“Teachers who love teaching teach their students to love learning.” This simple quote provides the best characteristic of a good teacher. Who dares to teach must never cease to learn. The main objective of this article is to provide the characteristics of a good instructor in order to become effective in teaching his or her students. The best teaching method is to know how to get the attention of the students so that they will be enthusiastic to learn. A teacher must be able to motivate the students to study by being a good role model to them so that they will behave well in class. Being passionate in teaching will be able to inspire the students to study harder and earn good grades. A teacher must also be able to give a helping hand, open the mind and touch the hearts of the students to earn their respect.
The teacher should have the authority to discipline the class and listen during discussions. It is important for the teacher to get the attention of the class so that they stay focused during the lecture. It is not advisable for the instructor to raise his or her voice just to get the attention of the students. It is also important to give the students the opportunity to ask questions and participate during class discussions. In this manner, the teacher is given the permission to engage the students in something they find interesting (Foley 1). It is vital for the students to trust their teacher so that they build a harmonious relationship. The objective of the instructor is to help the students achieve their goals in life. At the same time, it is also essential for teachers to know the qualities of being a good instructor which are: passionate, approachable, patient, fair, encouraging, forgiving and being a disciplinarian at the same time.
One of the ways to motivate the students is by giving them incentives to give their best in doing their homework. The students may sometimes feel that they are not required to give their best effort in doing their assignments because they are not graded. One of the strategies that will push the students to do their best in completing the homework is when the teacher makes random checking of the homework at the beginning of the class. When a student is picked randomly by the teacher and it was revealed that he or she did not do the homework correctly, such student will be given another homework that should be submitted the next day. Failure of the student to do corresponds to a penalty. However, if the students come prepared in class by doing their homework, the class will not have a warm-up assignment checking the next day and such student will be considered by the classmates as a hero (Foley 1). This will encourage the students to build teamwork within the class and giving their best in completing their assignments.
Raising the teacher’s voice to get the attention of the students is not the best approach because it can only cause stress and such the vibe will make the room not conducive for learning and not worth it (Alber 1). The students have the tendency to imitate the voice level of the teacher so it will be best for teachers to avoid using the raised tone of the voice. Keeping the voice at the normal volume will influence the students to talk at a normal, pleasant volume that is conducive for learning. This will also form part of the instilling discipline among the students. Good class management means being able to become a model citizen and to explain to the students the consequences of misbehavior (Foley 1).
It is important for teachers to explain to the students from the beginning what is expected of them. In this manner, the students will know the teacher’s expectations of them and what needs to be corrected (Linsin 1). By explaining to the students the teachers like and dislikes will develop a harmonious relationship inside the classroom. Using the powerful persuasion technique will enable the teacher to change the students’ bad behavior in class by making the reasoning easy to understand (Linsin 1). Another tip for effective teaching is learning how to challenge the students to stand-up for what they believe in by allowing them to participate in class and share their points of view. With these helpful tips for the teachers, it will be easier to make teachers more effective. The teachers will only be able to reach out to their students if they make them feel that they understand their sentiments.
A teacher must not raise his/her voice because it will cause a negative effect on the students and discourage them to do better in class (Alber 1). Alber explained that in order to hold a class, it is unnecessary for the teachers to raise the voice volume of his or her voice to prove a point (1). The best way to get the students attention is to use the normal tone of the voice because to help the teachers to manage the class and teach the student the correct behavior. Using a well-designed and engaging lesson will motivate the students to study harder.
It is also important to prevent the students from disrespecting their teachers (Linsin When teachers lecture individual students because of their unruly behavior, it must not be done out of anger but should be intended to help them improve their behavior. Being able to explain to the students the consequences of their bad behavior should be done in a manner that will not cause them to dislike the teacher. If the teacher becomes angry with a student, it will cause them to lose respect and have the desire to become vindictive, which in effect will greatly diminish the teacher’s influence (Linsin 1). There are some teachers who are not patient and passionate of their students to the point that their students disrespect them. The most important part of teaching is being able to manage the class effectively and to make the students behave well in class. The teachers should be constantly reminded that the students are the future of the country, and that the community will always need their creative and hard work. Thus, the teachers must always set a good example to influence their students to emulate their deeds. The importance of using a normal modulated voice is one of the ways to become an effective teacher and to avoid raising his/her voice in the class.
The teachers must also use nonverbal communication by making eye contact with students to get their attention for the class to stay quiet (Alber 1). Sometimes actions speak louder than words and it will take some time before the students will get used to such routine. Even hand gestures are effective in such a way that the teachers will only have to raise their hand to inform the students that it is his or her time to talk.
Being able to explain in reasonable terms will make the students more likely to agree with the teacher and change their behavior towards better learning. Teachers must be honest and direct to the point by offering a clear explanation when they say constructive criticisms to their students and to give them the chance to change their wrong behavior. It is vital for the teachers to make their reasoning brief, direct, and easy to understand by their students (Linsin 1).
It is important to instill discipline among the students by giving assignments to students as part of their continued learning even if they are at home. The teachers must be able to encourage the student to give their best effort in doing their assignment and learn the concept of punishment if the students fail to complete his or her homework. This is part of the discipline that the students should be able to learn while they are still young. It is through discipline that students learn to become strong and resilient to weather all the obstacles that may come their way in the pursuit of their dreams.
It is important for the teachers to reward their students by giving them extra credit or bonus in order to make the student feel comfortable in the class (Foley 1). The students should work independently in doing their assignments and not seek peer approval in completing the tasks. Foley suggests that if the students come prepared in class by doing their homework, the class will not have a warm-up assignment checking the next day and such student will be considered by the classmates as a hero (1). This will encourage the students to build teamwork within the class and giving their best in completing their assignments. Building a harmonious relationship between the teacher and the students will encourage the students work hard in the class. The students must be constantly reminded that they should study hard to be able to get good grades which will be their ticket to enter the best universities.
Finally, the teachers should be able to bring out the best in their students by challenging them. This can be done by telling the students that they should be able to show to the teacher and prove him or her that they know how to listen, learn, study, and to become the best students that they can be (Linsin 1). In this manner, the students will strive harder to earn the grades that they deserve. It is important for the teachers to understand the significant role they play in shaping the future of their young students.
Works Cited:
Alber, Rebecca, “5 Quick Classroom-Management Tips for Novice Teachers.” Edutopia, 13 March 2012. Web. 23 April 2016.
Linsin, Michael, “How To Motivate Your Students To Behave Better, Work Harder, Care For Each Other Or Anything Else You Want From Them.” 30 October 2010. Web. 23 April 2016.
Foley, Dave, “6 Classroom Management Tips Every Teacher Can Use.” National Education Association. 2015. Web. 23 April 2016.
