When it comes to learning, a teacher’s importance and influence on student achievement cannot be underestimated. Chances are almost everyone can name a teacher who stands out because they were engaging, encouraging, or inspiring.
A study conducted by the Melbourne Education Research Institute at the University of Melbourne finds that the qualities of a good teacher far outweigh other factors such as class size, technology, and timetables when it comes to impacting student learning.
Here are the top five key qualities of a good teacher in a classroom:
1. Engaging teaching style
Teachers who are the most open, welcoming, and easy to approach exhibit traits helpful to students’ academic success. A teacher who is not friendly or easy to talk to creates an environment where students will have questions that cannot be answered. These unapproachable teachers will not last long.
When it comes to teaching style, unless students are actively using concepts you are teaching, most students will remember only a small fraction of what you teach. A lecture-based model may be an efficient way to deliver a lesson to a large audience of students, but it is not an effective method to provide students with impactful knowledge and skills. Teachers should consider augmenting traditional lectures with problem solving exercises and case studies in small groups, allowing students to engage with the material being covered.
2. Clear objectives and expectations
To minimize ambiguity for students, teachers should aim to set clear expectations, apply these expectations consistently, and admit when they either don’t know an answer to a question or are wrong. Whether you deduct points on a test question, give a low grade on an assignment, or penalize a student for a late assignment, you should be able to clearly explain your rationale. If you clearly outline policies and expectations – both for the course and each assignment – ahead of time, that will help reduce any questions surrounding what the teacher’s expectations are after the fact.
Once you have established what your standards and expectations are, it is imperative to apply them consistently and equally, otherwise you will lose credibility. As mentioned earlier, if you realize that you have made a mistake or simply do not know the answer to a question, it is much better to be honest and acknowledge it rather than provide an inaccurate response or ignore it.
3. Knowledge and passion for subject matter
Great teachers not only love their subject, but also enjoy sharing that passion with their students. Passion is one of the infectious qualities of a good teacher. Passion drives curiosity to learn more by investigating and thinking critically, inspiring deeper knowledge. Impactful teachers are able to instill that sense of passion and desire to learn more into their students.
When the teacher is able to answer a student’s question with not just the correct answer, but also answer with relevant examples, memorable illustrative anecdotes, and personal experiences, then all lessons generate more value and inspire more interest.
At the same time, a teacher is only as good as what they know. If a teacher lacks knowledge in a subject area, then that knowledge gap is passed along to the students.
4. Dedication to teaching
Similar to having a passion for a particular subject matter, a teacher’s dedication to teaching is equally imperative. A great teacher should embody the spirit of continuous and lifelong learning and always be willing to help and give time to work with students.
Dedication encompasses many aspects. Some of which include: having a deep sense of connection with students; providing each student the best possible environment and tools for learning; and working with parents to understand what challenges the students may have to learning and what approaches might work best with them specifically.
Furthermore, great teachers engage with their coworkers for input and feedback on how to best structure their lesson plans and teaching style in order to be the most effective as possible. Teachers should also encourage feedback from students to improve content delivery.
Impactful teachers also seek to be highly involved with their respective institutions to curate the highest quality educational opportunities for students.
5. Ability to develop relationships with their students
There is a saying that people do not care what you know until they know that you care. Perhaps the most important factor in determining how effective a teacher is lies with their ability to develop relationships with students. Teachers need to be able to build trusting relationships with students.
Many students can recount a teacher who was brilliant and possessed an impressive academic curriculum vitae but did not necessarily possess the traits of a great teacher. It is not enough just to know what you are talking about. In classrooms where learning is genuine and effective, there is a connection between students and teacher. In order to foster successful learning environments, great teachers needs to be able to build caring relationships with their students. A nurturing student-teacher relationship encourages the exchange of information.
Teachers need to build trusting relationships in order to create a safe and productive learning environment. Effective teachers are willing to listen to students when there is a problem. The best teachers are often the ones that care the most deeply about each student – not just their jobs. Caring about the students is what inspires teachers to reach out, learn, and improve.
