AGSC 325
Characteristics
of Effective Teachers
Looking
back we can all recall wonderful memories of our favorite teachers from
elementary school thru college. Their methods, personalities, and kind-hearted
ways all bring a warm feeling into our hearts and provide us with a sense of
nostalgia. These men and women went above and beyond to make us feel special
and unique and to give us the gift of knowledge. To be an effective teacher,
much more is required than merely showing up at eight, reading from a book,
assigning some homework and leaving at three. This is not a job for the lazy or
selfish. This is an industry made of unique people who share certain
characteristics that make them so wonderfully effective and unforgettable.
Some
students can attend class, read the book, attempt the homework and still have
no clue as to what is going on in their class. Sometimes it even seems as if
the professor or teacher is speaking a foreign language unknown to all
students. I once took a class about reproduction and never knew what the
teacher was talking about; I was completely lost and confused about the whole
process of animals in heat. One day the professor had a substitute who came in
and changed the cloudy image; she used demonstrations and real-life examples to
bring clarity to the situation. Most students are not stupid; they just need
information brought to their level. Clarity is a necessary attribute for a good
teacher; we must be clear, accurate and concise when giving any information to
students and be certain that they retain and understand what we are telling and
showing them. The only problem that could accompany clarity is by over
clarifying too much and forgetting the students who are on a higher level.
Students learn in
different ways at different speeds and on completely different levels; teachers
must adapt to their students and become familiar in teaching and explaining
assignments in all different ways and intelligence levels. In my high school
math class, the teacher often had a few of the faster learners in the class
help the other students. She realized that we understood the topic and would be
a great help to the struggling students. This way, the students who needed help
were receiving it and the rest of us were kept busy. An effective teacher must
possess variability so that no student is left behind or confused. Most
information is learned by scaffolding, which is information that is linked and
builds on to prior information. We must use different methods but make certain
that knowledge is being given to students in effective, precise methods.
When
thinking of an enthusiastic teacher it is probably easier to imagine a young
educator, fresh out of college, full of energy and ready to take on the world.
The opposite would be the guy on the Clear Eyes commercial—monotonous, bored,
and dull. I will never forget my fourth grade teacher; she was the most
positive woman and had a smile and laugh that we all fell in love with. We were
allowed to be creative and have fun while learning. An enthusiastic teacher is
one that will stay in her students’ hearts forever. It’s no wonder why students
are enthralled and drawn to enthusiastic teachers; they possess an infectious
love of knowledge and are full of fun games and interesting learning techniques.
They have not been bogged down by rules, supervisors, negative parents and the bureaucracy.
Enthusiasm is one of the best characteristics that a teacher can have; if we
are bored and tired how can we expect our students to be interested and inquisitive?
Our enthusiasm directly impacts the success of our students.
As
a teacher we must follow some guidelines, procedures and processes. We need to
be creative and innovative, yet we must present specific knowledge to our
students in certain manners. A good teacher is one that is task oriented and
displays business-like behavior. Every single specific detail need not be
planned, but a general schedule must be followed and a list of tasks must be
completed in order to ensure efficiency and accuracy. Although we need order,
we can not be solely concerned on out timeline. Sometimes activities will take
longer or be much shorter than we had anticipated. We need to be prepared for
these times and learn how to act on the spur of the moment to create time fillers.
We might also have to shorten other topics and lessons if students need extra
help in other areas.
What
is a teacher other than a receptacle for information that is to be transferred
to students? Teaching, explaining, and giving our students the opportunities to
learn are necessary parts of our job. I’m sure most people can remember that
“teacher” they had that never had a lesson plan, never cracked a book, and
never assigned homework. In high school this was probably one of my favorite
classes, now I see it as a waste of time; the subject was most likely an
important one and deserved to be taught and learned. It is easy to remember
walking out of a class and wondering when, if ever, the information divulged
will ever be used? Why learn math formulas, history facts and correct grammar?
Another characteristic of an effective teacher is being able to give our
students the opportunities to learn material. As teachers we must make the
information relevant to our students; we must show our students how they will
use the information in their daily lives and why it actually does matter. If
the information is made real to our students and they can truly visualize what
we are saying, they are much more likely to remember what they have been taught.