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In this workshop you will learn how to identify characteristics that are common to successful teachers.You can then adapt this list to create your own list of what characteristics make exceptional educators and use your list to help yourself grow into the teacher that you would like to be.
This lesson will continue listing characteristics that will be evident in a successful teacher including:
The video case study of this workshop will highlight a few select characteristics and explore them through the perspective of students, teachers, and principals as well as our workshop creators, Mike Kelley, former Director of Teacher Preparation at the American Board, and Dr. Glen Moulton, American Board’s former Resident Teaching Expert.
Professionalism is the act of performing in the accepted manner for a given profession each and every day. There is an unwritten code of conduct and expectations that separate professionals from employees. A consistent work ethic, a personal dedication to the profession, and a desire to always improve are characteristics of a professional. There is an air about a professional that is unmistakable.
New teachers are advised to leave the community where their school is located for any of their personal social events that may detract from their professionalism. Imagine how it might feel to run into a student’s parent at an inopportune time. Rumors of undesirable behavior can travel through a community rapidly and lead to negative outcomes for everyone involved.
Teaching is a profession and not merely a job or a hobby. Teachers who model appropriate professionalism uplift the entire school as well as their classroom. They extol education as a respected and desirable occupation in the community.
For teachers, in fact, the standard for professionalism may be even higher than in other professions. Community leaders and parents know that teachers set and reinforce the standards for citizenship in their schools. Teachers are expected, therefore, to look and act the part at all times, including after school and at social events.
Teachers demonstrate professionalism by displaying a sense of seriousness and purpose in their everyday conduct. They create lessons that maximize the potential in all students. They often serve as mentors to other teachers or assist the parents of their students. Such teachers command respect and are treated differently by the community than those who are less formal in their appearance and demeanor. Teachers who do not embrace a code of professionalism commensurate with the expectations for a teacher degrade themselves in the community to the detriment of the profession. It only takes one slovenly teacher to detract from all of the fine efforts of many devoted teachers and to give a school a bad name. Sadly, in such situations, the actions of one problematic teacher make the headlines while the hard work and efforts of the remainder of the school are overshadowed.
Dress codes for teachers are controversial in some areas. However, teachers who dress like professionals are treated with the respect due to their position. Teachers who dress like students blur the distinction.
Professionalism also refers to significance and productivity. Significance is the construction of something meaningful that has lasting effects. Teachers with a philosophy that aims for lifetime goals create a positive impact beyond their times. Significance is earned and not bestowed, and successful teachers know that exhibiting professionalism earns significance. The importance of achieving this objective leads teachers to provide stimulating learning experiences for all of the students every day. With each lesson, students are prepared to be good citizens who will generate new ideas and the energy to make tomorrow better than today. It also prompts teachers to interact with their colleagues to obtain new ideas and strategies and to form learning communities.
Productivity, on the other hand, is a measure of the gain achieved. The need to be productive on the job encourages teachers to continue their growth and to remain current in their field. They can achieve both of these goals by joining and actively participating in professional organizations and by attending professional or staff development courses. In addition, teachers who share their knowledge and expertise display one of the highest forms of professionalism. Helping other teachers promotes teamwork and increases the capacity of the school to anticipate change.
Develop or join a professional circle within your school that espouses the continual search for academic progress as a goal. The aggregate knowledge of multiple teachers with a variety of backgrounds is powerful, and can enable the school to provide more effective opportunities for learning and growth.
Successful teachers take their profession seriously. They arrive at work on time and ready to provide a full measure of meaningful instruction tailored to the needs of their students. They are quick to point out that educational inconsistencies are opportunities, not problems, and pose realistic solutions that turn negatives into positives. When called upon for a special duty they respond with eagerness and complete the task promptly and completely to the best of their ability. For these teachers, no child is too insignificant to work with after school or at other opportune times. Parents of students are seen as an instructional asset and are utilized to support the teachers’ efforts. In short, successful teachers visualize their teaching assignment to expand beyond their classroom. Teaching is their chosen profession, one that they believe in, and as a result they are always trying to improve themselves and those around them.
Creative teachers are able to use any available resources to bring a lesson to life for their students. Innovative uses of time, space and instructional materials increase student motivation, decrease disruptions, and generate a sense that something special is occurring in the classroom. This feeling of experiencing something special is exciting to students and predisposes them to greater attentiveness and participation.
