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Becoming an Effective Teacher
Many teachers enter the field in hopes of not only being able to teach, but also in being able to make a difference in the lives of the students. Although new teachers have many ideas on how to teach, they often have trouble implementing those ideas effectively. Becoming an effective teacher is a life-long process, but there are certain characteristics that teachers can adopt that will help them become more effective in the classroom.
- Positive expectations – In psychology, the term “self-fulfilling prophecy” is used to describe how children will live up, or down, to teacher and parent expectations. Becoming an effective teacher means developing positive expectations for the class. Regardless of the child’s scores, teachers should praise their efforts. Positive reinforcement from the teacher encourages the child to keep trying, rather than become discouraged. In additions, effective teachers let students know they are capable learners. Even students who have no motivation or encouragement at home can benefit from a teacher’s positive expectations.
- Enthusiasm – Showing enthusiasm in the classroom is another characteristic of effective teachers. Displaying enthusiasm in the classroom makes activities seem more fun and helps keep students interested. Using expressive speech and gestures, and moving about the classroom prevents the boredom that comes with teachers who stand in one place while speaking in monotone. Maintaining eye contact with students also helps to keep them interested what is said by making them feel as though they are part of a conversation instead of sitting in a lecture.
- Organization – Extending beyond just the material covered in class, organization also includes classroom management. Effective teaching involves effectively managing the roll, grade book and student discipline. The classroom management portion of organization also involves maintaining order, including preventing or eliminating distractions that disrupt the learning process.
- Lesson and activity design – An effective teacher must be able to design lessons and activities that meet the needs of the students. Lesson design includes focusing discussions around the material being presented, as well as any supplemental activities that enhance the students’ ability to learn the material. Lessons should follow a logical order, and adding variety can help keep students’ attention and prevent disruptions. Designing lessons and activities also includes evaluating whether students are actually learning anything from the lessons.
- Rapport – Building good rapport with the students is another characteristic of effective teachers. A good rapport includes being available outside of class to answer questions and help students, as well as showing tolerance toward different viewpoints that may be expressed in class. Building a good rapport is part of building an interpersonal relationship with the students, which increases the bond of trust between teacher and student.
In addition to these characteristics, there are behaviors and teaching methods that can help any teacher become more effective in the classroom. While there is no one activity or magic fix that will automatically create a more effective teacher, it can be accomplished through time and effort. Applying the five characteristics listed above is an excellent start on the journey to becoming a more effective teacher.
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There are lots of new ideas in education today. But which ones really work and how do you know who to believe?Go to any bookstore and there are hundreds of books on teaching strategies and how to teach. Looking through them, they all look pretty much the same to me.
After a pretty good search, I recommend a book by Christine Morrison. With over 30 years in the classroom her book, Teaching Secrets, is worthwhile for experienced as well as new teachers, http://www.teaching-secrets.com.