How to Be a Successful Teacher
Anyone can be a teacher, but being successful at it is something that requires a concerted effort. A successful teacher is one who can make the learning process engaging and interesting for their students. You know you’re successful if you have a classroom full of students who can retain knowledge, know how to apply it, and are interested in learning more.
Teaching involves a lot of dedication and hard work, mostly towards developing a comprehensive lesson plan, keeping the class engaged, and making sure the lesson plan and class objective are being met. Successful teachers are organized and puts in their hearts and souls into everything they do for the class. They also are the ones who set the mood of the class, bringing in a positive attitude and creating a learning environment. While there are countless tips on how to be a successful teacher, here are our top 12!
1. Establish a relationship with your students
A teacher needs to work on building a connection with their students to meeting the desired learning goals successfully. As a teacher, doing so will help you understand your students’ interests and how to work with them to gain the best possible outcomes.
Build that connection by knowing about your students as much as possible. Talk to them about their personal lives and general interests. It will work in your favor as you can plan your lessons according to what resonates with them the most.
2. Believe in your students
For students to perform well, they need someone to believe in them, and that ‘someone’ should ideally be their teacher. There will be days when students can’t believe in themselves or find any motivation to work. You need to encourage them, tell them you believe in them, and show them that they are capable of achieving whatever they want. When you encourage them through actions and words, you’ll see improvement in their class performance.
3. Know your field of study well
A major step on the journey to being a successful teacher is knowing your field of study inside out. The process of learning never ends. Don’t stop where you are, and keep learning even if it’s one new thing every day. Not only will this give you the confidence to teach better, but it will equip you to answer your students’ questions more promptly.
It will also make the process of teaching easier and more wholesome for you as doing so will let you give your students the highest level of knowledge they can receive from your teaching.
4. Have a positive attitude
A positive attitude is important for being successful at anything in life. You’ll be able to reach your maximum potential while staying approachable to those around you. If your students see you being enthusiastic and positive, they will feel more comfortable coming to you with their problems.
Make a conscious effort to keep smiling when you’re addressing your students and say encouraging words to them often.
5. Take risks
Nobody ever became successful by sitting in a comfortable position their whole lives. Achieving success requires you to try out new things. In this case, you should try new teaching strategies. You will only learn by trying and taking risks. Take risks from time to time.
It’ll make the process more fun for you and your students. You’ll be leading by example and showing others the importance of being bold and trying new strategies while stepping out of your comfort zone.
6. Be creative with your teaching methods
Be experimental, and move away from the textbooks. Come up with innovative strategies to keep your students engaged. In today’s day and age, there are so many different ways to do this. Use interactive methods that grab the attention of your students and make the learning process more fun. Remember, if they are interested, they will work harder, which will, in turn, get you better results.
7. Be consistent
Don’t lose that spark. Stay consistent with your work ethic. If you plan out something, make sure you follow through with it. Keep putting in that hard work and passion, and you’re good to go.
8. Stay up-to-date
Teaching methods that were popular some years ago may not be anymore. For example, visual presentations are used more often, tablet devices are preferred over notebooks, and so on.
To be a successful teacher, you need to stay updated with all the progress being made regarding teaching in different parts of the world, your specialized field, and technology. It will help your students be more engaged in your subject matter, and they will also take you more seriously when they see you are aware of everything.
9. Communication
The basis of any successful relationship is good communication. Communicate your concerns to your students daily, so that you have a healthy relationship. This goes for not just the students but their parents as well. Build a good rapport with them to stay connected and get the best results.
10. Show empathy
Very often, personal matters may affect a student’s life. In such cases, you need to show empathy and take out time to give them the attention they need. They will then be able to confide in you. You’ll be able to help them through their hardship and ensure better results.
11. Find good study material
Apart from their assigned books, take out the time to find interesting material relevant to their subject matter. This could be in the form of online resources, such as blogs, articles, TED talks, etc. It will help them engage with the subject being covered in the class and develop a love for it.
12. Set goals
You should set goals for yourself and your students. Even though it may not seem like it, teaching is all about teamwork. So, speak to your students and establish goals with them, which will motivate the two of you to work harder. Always remember to have a reward for them as a further incentive to reach the desired goal.
Follow these 12 easy tips to become a successful teacher who students look up to and other teachers emulate! Put in your best effort, and you’ll shine in no time. Happy teaching!