Teacher`s Personality Qualities - Case Study Example

What Makes a Good Teacher? by Teaching is not just a profession a person can choose; it is rather a sense of life or eternal devotion. Many professions presuppose some automatic actions after achieving certain skills and experience. This principle does not work with teaching. Every student is a unique person who changes every day so teaching two people in the same way is impossible. A teacher is an actor as he must make his subject interesting, bring life into knowledge, and inspire others with it. A teacher is a doctor because he often notices problems and is able to correct them; nevertheless. A teacher is a psychologist who must find separate approach to every single individual he meets on the way. Thus, teaching is a complex and multifaceted task which requires knowledge, communication skills, and special personality traits. However, being a good teacher is not having an inborn talent, it means being able to improve constantly. In this paper I want to argue that constant self-development is one of the crucial components that make a great teacher as every quality required from a great teacher is matter of practice and experience. There exist certain prerequisites, certain “musts” for being a good teacher. A subject matter knowledge is considered a core of teacher`s profession. Teacher is someone who helps others to understand information, and knowing perfectly what to teach is a paramount requirement (Loewenberg Ball, & Williamson McDiarmid , 2011). All the tasks, which a teacher has to accomplish, such as choosing an appropriate method of teaching, providing with comprehensible explanations, stimulating students by making up accurate questions and tasks, are based on the degree to which a teacher understands the material himself/herself (Lowenberg Ball, & Williamson McDiarmid, 2011). The teachers who know their subjects are able to make connections between raw material and real life situations as one of the goals of teaching is to help students to elaborate necessary intellectual power to be able to take part in major human thought and inquiry. Teachers who are experts in their field of knowledge are able to construct and present the information in the most efficient and comprehensible way (Tucker et al., 2004). Moreover, a great teacher is someone who loves his subject, not just knows it. A professional teacher is a constant student himself learning something new or adjusting available knowledge to modern situation. There is no such thing as perfection in any subject; it is necessary to develop throughout life (Strauss, 2014).Effective teacher enriches his baggage of knowledge with the help of new literature, Internet, and special conferences. Great teachers serve as guides to students in the field of information; however, today students are more technologically proficient which makes teacher leg behind in the informational current. Thus, good educators have to be searching for more and more opportunities to enlarge their knowledge (Heinze, 2010). The second thing, which creates a good teacher, is connected to the subject matter profound knowledge, or it is more appropriate to say that it arises from it. Passion, internal enthusiasm, and strong desire to share with knowledge are inevitable in pedagogics. Teachers who are enthusiastic about their subject are prone to study it in depth and share it more passionately (Tucker et al., 2004). Only those teachers who genuinely love their subject can evoke interest in people who know nothing about it. Verbal ability is an important factor of being a great and competent teacher. Teacher is the one who possesses knowledge of the subject and is able to translate this knowledge into comprehensible language. A good teacher must be capable to explain things to a three-year-old as well as to a thirty-five-year old. A teacher must use understandable oral and written language as according to research the most effective are those teachers who have higher verbal ability (Stronge, 2012). Besides, there are non-verbal clues, which are helpful in material transmitting, and their knowledge is also compulsory for teachers. It is crucial for a teacher to elaborate effective communications with his/her students as some of them might prefer receiving concrete, factual information; others will be susceptible to introductive stories. Good teachers must be able to evaluate situation and the audience and propose the best method of instruction to their students (Tucker et al., 2004). Communication and social skills are necessary for teachers as they need to find a common language with parents, school management, and students of different age. Prozesky claims that communication is a skill, which can be trained and enhanced. It is perfect for teachers to ask their colleagues about their communication skills or record their lessons in order to correct possible mistakes (2000). Ability to communicate presupposes both active listening and speaking. Competent teachers are able to use their tone, voice, manner of speaking in order to transmit information in the most understandable form. Effective social collaboration is only possible to create with the help of dialogue and shared emotions (Turke et al., 2004). When teachers are able to communicate with students in a reassuring, respectful, and warm way students feel trusted and affirmed as learners. Using additional materials in the process of teaching is a trustful sign which differentiates a competent teacher from less competent. Experienced teachers know that memorizing things is possible when most sensory systems are activated (Prozesky, 2000). Sense of humor is not the last thing on the list .It is a magic wand that is capable to save any disastrous situation, distract unwanted attention from a student who fails, and simply to create natural atmosphere in the classroom (Stronge, 2012). There is no such a compulsory requirement for a teacher as sense of humor, but it is essential for teaching effectively. Some teachers mark that this trait is crucial for working with teenagers, who are in most cases cynical, doubtful, and even aggressive. A good laugh will help to make the students understand that a teacher is open, enthusiastic, and sincere (Coffman, 2007). Communication skills also presuppose empathy, or an ability to recognize human emotions and act according to the situation. Students sometimes lack emotional education, and it is also teacher`s responsibility to react right according to their emotions. Teacher have to improve their knowledge of people`s psychology to understand their students better and enhance their learning capacities (Stronge, 2012). When people think of example of a good teacher they often recall someone who made them feel in a special way even more than someone who taught them something. A teacher`s personality is the clue to creating positive and influential ambiance contributory to learning (Turke te al., 2004). A personality is the umbrella term which may include such traits as mental and emotional health, sense of humor, maturity, temperament, congeniality, and others (Aquino & Razon, 1993). Unique combinations of these qualities influence significantly students` social, emotional, and intellectual quality. Thus, if a teacher possesses certain qualities it is more likely he will be able to teach