What it takes to become an exceptional teacher

In life teachers have a significant influence almost to the life of every one-formal or informal. But the best teacher is the one who makes maximum impact; the one who brings out the best in you and makes you think you can do anything you set your mind to. He/she makes you feel special. People often acknowledge their teachers at their graduation ceremonies, and when they get into the profession of their dreams. They speak of them fondly when they have their own kids, especially when they start school. There are a number of reasons that make these exceptional teachers so different from the majority of other educators. Below are some of the factors that make some teachers exceptionally good. Good teachers relinquish control; “A good teacher is one who makes himself progressively unnecessary.” A good teacher takes on the role of a facilitator rather than the authority. Good teachers understand that their job is not to be the keeper of knowledge, but a vessel to pass it on. They don’t dictate, but become source of encouragement to their student. Good teachers are life learning students. Fancy degrees don’t produce fantastic teachers, although the formal know-how of theory and practicum does help. People who are naturally good at teaching come across like they were born to do this. They hardly need instruction on how to teach others, and yet they are willing to learn and continue to hone their skills in the classroom. Much like doctors or mechanics, they get to practice and hone their skills as they work. Great teachers are not entertainers. People, especially students often expect teachers to be great entertainers, but that isn’t part of teacher’s job description The teacher’s job is make their students leave the classroom with more knowledge and skills than they came with; their main goal is to make students learn. Sometimes, teachers need to be tough, they should know that teaching and learning is not all fun, and that sometimes you just have to grit your teeth to understand those unfriendly concepts and formulas. Teachers are not performers nor are they entertainers- they’re there to do their job. Great teachers do not know everything!They don’t come to the classroom with the mindset of being the experts; that there is nothing left for them to learn. Every day there is some new technological advancement, or a latest technique in classroom management waiting to be explored and mastered. And don’t forget the students— great teachers also learn from their own pupils. True teachers are learners first! Exceptional teachers go beyond the curriculum. A great teacher has incredible knowledge and enthusiasm for the subject matter they are teaching. Not only do they have thorough knowledge of the curriculum and other standards that they must uphold in the classroom, they strive to exceed the structured and formal parameters. Good teachers engage their learner. They master the concept of “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” They have a special kind of energy. They are prepared to answer questions and keep the material interesting for the students, and are masters of explanation. Great teachers treat each student differently and they don’t label today’s learners as worse than yesteryears’. Diversity and disability makes for an interesting classroom experience, although not necessarily an easy one for the instructor. Teachers know this also and work with it. They will never call anyone a lost cause. They are confident that anyone will do well with the right kind of support. A good teacher must be able to put himself in the place of those who find learning hard. Great teachers are approachable. No one would necessarily expect a teacher to know every student at a personal level? That’s not realistic, but what is possible is that a great teacher cares for every student in the classroom. Great teachers may not know each child personally, but they do have compassion for all of their students, and their influence far exceeds their job description. “A good teacher is a master of simplification and an enemy of simplest.” – Louis A. Berman. Great teachers create an environment that is ideal for learning and fosters positive behaviors. They don’t discipline, but manage; they don’t dictate but encourage. They create a place where each learner operates on a sense of belonging, and then they start their teaching. They don’t stick to tried and tested approaches—they mix things up and take things up a notch every time. Great teachers are passionate. The mediocre teacher tells, the good teacher explains, the superior teacher demonstrates, the great teacher inspires.” – William Arthur Ward .We all want to learn from teachers who are not only passionate about teaching, but passionate about life. Great teachers aren’t just interested in their area of expertise; they are interesting people to hang out with. Great teachers teach for the right reasons. “No man can be a good teacher unless he has feelings of warm affection toward his pupils and a genuine desire to impart to them what he believes to be of value.” – Bertrand Russell. Best teachers get into this profession to serve and make a difference!The writer is and educationist, author and publisher.