Successful teachers analyze the intent of the curriculum, compare it to the abilities of their students, and then obtain the props, learning aids, and ancillary materials needed to immerse students in the lesson objectives. This type of preparation invites the teacher to extend his or her thinking and to look beyond the routines of instruction to create new and better ways to teach the objectives. Some examples would include an elementary teacher who redecorates his room to resemble a barnyard while the students are reading Charlotte’s Web, or a social studies teacher who converts a teaching area into a courtroom to re-enact the Scopes Trial. It is not unusual for a creative teacher to change aspects of the learning environment on a periodic basis to magnify the intent of the lessons.
Teachers can also use props and facilities in creative ways. For instance, a particular lesson may lend itself to an outside activity or a lesson in the hallway. The teacher may also ask the students to become the characters or props rather than to make them. In a similar fashion, the teacher may adjust the normal class routine to use class time in a nontraditional manner. It is not necessary to reconstruct the classroom setting on a daily basis to emphasize a point or to create a Disneyland experience in their classroom. Sometimes just a slight change in the ordinary routine can make a significant difference in the quality of a lesson. Just be aware that you can utilize every facet of the classroom, school, and school grounds to generate student interest and motivation.
It is helpful to locate a storage area where props can be safely stored for repeated use. Sometimes the custodian is the best person to ask to locate space you can use before petitioning the administration.
Teachers’ creativity often comes from embracing their own individual style. When teachers draw on their own interests and experiences while preparing their instruction, students can usually sense that they are being genuine and enjoy the chance to see them as not just their teacher, but a person with stories and wisdom to share. When a teacher has obvious interest in the subject, it will also be contagious and picked up by the students.
New teachers may be tempted to embrace all of the advice that they are given by mentors and experienced teachers, but they should also make sure that they leave room for the strengths that they bring to the profession. Many teachers find that the classroom is their place to let out their silly, expressive, or humorous side. Not every teacher is the same and successful teachers let their personality come through in the classroom. Both the teacher and their students will benefit from an environment where everyone can be themselves.
Just as successful teachers embrace their own creativity, they should also embrace the creativity of their students. One of the best ways to motivate students is to display their work and achievements in a prominent location. Showcasing students’ work promotes active learning among those students and demonstrates to other students that the teacher may also display their own assignment, thereby motivating them to do better. Successful teachers promote student work to increase students’ motivation, learning, and self-confidence.
Student exhibits are also an effective way of communicating success stories to the community. Displays of student work garner attention and present a positive image of the classroom and the school.
There are often designated areas within a school that are ideal for showcasing student work. Teachers should arrange to display their students’ work at a suitable location at various times during the year. The school newspaper, PTSA monthly flier, or the Principal’s memoranda are possible outlets.
Be careful not to exclude students when displaying work. It is counterproductive for a teacher to display every student’s work and exclude one student. Similarly, it is demoralizing for a student to never have his or her work showcased.
Whenever a teacher announces that he or she will publicly display student work from the current assignment, student motivation to do well on that assignment increases. Everyone is pleased to have their work displayed, as it serves as a visible demonstration of who they are as a person. It also increases their popularity and recognition. Students will work more diligently if they know their work will be in an exhibit, especially if the exhibit extends beyond the classroom or connects with a class or school-wide event, such as Grandparents’ Day. Students will typically work hard to present their best product for display and will dedicate more seriousness to the activity. They are also more likely to fully accomplish the curricular objectives established by the teacher.
Teachers can vary the exhibit strategy for other reasons. For instance, rather than displaying work from every student, the teacher may decide to only display those projects where students have successfully met or exceeded the curricular objectives for the assignment. The teacher may also elect to have a classroom-only display for certain activities and a school-wide display for more advanced projects.
Classroom displays are beneficial because the teacher can engage students in a gallery walk to identify particular highlights. Further, the teacher may reference aspects of the class displays to emphasize or review a particular concept. Whole school displays are less effective than classroom displays for instruction but more effective in communicating good news to the community and giving younger students the opportunity to visualize what is expected of the older students. Successful teachers promote student work in public displays for a variety of instructional and non-instructional reasons.
The process of education is greatly influenced by the teacher and the persona that the teacher brings to the work setting. People are judged by how they comport themselves on a daily basis. Everyone likes a cheerful and happy instructor and no one responds well to an irritable one.
Successful teachers serve as a positive reflection of the joy that accompanies learning. People who make the decision to be pleasant can exude happiness when they arrive for work in the morning and can convey this enthusiasm for the remainder of the day. Everyone they meet is greeted with a smile, and before long the climate of the school conveys a positive outlook. A negative or defeated outlook is also equally infectious. It can go a long way toward creating a miserable workplace for teachers and students alike. Principals generally try to reform, and sometimes even choose to relocate, negative teachers.
Sometimes the faculty lounge becomes a place where negative attitudes rule. If this is true in your school, avoid the lounge lizards and find a different place to eat lunch in order to surround yourself with more positive people.