effectively his subject. Among the necessary teacher`s characteristics Turke et al., distinguish caring nature, fairness and respect, special relation to the profession, social interactions with students, enthusiasm in teaching and its promotion, and self-reflexive practice (2004). Caring nature is probably one of the most pivotal factors to being a good teacher. It presupposes the ability to pay attention to each and every student. It also means that the internal motive of teaching is care, not the academic results. If a teacher is caring he/she is able to see the stage on which his/her student stumbles and encourage him/her by asking the right question or just smiling. Caring also presupposes listening to the students` needs and requests, being able to speak out about feelings, showing patience, respect, courage, and trust. Thus, if a teacher is able to create caring atmosphere, students have higher chances of expressing themselves without a fear of being judged (Turke et al., 2004). Caring nature and attention to the students is the quality which usually comes with experience in teaching as educators understand its overwhelming value for the process. Emotional stability is undivided from teacher`s profession as a teacher meets different people with different learning abilities, and if he/she reacts on stress with irritability and impatience it makes the process extremely complicated (Aquino & Razon, 1993). Emotional stability is often based on coherent and clear inner philosophy developed by the teacher. Such stability allows a teacher to criticize students for their errors without anger and personal judgments. Emotional health contributes to optimistic and sincere atmosphere in a classroom, whereas teacher`s sensitiveness and irritability make some students feel uncomfortable and suppressed. Therefore, knowing oneself, accepting bad and good qualities equally contribute to a teacher`s personality greatly. As only teachers with stable mental health can lead, motivate, and teach efficiently as they primarily serve as role models for their students even in the concept of personality (Aquino & Razon, 1993). Education is emotionally demanding profession as it presupposes daily communication, and if a teacher sees teaching as his devotion it is easier for him/ her to cope with stressful situations. Turke et al. also underline such teacher`s quality as fairness and respect, which are valuable for students in the first turn. Every teacher`s action, especially in the sphere of discipline, is always assessed as fair or unfair by the students, thus, sticking to high moral ideals of fairness is a must (2004). Good teachers know all their students by names as well as they know their strong and weak sides, family history, preferences and fears. Selectivity in students is one of the major faults of fresh teachers. They can show their affection toward certain students, which can lead to unexpected and tragic consequences to other students. Teachers must admit that the first and foremost requirement of profession is “serving all the people equally” (Aquino & Razon, 1993). Ability to see students as equal emerges from sense of fairness and respect. This allows expecting high results from each and every student, and motivating him / her to these results. Respect to the students can be demonstrated in various ways from attention to the student`s inner problems to active involvement into a discussion of student`s results with his/her parents. Accepting student`s relatives as a collaborative force adds to teaching successfully (Turke et al., 2004). Great teachers are motivational and enthusiastic. A teacher is primarily a leader whose goal is not to teach something concrete but provoke interest, stimulate, and push the students to self-development and self-actualization. Good teachers utilize their own passion for subject to reveal enthusiasm in students. They demonstrate this passion with the help of activities they choose, the main components they tell about in every day teaching (Turke et al., 2004) Fisher admits that teaching resembles coaching as a teacher must set the goal to the team and make sure everyone is able to achieve it. It is his/her responsibility to choose the most effective methods of teaching, “such as student-aim setting, choice of tasks and methods of control, cooperative learning, self-placed method of instructions” (2004). The teachers who succeed most in their profession have ability to believe in every single student they teach. This belief serves as a driving force for a teacher who then tries to find the most appropriate and influential methods of influence on the particular student. Moreover, with the help of modern motivational methodic and motivational psychology understanding teachers can sufficiently improve their students results (Stronge, 2012). There is also one important trait connected to motivation. Good teachers have to set direct and clear goals for the students. It is extremely important for the students to know what they are going to achieve after certain class (Great Scools, 2010). Good grades cannot serve as optimal impetus for all the students. A great teacher must be able to set a goal that can evoke interest. The ability to write motivational letter to an employer without mistakes or the ability that can help in personal budget planning sound more realistic and effective for students as they want to make sure that knowledge is inseparable from real life. It is possible to conclude that teaching is a demanding and complicated profession. Those teachers who view their work as calling and devotion have greater chances to become real professionals. Paradoxically, the complexity of teacher`s career consists of the necessity of permanent studying. Subject matter knowledge presupposes constant achieving new information, reading, and reeducating. Communication skills require refreshment and practice. Teacher`s personality qualities needed for the profession are inseparable from self-philosophy modeling. Close study of human psychology is a primary requirement due to variety of students` personalities. Of course, without bright inner light becoming there is no teacher at all, however, only permanent practice can make a good teacher. References Aquino, G., & Razon, P. (1993). Educational Psychology. Quinzo city: Rex Prinitng Company. Inc. Coffman, P. (2007). Why a Sense of Humor is Key to Surviving as a Teacher, Education Space. Retrieved from: http://www.educationspace360.com/index.php/why-a-sense-of-humor-is-key-to-surviving-as-a-teacher-2-27257/ Fisher, R. (2004). "Embedding the literacy strategy: snapshots of change." Literacy (formerly called Reading), 38(3), 134-140. Great School Staff (2010). “What makes a great teacher?”, Great School. Retrieved from: http://www.greatschools.org/improvement/quality-teaching/79-what-makes-a-great-teacher.gs Loewenberg Ball, D., & Williamson McDiarmid, G. (2011). Handbook for Research on Teacher Education. New York: Macmillan. Prozesky,D. (2000). Communication and Effective Teaching. Community Eye Health, 13(35), 44–45. Tucker, P., Stronge, J., & Hindman, J. (2004). Handbook for Qualities of Effective Teachers. Alexandria: ASCD Publications. Stronge, J. (2012). Evaluating What Good Teachers Do: Eight Research-Based Standards for Assessing Teacher Excellence. London: Taylor & Francis Read More