To be a good teacher is the dream of every teacher. But what is a good teacher? And what differentiates a better teacher from other teachers? In other words: what are the qualities of a good teacher?

Below are the qualities and characteristics of a good teacher, some of which you may be very familiar with. Take a look and see what you think.

1. They are self-confident

Confidence to teach can mean several things: it can range from confidence in the knowledge teachers are teaching to confidence in their ability to master the teaching and learning process in general. In addition, good classroom management is also important to improve self-confidence. While these two “revelations” (and many more) are important, the most critical trust a teacher can experience is much more general and harder to describe than that.

Self-confidence is having confidence in your ability to do a good job, to help students improve, to act in a positive way, to adapt to new teaching methods. It is also to be aware of its value and its usefulness in society.

It is the awareness you have of knowing that you are in the right place to do what you want to do, and that no matter what happens, having this time to spend with these young learners will be beneficial, both for them and for you. for the students, it is clear that the teachers radiate this feeling. Working in schools can be difficult and stressful, but also – thankfully – extremely rewarding. But if you’re not sure you’re in the right place when teaching, you probably aren’t.

2. Ils ont une expérience de vie

Having some experience of life outside the classroom and outside of education is invaluable in contextualizing learning and keeping school activities in perspective. This is one of the necessary qualities of a good teacher. Teachers who have traveled, worked in other fields, played high performance sports or had a number of other life experiences bring perspectives to the profession other than those of the theoretical “teacher”. From understanding the critical importance of collaboration and teamwork, to being able to answer the timeless mathematical question “when are we going to use this?” teachers who have devoted considerable time and energy to alternative pursuits come to the profession with a deep understanding of the school’s place in the larger picture of life.

3. They are aware of student motivation

Pour que les élèves cherchent à s’améliorer, il faut bien sûr qu’ils soient motivés. Et pour susciter cette motivation chez eux, on doit leur permettre d’agir comme les acteurs principaux ; leur rôle n’étant pas de recevoir de l’information comme dans une activité d’enseignement (par exemple, un exposé), mais de se servir de la matière apprise pour résoudre des problèmes ou encore, d’effectuer les exercices proposés par l’enseignant.

Also, with each student having a different set of interests, each student will have a different set of motivators as a result. Many (or most) students will be able to reconcile their own perspectives and ambitions with what is happening in the classroom and derive sufficient motivation to move forward. Unfortunately, some students will also simply rely on external motivations. What’s worse is that we’ve all come across students who can’t find a connection between what motivates them and what’s going on in the classroom around them.

These students run the risk of disengaging completely. This is where the lead teacher needs to get to know each of their students to help them contextualize the work they are doing and allow them to connect with something within their area of ​​interest. Teachers who cannot help students make this connection need to reconsider what is happening. After all, what is the point of work that a student finds no interest in and cannot make any connection to?

4. They are humans, not heroes

Yes, all teachers are heroes. Now let’s move beyond the platitude to see what it really means. Some teachers still struggle to show their vulnerability to fallibility. These teachers will spend a tremendous amount of energy hiding the fact that they are frustrated with something, upset or maybe even angry. Why ? Other teachers are bound by internal logics to avoid admitting “I have no idea the answer to your question.” But among the qualities of a good teacher is that he genuinely connects with students, and is not afraid to show emotion in class, and who can humbly admit that he is not the repository of all knowledge.

Of course, no one wants to be a killjoy teacher in class, but what better way to teach empathy than to provide students with someone to sympathize with when they start a bad day? What better way to foster collaboration and teach than to admit that it’s okay not to know something and then say, “I don’t know, let’s find out”?

5. They are technically proficient

Let’s not insist on this point. After all, a lot of ink (or pixels as the case may be!) has already been spilled on this topic. Over time, the statement: “but I’m not very good with _________” (fill in the blank with any number of technological devices) becomes more like: “but I’m not very good with a phone “.

The only time the above sentiment is acceptable is when it is immediately followed by, “but I’m all willing to learn!” After all, we wouldn’t accept such weak rationalizations from students about their work. As teachers, we lose credibility every time we allow such excuses to go unchallenged. There, all is said…

6. They are self-taught

New technologies are a way to get students interested in the different subjects of their learning. This is one of the qualities of a good teacher. This is why teachers like to use new technologies in the classroom. These tools can be excellent allies for a teacher who wants to take the time to build relevant activities. So they have to adapt to these new technologies, and often train themselves as self-taught in the computer field and new technologies.

7. They take risks

Teachers who have done exceptional things in their professional life dare to take risks. This does not mean putting their lives or those of the students in danger, no, but rather taking the risk of upsetting their habits and routines. It is the risk of trying new teaching methods, of finding new solutions to everyday problems, of doing something new, daring. They are convinced that to succeed, you have to take the risk of failure.

Teachers also encourage their students to take risks, they all would like to be risk takers, but not all teachers are naturally reckless. This point goes hand in hand with the demonstration of their vulnerability. The teacher who is ready to stand out, to try something new, to be “wacky” in the name of pedagogy, earns the respect of the students, even if the sarcastic and the malcontents – and there always are – seem say something different.

No matter the success or failure of the risk that is taken, the experience will certainly be memorable for the children of this class, and deep down, isn’t that exactly what we are aiming for? After all, as the old saying goes, “there is no such thing as bad publicity”.

8. They focus on the essentials

They help their students retain the essentials of the course in class to prepare them for exams. In other words, they grasp the essential ideas of the course, and this will facilitate the task of the students during their revisions. This technique can be even more useful and effective during the year of the baccalaureate, during which the program is quite busy and the material to go through during the preparations for the exam is quite voluminous. As a result, the more material students retain in class, the less difficulty they will have in revising.

Whether it’s worrying about who’s late to class, collating every little piece of work in order to “collect notes” or spending too much time lecturing the class in order to “cover material”, the lack of means implemented to distract teachers from what is important does not exist! Teachers who are strong know that little things like chronic lateness or truancy are usually symptoms of larger underlying issues and as such spending valuable time and energy trying to “solving” the problem almost never works.

Additionally, among the qualities of a good teacher, they also understand that efficient and effective assessment means minimizing work while giving focused and meaningful feedback and that engaging students, connecting material to their interests and passions is the surest way to maximize learning.

9. They don’t care too much about what the administration thinks

Solid teachers do their job without worrying too much about “what the school principal will think”. They will take risks, their classes may be noisy, or messy, or both. Their activities may end up breaking something (usually the rules) in order to generate excitement or engagement. They understand that learning is not a neat and orderly activity and that following rules and routines can cause students to lose their natural curiosity, spontaneity and the passion they bring to school. So, you have to learn to manage the pressure of your hierarchy.

Worrying about what the principal may think can be exhausting and overwhelming in any job, and teaching is no exception.

10. They have great adaptability and flexibility

Among the qualities of a good teacher: They have great adaptability and flexibility

Each student comes from a unique background with individual personality, educational needs and diverse developmental stages. Often teachers feel that while a lesson plan or teaching method actually works well with one type of student, it may not necessarily work with another student. Good teachers therefore learn to adapt to meet the individual needs of each student. You can learn how to adjust by following these steps:

– Celebrate student individuality: create an environment of acceptance by encouraging creativity, freedom of thought and questioning in the classroom. Accept students where they are developmentally and academically. When students feel comfortable and accepted, they also feel more comfortable asking questions and learning.

– Identify different learning styles: Good teachers are able to identify the individual learning needs of their students while creating lesson plans to suit their academic style. For example, some students learn best in a classroom, while others are better able to grasp information through hands-on learning opportunities. Consider combining methods in lessons to engage your students’ attention more.