Teachers are the best visual aids

"A picture is worth a thousand words." What does this mean? This means that a picture tells a story just as well as a number of descriptive texts. A picture conveys information more efficiently and effectively than words do.

Teachers make use of various audio-visual teaching aids to reinforce the teaching-earning process.An audio-visual demonstration, if used properly, can be a powerful tool to significantly enhance the learning process with very successful results. But do teachers realize that, more than anything else, the best visual aids are them?

Pictures, powerpoint presentations, television and other audio-visual aids are utilized for reinforcement purposes but nothing can change the fact that teachers are the best visual aids. Effective teachers are those who have enthusiasm and expertise on the subject, explaining ability and encourage the learners to think.

Based on experience, teachers in the field have discovered that they can involve learners more in classroom discussion through differentiated instructions, employing various activities and different learning styles.

A teacher's movement inside the classroom means a lot. Sitting behind a desk or standing on a platform creates gap or barriers between the learners and the teacher. It would be very good to have an aisle in order to reach those learners at the back, allowing the learners to ask questions and giving them the chance to interact. The use of body language is also important but teachers should see to it that it is done in such a way that you will look alert.

Oftentimes, teachers complain about discipline and lack of attention. Teachers should always remember that speaking or communicating is just a part of communication and that non-verbal communication through the eyes also conveys messages. The eyes are powerful tools for both the teacher and the learners, thus it is advisable to develop "the look" as part of the persona. "The look" could mean: "Is there any problem?", "Keep quiet please", among other things.As a teacher, I believe that eye contact is an important component of achieving success and improving rapport between the teacher and the learners. Make sure that you make eye contact with each learner, so that it seems you are talking to him or her individually.

Effective teachers need to be able to listen carefully to the learners, analyze their comments and questions, and effectively give feedback in a way that helps facilitate pupil discovery. The art of communication involves listening and speaking as well as reading and writing. Teachers need to be highly skilled in all these areas to excel in their profession. Proficient communicators receive information, understand and synthesize it and express themselves at a high level.

Facial expressions are powerful communication tools in classrooms, too. Oftentimes, when confronted with difficult behavior from pupils, teachers often get frustrated and disappointed and the tendency is apply the reaction to the entire class. This should not be done. Instead, find ways to manage one's emotions. Taking a second to consciously reset one's facial expression after addressing a negative behavior with the learners goes a long way to ensure that the classroom climate stays fair. This might be difficult, but it has to be remembered that teachers run the classroom, the activities and the education process, so they have to wear their best facial expressions.

I am posing this challenge to all teachers: You are the best teaching aid, so be sure that you are maximizing your full potential.