Characteristics and qualities of a good teacher
In schools, we have different types of teachers. There are those who are just in school for the sake of it, or they are just in teaching career so they can have some source of income for their upkeep. This kind of teacher will never listen or even understand the essence of pupils/students in school. But of course they can’t all be the same. There are those who know the qualities of a good teacher, and they tend to keep or prove in action. They will always listen and reason with the students/pupils and be open-minded when dealing with them; they will set a good example since every child will admire being like their teacher. Their moral value will always be on top, of course, they are educating other people. They discipline and judge fairly, and above all, a good teacher will have the passion for teaching and readiness to pass on knowledge and wisdom.
Qualities of a good teacher summary
A good teacher will, of course, be appreciated in various ways, and you will come across people classifying teachers according to their character traits. A good teacher will receive physical and word of mouth appreciation, because both the parent and the student/pupil will forever remember and cherish that one teacher who has been good to them. The kind of education one receives depends with one kind of teacher, one had or has. Good teacher should have knowledge on the subjects, also should have skills in organization, and should be enthusiastic. Also, a good teacher should be able to present and explain the content of the topic step by step. They should be patient and forever make their lessons more interesting by bringing in humor during the lesson time, this will capture any students mind, and it will also reduce boredom in class.
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Allow me to outline the characteristics of a good teacher:
- Passion for pupils/student and teaching- a good teacher, will always be passionate about teaching and even socializing with student/pupils, they just love when they see they are influencing and Impacting their lives.
- Knowledge and understanding of the subject- a good teacher will understand and obtain knowledge for the subject he/ she is entitled to teach. They will be prepared with material needed for the subject depending on the topic and also ready to answer questions
- Maintenance of the curriculum and standards- a good teacher will understand the curriculum due to the thorough knowledge of the school’s curriculum and other standards they need to uphold in the classroom.
- Good relationship- a good teacher should have a good relationship with the students/ pupils this helps with the openness of the student whenever they are stuck in handling any topic, here they can freely ask any question.
- Collaborates with colleagues- a good teacher will always be willing to learn new things from their colleagues this is so important for they can improve their skills in teaching just from learning and allowing to be fed with ideas.
- Class and school maintenance- a good teacher will ensure the school is well maintained and the students/ pupils are well dressed and always prepared for the lessons, they will make sure the classroom is clean and organized before starting any lesson.
- Enthusiastic, accessible, and caring- a good teacher should always be happy and smiles despite their personal issues, they should be easy to be reached whenever the students/pupils need them and also should be in a position to understand their student/pupils so they can tell whenever the students are going through and be in a position to help.
- High expectations- a good teacher should raise the expectations of the students/pupils so high and give them hope whenever they lose it. When a student/ pupil doesn’t perform well they don’t go putting them down or punish them, they guide and tell them they can still make it.
- Effective discipline skills- a good teacher will discipline their students/pupils effectively and will promote positive behaviors and change in the classroom.
- Clear objectives for the lessons- a good teacher establishes clear objectives for each lesson and works to meet those objectives during class time.
- Personal engagement and teaching style- they hold the attention of the students, they teach while still giving stories which help the boredom of the classroom, which takes the students mind and brings it back to class.
- Patience- a good teacher, should be patient with their student/ pupils because some of the students might be slow learners, and you don’t expect them to catch up so fast, they need some more time.
- Listener- a good teacher must always listen to their student/pupils before they make conclusions.
- Flexible and tolerance- a teacher should be flexible and learn some new method of teaching so all student can move together, the most scenario you find pupil/ student is left behind because he cannot be able to move with the pace.
Professional qualities of a teacher
Hearing of professionals what comes to your mind? Here I’ll define the term professional, this is one being engaged in a specific area/ activity, and he/she gets paid out of it and is strictly involved in whatever they do. So a professional teacher is a person who teaches and so specific and strictly focused on their activity, they do everything or handle any activity that is being carried forth in a formal way. Professional teachers have some good teaching skills, whereby they utilize every moment well. They don’t like being idle, they go through different types of books just to combine an idea, and this enhances their teaching skills and also capable of tackling any question in different ways. They are always calling forth the student to come tackle some questions in front of the class just to encourage and motivate them, and here, are skills of a good teacher;
- Dedication and commitment- they are so dedicated and committed, they work even full time just ensuring they are giving the best service to their student/pupils and also leave the students/pupils with some work to do this helps in reducing idleness both at home or school.
- Courtesy- so polite and approaches the society in a respectable manner, they also don’t just approach students/pupils anyhow they figure out ways in which to address the issue without hurting the student/pupil feelings.
- Honesty- they don’t lie, so open and speak their mind out, they correct the mistake and directs truthfully, and they also guide and the students/pupils various ways of being kind, honest and responsible.
- Time management- they keep time, and they don’t like wasting time, they watch their resting breaks and attend the lessons on time.
- Diligence-they will make the learning period so informative, interesting and also challenging. They will be able to handle the mental disorders student/pupil have the ability to comprehend whatever they are teaching, through motivating and encouraging them.
- Good communication skills- the way they talk or express their point is just so clear and the student/pupils can hear them so clearly, they are so audible they will teach step by step and demonstrate some activities so all the students may understand and get the point well.
- Listening skills- they are so attentive to what their students/ pupils are saying, and they will reason with them they just don’t jump into conclusions. After that, they will guide their student/pupil, and correctly teach them how on how to do right.
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- Organizations routine and procedures- maintain the school policy and routine at all time, they will always follow protocols of the school.
- Excellent teacher practitioner- they will practice their duties whenever they are called over, they don’t relent in practicing anything may it be during games time or teaching time they will provide with the facilities needed.
- Skilled leader- they teach on leadership skills, they elect the school student /pupils by making them the head of students and take them through leadership classes, they couch on how to deal with pressure or most difficult issue.
- Fairness and justice- they treat all the students. Equally, they listen to any grievance the student is reporting and will handle it calmly without taking sides.
- Pressure- they can handle pressure, i.e., they know how to deal with pressure, they handle pressure very well and don’t release it in their students/pupils.
Different schools have their own rules and ways of carrying things, and as a teacher, it’s always advisable to follow them just to avoid issues with the management. The more the school environment is conducive, the easier it will be to a teacher and also students/pupils. Be a leader to your student/pupil because they will always be looking on you. A good teacher will always ensure rules and regulations are followed. I hope this article is of help to you and I wish you as a teacher all the best in your teaching career.
Source: YEN.com.gh
