24 Things Successful Teachers Do Differently
by Julie DuNeen
If you ask a
student what makes him or her successful in school, you probably won’t hear
about some fantastic new book or video lecture series. Most likely you will
hear something like, “It was all Mr. Jones. He just never gave up on me.”
What
students take away from a successful education usually centers on a personal
connection with a teacher who instilled passion and inspiration for their
subject. It’s difficult to measure success, and in the world of academia,
educators are continually re-evaluating how to quantify learning. But the first
and most important question to ask is:
Are teachers
reaching their students? Here are 25 things successful educators do
differently.
24 Things Successful Teachers Do Differently
1. Successful teachers have clear objectives
How do you
know if you are driving the right way when you are traveling somewhere new? You
use the road signs and a map (although nowadays it might be SIRI or a GPS). In
the world of education, your objectives for your students act as road signs to
your destination. Your plan is the map. Making a plan does not suggest a lack
of creativity in your curriculum but rather, gives creativity a framework in
which to flourish.
2. Successful teachers have a sense of purpose
We can’t all
be blessed with “epic” workdays all the time. Sometimes, life is just mundane
and tedious. Teachers with a sense of purpose that are able to see the big
picture can ride above the hard and boring days because their eye is on
something further down the road.
3. Successful teachers are able to live without immediate feedback
There is
nothing worse than sweating over a lesson plan only to have your students walk
out of class without so much as a smile or a, “Great job teach!” It’s hard to
give 100% and not see immediate results. Teachers who rely on that instant
gratification will get burned out and disillusioned. Learning, relationships,
and education are a messy endeavor, much like nurturing a garden. It takes
time, and some dirt, to grow.
4. Successful teachers know when to listen to students and when to ignore them
Right on the
heels of the above tip is the concept of discernment with student feedback. A
teacher who never listens to his/her students will ultimately fail. A teacher
who always listens to his/her students will ultimately fail. It is no simple
endeavor to know when to listen and adapt, and when to say, “No- we’re going
this way because I am the teacher and I see the long term picture.”
5. Successful teachers have a positive attitude
Negative
energy zaps creativity and it makes a nice breeding ground for fear of failure.
Good teachers have an upbeat mood, a sense of vitality and energy, and see past
momentary setbacks to the end goal. Positivity breeds creativity.
6. Successful teachers expect their students to succeed
This concept
is similar for parents as well. Students need someone to believe in them. They
need a wiser and older person to put stock in their abilities. Set the bar high
and then create an environment where it’s okay to fail. This will motivate your
students to keep trying until they reach the expectation you’ve set for them.
7. Successful teachers have a sense of humor
Humor and
wit make a lasting impression. It reduces stress and frustration, and gives
people a chance to look at their circumstances from another point of view. If
you interviewed 1000 students about their favorite teacher, I’ll bet 95% of
them were hysterical.
8. Successful teachers use praise authentically
Students
need encouragement yes, but real encouragement. It does no good to praise their
work when you know it is only 50% of what they are capable of. You don’t want
to create an environment where there is no praise or recognition; you want to
create one where the praise that you offer is valuable BECAUSE you use it
judiciously.
9. Successful teachers are consistent
Consistency
is not to be confused with “stuck.” Consistency means that you do what you say
you will do, you don’t change your rules based on your mood, and your students
can rely on you when they are in need. Teachers who are stuck in their outdated
methods may boast consistency, when in fact it is cleverly-masked stubbornness.
10. Successful teachers are reflective
In order to
avoid becoming the stuck and stubborn teacher, successful educators take time
to reflect on their methods, their delivery, and the way they connect with
their students. Reflection is necessary to uncover those weaknesses that can be
strengthened with a bit of resolve and understanding.
11. Successful teachers seek out mentors of their own
Reflective
teachers can easily get disheartened if they don’t have someone a bit older and
wiser offering support. You are never too old or wise for a mentor. Mentors can
be that voice that says, “Yes your reflections are correct,” or “No, you are
off because….” and provide you with a different perspective.
12. Successful teachers communicate with parents
Collaboration
between parents and teachers is absolutely crucial to a student’s success.
Create an open path of communication so parents can come to you with concerns
and you can do the same. When a teacher and parents present a united front,
there is a lower chance that your student will fall through the cracks.
