Top five qualities of effective teachers, according to students
1. The ability to develop relationships with their students
The most frequent response is that a great teacher develops relationships with
students. The research literature agrees with them: Teachers need to be able to build
trusting relationships with students in order to create a safe, positive, and productive
learning environment. For example, a student in Boston told us that great teachers are
“Willing to listen to students when there is a problem.”
2. Patient, caring, and kind personality
Personality characteristics related to being a compassionate person and having a
sensitivity to student differences, particularly with learners, was the second most
frequently reported quality. Again, there is research to support that teacher dispositions
are strongly related to student learning and development.
3. Knowledge of learners
This is a broad category that incorporates knowledge of the cognitive, social and
emotional development of learners. It includes an understanding of how students learn
at a given developmental level; how learning in a specific subject area typically
progresses like learning progressions or trajectories; awareness that learners have
individual needs and abilities; and an understanding that instruction should be tailored
to meet each learner’s needs. One student eloquently described it as: “The teacher
understands the pace and capacity of the student.”
4. Dedication to teaching
Dedication refers to a love of teaching or passion for the work, which includes
commitment to students’ success. Responses often referred to loving the subject matter
or simply being dedicated to the work. To a student, this means a teacher should be
“always willing to help and give time.”
5. Engaging students in learning
Students also said that teachers should be able to engage and motivate students to
learn. Researchers talk about three types of engagement that are required for students
to learn: cognitive, emotional, and behavioral. Survey respondents mostly focused on
making content interesting and the ability to motivate students to learn. A student in
Pennsylvania said great teachers are, “motivating students to succeed in and out of
school.”
In this rapid-changing world, as the skills, knowledge and needs of students change, so
does the role of the teacher. Since students spend most of the time with the teacher,
teacher often considered as a guider, mentor, adviser, role model or friend. Apart from
knowledge expert, a teacher must demonstrate positive ethnics and qualities. These
qualities can be reflected in his thought, speech and behavior and students were
expected to learn it. A teacher can also share his personal experiences with students
and give assistance, advice, suggestions when the students are facing personal
problems.
Beside showing close and caring connections with students, the ultimate role of teacher
is transforming a student into independent, self-directed and life-long learner. The most
common role of teacher includes teaching knowledge and design curriculum/syllabus.
Teacher serves as a knowledge provider and delivers information to the students
through lectures and notes. As depicted in Saber-Tooth Curriculum by J. Abner
Peddiwell, teachers must always revise the curriculum and focus on up-dated skills and
knowledge. As quoted by John Dewey "If we teach today's students as we taught
yesterdays, we rob them of tomorrow", because yesterday’s education is no longer
effective for tomorrow's students. In view of this, the role of teacher must change in
order to adapts to the needs of today’s culture.
In my opinion, teacher should adopt a student-centered approach in the process of
teaching. Teacher provides the materials to students and creates an environment that
encourages self-directed learning. Teacher should become an expert questioner, rather
than provider of answers. Students need to be intellectual literacy and acquired
problem-solving skills, instead of solely memorizing and regurgitating facts. Teacher
must engage and direct students to effectively collect, understanding and synthesize
information. Hence, teachers are often known as facilitator, whose facilitating the
learning process. Therefore, teacher must equip himself with different pedagogical
approaches and methodology in using different medium to deliver the subject content
effectively. Teachers need to adapt the content to the learners based on multiple
intelligences and using different teaching styles to meet the different needs of
learners. Teaching techniques that can be incorporated into classroom including active
learning, blended learning, problem-based learning, collaborative learning and inquiry
guided learning. Therefore, I need to constantly upgrade myself to be an effective
teacher.
There are many reasons I am using student-centered approach. First, it is enjoyable.
Compared to teacher-centered approach where it focuses on passive learning, student-
centered approach focuses on active learning and the learning environment is more
motivating and energized. The teaching is more enjoyable. Second, there are evidences
showed that this approach improved student learning, such as greater conceptual
understanding, more complex critical-thinking skills, better class attendance and greater
confidence. Since student participate themselves in the learning process, they show
increased motivation to learn, deeper understanding, and more positive attitudes toward
the subject being taught. For example, I give them a topic, ask them to formulate
questions, discuss/debate in a group until they solve the problems and answer the
questions. From the challenges, they practice their problem solving skills, critical
thinking and utilize their potentials. They also gain confidence by addressing the
challenges. Moreover, this approach views learning as a constructive process that is
relevant and meaningful to the students and connected to the students ‘prior knowledge
and experience. They integrate what they have learned with prior learning and construct
new meaning. Additionally, students find the learning process more meaningful when
topics are relevant to their lives interests, and when they are actively engaged in
creating and understanding the knowledge. However, I am also facing challenges when
using student-centered approach. The students need to read and well prepared for the
content prior the lesson and some of my students are lack the initiative to study
themselves. Second problem is learner-centered approach require more time than
teacher-centered because I have to focus on every students. Sometimes this is hard
when I have more than hundreds of students.
Due to rapid change of the ICT, it will cause certain training to become obsolete, for
example, the use of overhead projectors and chalkboards may become unnecessary if
the students rely on ICT for information. Therefore, teacher needs to be an ICT expert.
They must be able to use and handle ICT effectively (computer, software program,
photocopier, power point, etc) and effectively use and integrate technology in their
classrooms. Teacher must also able to connect to the student via social media and
internet to promote collaborative leaning and the learning process becomes flexible.
Nowadays, teacher needs to attend training and professional development programmes
in order to improve the teaching skills. Teacher needs to be up-dated with innovative
ways of teaching and learning. Teachers need to create engaging and creative learning
experiences. For example, the changing from board chalk teaching to a more
interactive and computer-based teaching (powerpoint, Prezi, discussion forum, etc).
Teacher also serves as a trainer, helping the students develops specialized skills
(technical skills and soft skills). As members of staff, teachers should also demonstrate
teamwork with their colleagues, learn from them and share the vision and mission of
their schools.
A 21st century educator possesses several characteristics. He must be an adaptor who
is able to adapt the curriculum and the requirements to teach to the curriculum in
imaginative ways. He must be able to adapt to a dynamic teaching experience and
techniques. He must be a communicator who are fluent in tool and technologies that
enable effective communication and collaboration. He must be also a life-long
learner and visionary learner by constantly upgrading himself and able to look at others
ideas and envisage how they would use these in classroom. Additionally, he must be
a leader who is able to lead, motivate, inspire and guide students towards excellent. He
must be a role model by demonstrating positive values and behaviors, a collaborator by
working cooperatively with peers or students and a risk taker by willing to take risk and
try new technique, pedagogy and technology
