Teaching to trigger inspiration

KNOW-HOW: Alvina Clara enumerates the essential traits that make teaching, learning and evaluation an engaging and rewarding process.

Think back to when you were in school. Who was your favorite teacher that you still treasure today? Almost each one of us have had an effective teacher that we still remember not just for the lessons they taught us , but for inspiring and motivating us to do better our lives.

Students certify that the teachers they admired the most were those who remained intellectually curious and professionally vital both inside and outside the classroom for decades. They evaded stagnation at all costs and maintained an enviable passion for children and the learning process. They have made a vivid mark in the students' memories forever because of their creativity, sense of fun, and compassion.

The education industry knows well that a great teacher is one whom a student remembers and cherishes forever. Teachers leave long-lasting impact on the lives of their students, and the supreme teachers inspire students toward greatness. To be flourishing in the world of teaching, a teacher must have certain traits that are essential to make teaching, learning and evaluation an engaging and rewarding process. The following are some of the requisite qualities of inspiring teachers;
 
Passion for teaching

Passion is a motivational factor that affects teacher performance. It drives the teachers to create an effective learning environment and increase learning potential of students.

Passion leads to creativity. Therefore, passionate teachers have the ability to think and produce novel notions in an easy way. They teach with a high level commitment majorly concerned with the development of their students, and they put great efforts to get their students on a continuous learning mode. They cultivate students’ curiosity and interest in learning. Showing commitment to student learning can be an important factor in motivating students.

Committed teachers recognize and endeavor to fulfill their responsibilities to their students. The degree of devotion committed teachers have, toward their profession is one of their distinguished characters.

Teachers, who are engaged in their profession and committed to students and their learning, play a crucial role in development of students. Passionate teachers are committed and dedicated to their schools and a good education achievement is an outcome of this commitment and dedication.

Appealing teaching 

A good teacher is very engaging and holds the attention of all students in class discussions, establishing clear objectives for each lesson and works to meet those specific objectives during each class.

They have an appeal and charm in their style of teaching that primarily employs innovative teaching methodologies. They spend a lot of time in preparing for the class and think of creative ways to disseminate knowledge to the students in the most understandable manner and receive immediate feedback of the same through face gestures and body language. They strive to make learning an enjoyable two-way process.

Classroom management

Teachers play various roles in a typical classroom, but surely one of the most important is that of effective classroom management. Effective teaching and learning cannot take place in a poorly managed classroom. If disorder prevails with no apparent rules and procedures, chaos becomes the norm. In these situations, both teachers and students suffer. Teachers struggle to teach, and students most likely learn much less than they should. A well-known teacher has good classroom management skills and can ensure good student behavior, effective study and work habits, and an overall sense of respect in the classroom.

They teach by example by managing themselves well in front of the students with effective discipline skills that can promote positive behaviors and change in the classroom.

They take classes on a regular basis, begin and end the class on time, behave in a decent and professional manner with students with the right temperament, have low tolerance towards superfluous disturbances in the class. These values when lived, automatically harness the respect from students’ .A highly respected teacher gains good control over each student in the class-room.

Subject matter knowledge

Just style in teaching won’t suffice as it has to be complemented with substance. Substance here refers to the content part. Both progressive and conservative educators speak about the importance of content. Successful teaching needs a lot of excellent content that requires huge background preparation work before class commencement.

The best teachers often spend as much time preparing for a class as they do teaching it. They constantly struggle to always improve in their area. Good teachers are also quick learners displaying enthusiasm for their subject and a desire to share it with their students. They have thorough knowledge of the school's curriculum and other standards they must uphold in the classroom. They ensure their teaching meets the set yardsticks.

Honest in communication

Good teachers are skilled orators possessing not just proficiency in language but also in transmitting the message in the simplest manner to increase understanding and retention among students.

A great teacher maintains open communication with students, parents, administrators and keeps them informed of what is going on in the classroom as far as curriculum, discipline, and other issues of concern. They make themselves available for phone calls, meetings, and email communications whenever required.

They never tolerate any miscommunication and settle and misunderstandings with students on the spot.

Impartial assessments

When dealing with students, a real teacher doesn’t mix personal differences in the professional work areas. It’s human tendency to develop liking towards certain talented students or slow learners who demand personal attention. The trait that a good teacher maintains is impartiality in his/her assessments and evaluation of students.

The assessments must be based on knowledge, abilities, skills, talents, and not mere liking or disliking. Never personal differences must erode the relationship of a student and teacher. The teacher must be unbiased and neutral towards each learner giving due importance to all students.

Compassionate and caring

Superior teachers have both compassion and care for their students. They respect each student as a unique individual giving them proper guidance with ample space and time to develop. Good teachers are empathetic toward their students. They may not always do exactly what the students want them to do, but they consider the students' point of view at every turn and act fairly accordingly. Excellent teachers also understand their student’s drives, motives and desires.

They coax them to better their performance by triggering their motivation at the right time with convincing approaches. The highly accomplished teachers are the most humble, readily accept their mistakes when wrong whether it is a spelling mistake or vague explanation .They never allow ego to surface in between student-teacher relationships.

Rapport with students

Due to the above mentioned qualities, it’s obvious that a great teacher develops a strong rapport with students and establishes trusting relationships. A good teacher is someone who believes in students and is not there just to collect a paycheck. More than pay, the goodwill they create with students is the most motivating factor that contributes to job satisfaction.

When students enjoy rapport with their teachers they feel highly motivated with increased comfort levels in their communication and dealings. Students develop positive perceptions towards the course and their satisfaction levels increase.  Trust is an outcome of good rapport. Once rapport has been established, trust between the student-teacher grows.

Teachers can, and do, change lives. They can light candles in the darkest mind. They can mould beliefs and behaviors, setting an example to follow.  Great Teachers believe in themselves and in the abilities of their students.

They look for the best in both and their attitude reflects it. Greatness in teaching is just as rare as greatness in medicine, dance, law, or any other profession.

Although the qualities that make great teachers are not easy to inculcate or duplicate, understanding these qualities can give all teachers a standard of excellence to strive for, and guide schools in their efforts to recruit and retain the best
teachers.