The requisites for great teaching
KNOWLEDGE and skills are two essential requisites for a successful job. In the teaching profession, it is crucial for teachers to have a strong grasp of the material they are teaching. Elementary school teachers must have very good content knowledge in basic numeracy, literacy, social studies and science. High school teachers, who usually specialize in only one or two subject areas, must have a thorough knowledge and understanding of their area of specialty. Teachers also need to know how children learn. They need to know the expectations in development for children of different ages. They also need to know a variety of teaching strategies and disciplinary techniques.
Teachers need a variety of skills to become proficient in their careers. They need excellent communication skills so they can explain the material in the curriculum in a variety of ways to students who have diverse learning styles. They also need superior interpersonal skills, such as patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations. Collaborative skills enable them to work productively with their colleagues. Creativity and presentation skills are important when planning and executing lessons in order to stimulate learners and hold their interest. As schools become more technologically advanced, teachers also need basic technological skills for audio-visual presentations.
While I am aware that knowledge and skills are important, they seem to have lesser to do with great teaching than our attitude toward our students, our subject, and our work. Undoubtedly, teaching is hard work and some teachers never grow to be anything better than mediocre. They do the bare minimum required and very little more. The great teachers, however, work tirelessly to create a challenging, nurturing environment for their students.
In a great teacher’s classroom, each person’s ideas and opinions are valued. Students feel safe to express their feelings and learn to respect and listen to others. Seeking mutual respect and trust is a goal of outstanding teachers. They are warm, pleasant, approachable and tolerant of student differences. They are consistent and fair. They help their students to feel good about themselves and continually work at developing a positive relationship with individuals and the class as a whole.
Great teachers recognize the value and worth of each person. They try to understand their student and his perspective. They have empathy. They try to 'get into' the other fellow's shoes and 'walk a few miles'. Great Teachers esteem their students as valuable, even if they are much different than themselves, less educated or in a lower position. They recognize that they too were once in the place of apprentice. Great teachers treat their students with respect and thus earn the respect of them as well.
We all have knowledgeable and skillful teachers in our schools. They are certainly admired. Surprisingly however, the additional traits great teachers manifest have nothing to do with academic credentials, intellect or measurable knowledge and there is no telling who or what that person can inspire. Rosemarie O. Tolero