A positive demeanor invites friendship which can lead to cooperation with parents and other teachers. The process of teaching is streamlined and strengthened when professionals work together. The old adage that “two heads are better than one” still holds true. The value of teachers working in cooperative groups to confront and resolve a problem is immeasurable. It is greatly enhanced when participants demonstrate a positive attitude about each other, the problematic situation, and the task of reaching a common goal. Some teachers are never selected or invited to work on a committee and it is usually no surprise to the rest of the school why. Their attitude and unwillingness to cooperate are often to blame.
Students are quick to sense the attitude of a teacher. They learn early on to “read” a teacher’s demeanor to discover their mood, likes and dislikes, and attitude. If students sense a negative or defeatist attitude, then they often simulate it in class. If, on the other hand, the teacher exudes energy and enthusiasm for the students and for teaching, then the students are predisposed to respond in kind. This creates a positive environment that stimulates learning and prevents discipline problems from arising. You should be aware of your attitude before leaving home in the morning and determine how you want to project your attitude to your students.
In conclusion, successful teachers maintain a positive attitude, which affects the students, school staff, other teachers, and the school community even in difficult times. They know that a helpful attitude is contagious and that a bad situation can be improved by creating a positive atmosphere. Teachers with a good attitude deflect harmful or unhealthy comments and criticism and change the outlook of those around them. They have the capacity to transform the outlook of a school.
Teachers are expected to help out in any and all school emergency situations.
The ability to remain calm when everyone else begins to panic signifies that a teacher recognizes the situation and knows how to respond with the correct action. Successful teachers know that if they lose control of a situation, it is likely that their students will do the same. When this happens, the situation intensifies and chaos is the end result. The confusion can spread until it is appropriately confronted by a calm and confident teacher or administrator.
On any given day, schools are confronted with a number of potential emergency situations, such as inclement weather, gang fights, bus accidents, or intruders. Yet teachers must remain calm and in control. New teachers can brace themselves for these unfortunate occurrences by preparing thoroughly for them. There are several simple rules for emergency situations that successful teachers know.
The first rule is that teachers are never alone. There is always another teacher or administrator nearby. If a new teacher is uncertain about a situation, advice and assistance are typically only a short distance away. Sometimes it is beneficial to follow the lead of the experienced teacher next door and to do as he or she does. Successful teachers plan ahead by looking to see which teachers, administrators, and support personnel are located near their teaching area and discuss possible options with them for relieving emergency situations.
Before school begins, consult with the administration to locate the school emergency procedures and learn them before classes commence.
The second rule is that there is a school procedure for every emergency. For example, your school will most likely have plans in place for the problems associated with inclement weather. Beginning teachers are advised to know their school’s procedures for all types of emergencies.
The third rule is that teachers have the support of the community. Parents want their children to be in a safe environment and teachers receive their support for any actions taken on behalf of maintaining a safe and orderly environment. Likewise, students also support their teachers and look to them for direction in crisis situations. They are willing to help and follow instructions without delay or complaining.
New teachers should take comfort in knowing that they are doing the right thing and that the situation could become worse if they fail to act. It is important to realize that many challenging occurrences happen at unpredictable times in a school environment. It is also important to know that teachers unite in an emergency situation and that the strength of the experience and wisdom of the entire school is engaged in these situations. Successful teachers know that there is no emergency that they cannot handle either alone or as part of a team.
There are new threats to schools that have created a new set of protective procedures in recent years. The threat of a terrorist attack or an intruder intending to do harm has surfaced as a concern for all schools. By their nature, schools have many portals for entry and exit. They are needed in the event of a fire or other emergencies that call for a quick exit from the school. This also makes it easier, however, for unwanted intruders to gain access to the building. The awareness level around schools for these types of situations will remain at high levels. Some schools have installed metal detectors at all entrances and have uniformed police or safety officers at every entrance and area where students congregate. Other schools require students, building personnel, and visitors to wear a clearly visible identification badge on their person at all times during the school day. Anyone caught without proper identification is immediately referred to the main office.
If the student ID badges are assigned a different-colored background for each grade level or other distinguishing characteristic, they are also useful in identifying students who belong in the school but are in the wrong part of the building without authorization.
In more extreme cases, such as a situation involving a school shooting, most schools have another set of protocols which provide maximum security for students and teachers. Although these procedures have a variety of names, there are two that are commonly used. One of them is referred to as a class or school lockdown. A lockdown is ordered when circumstances around or within a school are dangerous for students and parents. In this case, students and school personnel are locked into their classrooms. They are not permitted to go outside of the classroom and school buses are not permitted near the building. Parents are advised to not attempt to retrieve their children until the situation is resolved.
