Upon reflection on your schooling, you might have come across a teacher who particularly inspired and encouraged you. Perhaps a kindergarten instructor’s small deeds of kindness transformed your life, or maybe a college professor encouraged you to pursue a different line of work. But regardless of the subject you were learning or the grade you were in, chances are your best teacher had many of the abilities and traits included on this list, which delves into the specifics of what makes a successful teacher.
You don’t have to fit into a particular personality type to be an inspiring and successful teacher. However, if your objective is to become a more prosperous and engaging teacher, there are a few beneficial qualities you should focus on enhancing or cultivating.
1. Flexibility
Teachers need to be flexible because they have to adjust to changing circumstances and quickly assess what is and is not working for their students. You can transition between various learning theories and instructional modalities—something we’ll talk about briefly—by being adaptive and flexible rather than becoming paralyzed by anxiety or uncertainty.
2. Participation
Even very young students are observant and can quickly sense when their teachers are bored. You must model these qualities for your pupils, demonstrating an insatiable curiosity for learning and all the fascinating pursuits and pastimes it may lead to if you want to inspire engagement and excitement in your classroom.
3. Paying Attention
Active listening is essential when attempting to identify and assist pupils in overcoming their individual barriers and challenges. Ask for comments, promote honesty, give students easy methods to reach you, and pay close Attention. At the same time, you listen, always attempting to read between the lines and observing body language when speaking. Find out more about the benefits of developing your active listening abilities.
4. Devoid of Prejudice
You will be responsible for instructing a very diverse group of students as an educator. You must evaluate your pupils’ requirements in a biased-free manner to prevent inequity and discrimination and to guarantee fairness. This means you must constantly examine your opinions and presumptions about others.
5. Honorable Manner
There is still an innate power disparity between students and professors, even in classes of adult learners. Teachers must be aware of this imbalance and ensure that students feel valued and heard for who they are as individuals and for their contributions to the classroom.