Characteristics of Great Teachers

Characteristics of Great teachers: Many teachers are good at what they do, but to be a great teacher it requires one to be above average. Teachers play an important role in making the world a better place. The impact the lives of both the young and the old. To be a great teacher it will require the one to have the following characteristics.

Characteristics of Great Teachers

Aspired and Inspired

A teacher who aspires for the best is able to bring the best from students. Teachers should aspire themselves to inspires the learners. Inspiration goes beyond just teaching. It aims at developing students in a well-rounded manner while providing the best example of good leadership styles. They are able to paint a vivid image of diverse and better reality. They give students hope that things can be better and they have a plan for making it so.

Learner-centered

Previously as rule, instructors focused on what they did other than what students were learning. This rule led to passive learning where learners had no responsibilities for their own learning. In learner-centered method the teacher aims at involving the learners in the learning process. This creates self-awareness and as results interest is stirred which eventually leads to development of skills and retention of knowledge.
Good in dialogue/Rapport
In some cases, it’s possible to find a teacher who is strong in knowledge but has a problem of passing on the desired information. Developing rapport involves harmonizing communication with the other person. For a teacher to create a good rapport he/she will need to identify with the students and remain calm, by decreasing the tension created by new conversation or differences in perspectives

Strong in Knowledge

Students look upto to the teacher for information. This requires the teacher to be well prepared in their area of specialization and other related areas. By encouraging questions and answering them appropriately helps the teacher to build confidence in students. Diverse reading will also help to improve knowledge.

Mentor

A mentor provides the guidelines relevant to education, career or professional growth. Teachers spend more times with students and they are able to identify their strength and weaknesses In circumstances where identify students doing great things they should offer strategic encouragement. Many students have given testimonies of how they achieved the best through the mentorship of their teachers.

Good in demonstration

Great teachers explain idea but when the same ideas are demonstrated they come out more vivid and clearer. Using the learning environment such as classrooms, football pitch, basketball courts, science laboratories the teachers should be able to bring in examples that will express knowledge. This can be done by drawing pictures and diagrams, testing, and even performing. Good demonstration requires creativity, understanding teaching aids and learning environment

Stimulate critical thinking

The reason why many schools are developing dormant students is because students wait to be given information by the teacher. Notes are dictated, some exams are easily predicable and assignments are from same sources for continuous years. A great teacher should stimulate critical thinking by encouraging case study and research. Before answering questions the teacher should have analyzed the questions and learn that the students are unable to develop the answer themselves. As a result the student will be forced to come up with relevant solutions to the problem facing them.

Confident

In order to be confident teachers are required to trust their abilities. As a result they will be able to have a general sense of control in their lives. Confidence does not mean having the answer for all problems but it enables one handle problems with ease. At time students may enquire a solution for questions which the teacher is not familiar with. At such a time confidence determine how the teacher will handle the situation. A genuine or positive respond will build student’s confidence in their teacher. A rude or negative response will create contempt toward the teacher

It’s no expectation that teachers should be perfect, but as role model many people have high expectations towards them. The joy of a teacher comes in when they look back and see the lives they were able to positively influence. Although the work of teachers cannot be measured, it’s their responsibilities to ensure they are the best. Many characters make a good teacher but some of them are outlined above