Teaching has been around forever, since the time the first humans wanted to share the knowledge they had previously learned. It’s a noble, yet gruesome profession; one that requires a lot of dedication. However, being a modern teacher is more than simply passing your skills onto the next generations, and even though there are traditional skills that still have value to this day, there are plenty of modern ones. It’s important to know and understand which skills you have, especially if you want to become a teacher.
Commitment
One of the teacher’s primary responsibilities is to be as committed as possible to teaching young minds. Real engagement is constantly required, as self-evaluation is the key. If you feel you aren’t committed enough, then you might be doing a good enough job as a teacher.
Preparation
As society grows, so does its needs. A good teacher should be constantly prepared in their own field and should always be aware of developments in their area of expertise. This puts most teachers in a precarious situation as many fields continue growing and expanding. That’s why teachers should be constantly prepared.
Organisation
Proper planning is a key to anything in life, and that’s the case with teaching as well. A solid lesson plan, and allocation of time are crucial in the field of teaching because most students can easily tell when a teacher fumbles to organise their own class. It’s very important to avoid this type of situation, especially if you want to leave a lasting mark on the students’ minds.
Tolerance
No matter who the student is, the teacher should treat all of them the same. Equal treatment is a must in the classroom, where there is no room for any sort of prejudice. The teacher’s views should not be imposed in a neutral teaching environment and should be shared only when asked.
Open-mindedness
Arguably the most important factor when it comes to teaching, understanding your students and the questions they may have is a crux. If you truly listen to your students, they will not only come to respect you a lot more, but they’ll be impacted on a much deeper level than anything else in the teaching environment.
Style
The teaching style that teacher can make all the difference in the world to the students. Don’t be afraid to experiment with apps and programs that will enhance the learning and teaching experience, or to use tools that will further the lesson.
Being tech savvy
It’s more than just understanding computers, but also to know how the technology works and why many of the younger minds use it the way they do. Starting teaching assistant courses online over at Brighter Learning can be a great way to start, as it’ll give you first-hand experience since you’ll be using the same technology to learn more yourself.
Sociability
While the teacher should be first and foremost authority in the classroom, they should be no means be authoritarian. Developing the proper relationships with students can be very important because if they view you as a friendly person, they will engage with your lessons a lot more than before.