Another type of prevention is often referred to as a shelter-in-place. Similar to a lockdown, anyone inside of the school or belonging inside of the school is required to remain in the school until the emergency is lifted. However, students may be assembled in a large area such as the gym rather than in their classroom. A shelter-in-place is a more secure situation than a lockdown. Parents are not allowed to pick up their children and are discouraged from venturing near the school.
All of these precautions and others are designed to add a layer of prevention and protection into the school emergency response. Successful teachers understand these procedures and, if called upon in an emergency, are prepared to implement them without hesitation. The improper actions of just one teacher can lead to significant problems in a crisis.
Loyalty assumes a number of different forms and is reflected in different styles. The fundamentals of loyalty include a personal allegiance and devotion to a particular person, place, or thing. In the case of teachers, loyalty refers to a dedication to students, parents, and the school. Loyalty extends professionalism and combines purpose with reason and action.
For teachers, loyalty means more than just preparing and delivering excellent lessons every day. Whereas these elements form a necessary component of it, the concept also links daily actions and purpose. A loyal teacher is one who thoughtfully follows the lead of the community and administration. This does not infer blind faith but rather refers to maintaining respect and obedience to the organization.
Teachers can contribute good ideas and strategies to enhance or change school policies. However, once the rule is established, teachers are expected to uphold it.
Teachers express their loyalty daily by following school rules and supporting those who created them. Successful teachers understand that rules are designed to protect teachers and to assist them in making good decisions. Rules also exist to assist teachers with the process of educating students, and are designed to solve or prevent problems from occurring. School rules are the administration’s domain, though they are often developed in collaboration with teachers and other professionals. Successful teachers volunteer to serve on decision-making committees whenever possible. Administrators often utilize these committees to make changes around the school and a teacher’s perspective is a welcomed viewpoint.
It is the responsibility of all members of the school community to enforce the school rules. Within the school, whenever a rule does not seem to make sense, a loyal teacher will ask the relevant administrator for a better understanding of it. If the rule is inadequate or nonfunctional, then the loyal teacher will work through appropriate channels within the school structure to suggest changes. A non-loyal teacher will complain in the faculty room or begin conversations in the hallway with other teachers seeking to gain support for a change and thereby splintering the team.
One of the worst offenses a teacher can commit is to deliberately misinform members of the community about a school rule.
There will always be occasions when a teacher does not agree with a ruling by the administration. Loyalty and professionalism require teachers to discuss the reason for the rule with the appropriate person. The chance to be heard and to listen often leads to a greater understanding by both parties and a resolution. Teachers who attempt to subvert a decision for personal or invalid reasons or choose alternate methods beyond the appropriate channels may be seen as a negative or divisive influence on the faculty. They also decrease the overall effectiveness of the educational mission for the students.
Loyalty requires teachers to interpret and support school decisions when dealing with parents and community members. This extension includes a defense of existing rules and policies and the people who made them. As changes are communicated to parents and the community, the reason for a particular change or its ramifications may become distorted. When this happens, parents may become upset if the rule appears to affect them or their children in a negative way. Loyal teachers seize every opportunity to interpret changes so that parents fully understand the reason for the change and the actual meaning of the change.
Strong administrators equip teachers with the appropriate amount of non-confidential knowledge regarding change for two reasons. First, the changes must make sense to the teachers to gain their support. Second, the teachers must have enough information to clearly explain and defend administrative actions to the community. Teachers are encouraged to ensure that the administration presents a holistic plan for every creation or change of rule.
Successful teachers love working with children and invest heavily in their students’ development. Teachers who care for their students retain a youthful attitude and are well-suited for the profession. For these teachers, students energize them and affirm their purpose in life on a daily basis. Their work allows them to express themselves in a productive manner that improves the lives of their students and influences society positively. At the end of their career, these teachers remember countless situations where their efforts made a life-changing difference in a student’s life and allowed children to meet or exceed their own expectations. It is a life worth living and a profession worth loving.
For teachers who do not like working with children, teaching is not the best option for a lifelong career. It is a challenging profession that involves a degree of physical labor, a tremendous mental outlay, and an even greater emotional investment. To approach it with an apathetic attitude towards children makes each day long and exhausting. It is easy for teachers to forgive students their shortcomings and work tirelessly on their behalf when they feel love and concern for them. It is a source of daily frustration when they do not. Likewise, it is easy for students to work hard to please teachers who demonstrate a caring and supportive attitude.