13. Successful teachers enjoy their work
It is easy
to spot a teacher who loves their work. They seem to emanate contagious energy.
Even if it on a subject like advanced calculus, the subject comes alive. If you
don’t love your work or your subject, it will come through in your teaching.
Try to figure out why you feel so unmotivated and uninspired. It might have
nothing to do with the subject, but your expectations. Adjust them a bit and
you might find your love of teaching come flooding back.
14. Successful teachers adapt to student needs
Classrooms
are like an ever-evolving dynamic organism. Depending on the day, the
attendance roster, and the phase of the moon, you might have to change up your
plans or your schedule to accommodate your students. As they grow and change,
your methods might have to as well. If your goal is to promote a curriculum or
method, it will feel like a personal insult when you have to modify it. Make
connecting with your student your goal and you’ll have no trouble changing it
up as time moves on.
15. Successful teachers welcome change in the classroom
This relates
to the above tip, but in a slightly different way. Have you ever been so bored
with your house or your bedroom, only to rearrange it and have it feel like a
new room? Change ignites the brain with excitement and adventure. Change your
classroom to keep your students on their toes. Simple changes like rearranging
desks and routines can breathe new life in the middle of a long year.
16. Successful teachers take time to explore new tools
With the
advance of technology, there are fresh new resources and tools that can add
great functionality to your classroom and curriculum. There is no doubt that
the students you are teaching (far younger than you) probably already use
technologies you haven’t tapped into yet. Don’t be afraid to push for
technology in the classroom. It is often an underfunded area but in this
current world and climate, your students will be growing up in a world where technology
is everywhere. Give them a headstart and use technology in your classroom.
17. Successful teachers give their students emotional support
There are
days when your students will need your emotional support more than a piece of
information. Connecting to your students on an emotional level makes it more
likely that they will listen to your counsel and take your advice to heart.
Students need mentors as much as they need teachers.
18. Successful teachers are comfortable with the unknown
It’s
difficult to teach in an environment where you don’t know the future of your
classroom budget, the involvement of your student’s parents, or the outcome of
all your hard work. On a more philosophical level, educators who teach the
higher grades are tasked with teaching students principles that have a lot of
unknowns (i.e. physics). How comfortable are you with not having all the
answers? Good teachers are able to function without everything tied up neatly
in a bow.
19. Successful teachers are not threatened by parent advocacy
Unfortunately,
parents and teachers are sometimes threatened by one another. A teacher who is
insecure will see parent advocacy as a threat. While there are plenty of
over-involved helicopter parents waiting to point out a teacher’s mistakes, most
parents just want what’s best for their child. Successful educators are
confident in their abilities and not threatened when parents want to get into
the classroom and make their opinions known. Good teachers also know they don’t
have to follow what the parent recommends!
20. Successful teachers bring fun into the classroom
Don’t be too
serious. Some days, “fun” should be the goal. When students feel and see your
humanness, it builds a foundation of trust and respect. Fun and educational
aren’t mutually exclusive either. Using humor can make even the most mundane
topic more interesting.
21. Successful teachers teach holistically
Learning
does not happen in a vacuum. Depression, anxiety, and mental stress have a
severe impact on the educational process. It’s crucial that educators (and the
educational model) take the whole person into account. You can have the
funniest and most innovative lesson on algebra, but if your student has just
been told his parents are getting a divorce, you will not reach him.
22. Successful teachers never stop learning
Good
teachers find time in their schedule to learn themselves. Not only does it help
bolster your knowledge in a certain subject matter, it also puts you in the
position of student. This gives you a perspective about the learning process
that you can easily forget when you’re always in teaching mode.
23. Successful teachers break out of the box
It may be a
self-made box. “Oh I could never do that,” you say to yourself. Perhaps you
promised you’d never become the teacher who would let students grade each other
(maybe you had a bad experience as a kid). Sometimes the biggest obstacle to
growth is us. Have you built a box around your teaching methods? Good teachers
know when it’s time to break out of it.
24. Successful teachers are masters of their subject
Good
teachers need to know their craft. In addition to the methodology of
“teaching”, you need to master your subject area. Learn, learn, and never stop
learning. Successful educators stay curious.
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