struggle in a class due to the negative attitude of their teachers. Sometimes teachers come to the class with their own baggage of stress and try to transfer the burden onto students’ shoulders. Such an environment suffocates their learning ability, causing them to feel anxious. This atmosphere is extremely detrimental to the student’s learning abilities.
On the contrary, teachers who maintain a lively classroom atmosphere have more engaged students. Additionally, such students experience less study-related stress and feel motivated to excel, thinking they can outdo their studies.
As a teacher, you must always make sure to praise your students when they do good, participate in an activity, or perform better in homework or tests.
Conclusion
Teaching is a profession that requires constant learning, an enormous amount of patience, and passion for the job. You will often encounter those who are not ready to learn, participate, or show motivation to excel; it is your job to develop their attention and make them. The profession becomes rewarding when you can genuinely perform like a good teacher and have the above mentioned traits.
