Estimated reading time: 2 mins
There is a big difference between a good teacher and a great teacher, and it is the great teachers that are the ones that stay in the mind of the pupil for life and have an impact far further reaching than the classroom. A great teacher is one that sets the pupil on the path to success in their life and does much more than teach them what is in the curriculum, so what makes a great teacher? There are a number of key attributes that a great teacher will have, so if you have aspirations of becoming an educator or you simply want to be a better teacher, then read on to find out more.
1. Ambition to Improve Themselves
The great teachers are also the ones that are ambitious themselves and always trying to improve. A great way to do this is by furthering your education, such as with an Early Childhood Leadership Advanced Certification, which will allow you to play a leadership role in early childhood education, which is so important for shaping a child’s future educational experience.
2. Good People Skills
You must also have good people skills if you are to excel as a teacher and not just the ability to communicate with children. You certainly need to be able to speak and listen to children well, but you must also be a great communicator with other adults, including your colleagues, superiors, and the parents of the children.
3. Be Kind Yet Respected
One area that many teachers struggle with is finding the line between being kind and respected – often, a teacher will be too gentle and kind, which can see them lose respect, but from the other side, they can be too stern and scare their pupils. Being kind yet respected is the balance that you need to find, which will involve being warm, friendly, and good-natured but also able to handle any issues that arise in the classroom swiftly and with confidence. Crucially, you must also show respect to your pupils too.
4. Passion
Perhaps most important is being passionate about teaching. It is hard to motivate and engage pupils with the lesson if you do not care for it yourself, so being passionate and positive when teaching is an essential attribute that every great teacher possesses.
5. Teach Beyond The Classroom
A great teacher can do much more than educate a child on what they can read in a textbook. A great teacher will inspire a pupil to see the world in a different light, help them to be able to look at issues from different angles, and even inspire them to be a better person. Teachers of young children can play a role not dissimilar from a parent where the pupil looks up to them, so they can play a big hand in their early development and shape their future.These are just a few of the attributes that every great teacher has, and it is important to realise that these can all be developed, so there is nothing but work and effort that is stopping you from becoming the best possible educator that you can be.