Not everyone is well suited to be a teacher. If you are not certain of your career choice, try an intermediate step such as coaching a Parks and Recreation team, teaching a Sunday School class, or coordinating a boy or girl scout pack. If working with young people energizes you and you find the patience to work with them even when others do not, and if you can feel sympathy for those who are challenging to work with, then you have found a lifelong profession that will challenge, sustain, and enrich your life.
When a teacher does not demonstrate such caring and concern, even correcting a student for a minor issue such as forgetting to bring a pencil for five days in a row may create an unsustainable situation. These teachers receive few of the expressions of gratitude and affection generously given to other teachers. The day to day interaction with students becomes a grind and the teacher’s only relief is during weekends, holidays, and summer vacation. Without a love for students, therefore, teaching becomes a grueling profession that should be avoided for the benefit of both the teacher and the students.
Students realize when a teacher cares about them as a person. Likewise, they are aware when a teacher is indifferent. Successful teachers know that teaching is a personal event that is based on a connection between the teacher and the student. This one-to-one connection occurs regardless of how many students are present in the class. Successful teachers also know that students respond better to a teacher who likes them and who has taken the time to get to know them on a personal level.
One of the most important aspects of teaching is the creation of a student-centered learning environment where all students are challenged to reach their full potential and are not inhibited by teacher-made obstacles. Successful teachers construct a variety of learning environments that include all students and appeal to their desire for advancement.
To implement this goal, the first item of importance is the climate established by the teacher. This determines whether a student feels welcomed and has a sense of belonging in the class. Students who feel accepted as a full member of the class are more likely to perform well and less likely to cause trouble than students who feel left out or unappreciated. So what can a teacher do to instill a feeling of togetherness?
Teachers can create a sense of team membership within the class by means of several deliberate actions, which are best performed at the beginning of the year and modified or repeated as new students are added to the class. One of the best ways to build a team is to provide team building activities, of which there are an endless number of variations to choose from. The purpose is to have all of the members act cooperatively to focus on a goal.
It is important that the challenges be arranged so that students receive the full benefit of the strategy. For example, all activities should be within reach of the students’ abilities. The first challenges should be non-competitive, active, and simple to allow for name recognition and the celebration of a successful solution. A successful beginning is imperative. Everybody likes to be on a winning team and nobody wants to be on one that is losing.
As the team building proceeds and the teams mature, the activities may become more complicated. Increasing the complexity of the challenges forces the students to interact at a different level and to learn to delegate responsibilities. The team may even subdivide for extreme challenges in order to better utilize each person’s abilities. A fully functioning team is one in which all of the students are actively involved in moving their team toward a goal, are comfortable working with established roles and procedures, and are capable of constructing new knowledge by evaluating the input of all members.
Whole class team building exercises are a good use of class time. However, the teacher must continually monitor the students to prevent certain students from being excluded from the activity. This must occur in such a way that the teacher does not appear to be controlling the team building efforts of the students.
The teacher should decide if the team building activity is designed for the entire class or for small groups within the class. Whole class teams are slow and often cumbersome but are highly effective in bringing the class together. A good activity for the entire class might be the production of a school play, the creation of a schoolyard habitat, or the formulation of a school-wide recycling model.
Smaller teams are usually more efficient, which allows them to reach greater levels of specialization with one member serving as the leader and other members filling specific roles. Functional groups may also reach a level of comfort where they can redefine the task, subdivide into groups according to function, elect subgroup leaders, and reconvene to assemble results.
One potential problem with small-group team building is that the groups often become so independent that they do not need the rest of the class to proceed with their learning; they become islands. In a more extreme version, certain groups may label other groups as inferior, which defeats the purpose of team building. To prevent this from happening, teachers can reorganize the members of the groups on a regular basis, such as at the beginning of every new activity.
A strong sense of compassion for all students is fundamental to creating an inviting environment. Caring about students who exhibit difficult behavior is a challenging assignment for teachers, but those teachers who are compassionate are repaid many times over in student success stories.
Teachers who take the time to work with students as individuals show that they care. For example, when teachers learn their students’ names and call them by name, students feel welcome in the classroom. Students who are allowed to express themselves completely and receive positive comments from the teacher and from other students feel appreciated. Teachers who challenge individuals with personalized projects or assignments promote positive feelings. In addition, teachers who miss students when they are absent confirm their sense of belonging in the class.
Teachers who create a sense of belonging and teamwork within their classroom have fewer discipline problems.
It is commonly held that students who feel that they are an integral part of a class perform better than those who feel alienated. Successful teachers view each child as a whole person consisting of many different parts, and they provide the environment to embrace students’ uniqueness in ways that promote their achievement.
The following is a list of resources that relate to the topic of successful teachers.