How to Be a Good Teacher

Teaching is one of the most important professions in today’s society. As a teacher, you will shape the way your students think and encourage them to think independently. To be a good teacher, you need to be disciplined. Prepare lesson plans, set goals, activities and plan assessment before each lesson. Create a positive and supportive classroom environment that is challenging to keep students interested in learning. You should also seek support from other teachers.

Table of Contents

Create a good environment in the classroom

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Set a daily goal for students. Here’s how to provide a pathway for students; it lets them know that you’ve defined the day’s work and you know where to go. Ideally, the goal should be clear, concise, and realistic. Each time you complete a goal, remind students of what they accomplished together. ^{[1] X Research Source}

For example, in your high school literature class, you might set a goal of reading a poem in depth by the end of the class.
Many teachers find it effective to write the day’s goals on the board.
Sometimes it’s okay if you don’t meet your daily goals. In some cases, it is better to go with the flow of the discussion instead of returning to the original topic.

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Listen to students. Ask open-ended questions after students speak. You should also encourage them to ask questions. Show students that you are listening by nodding or signaling them to continue. Make eye contact with students as they speak and try not to interrupt, unless you need to redirect the discussion. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Through your active listening attitude, students will learn that you respect their voices in class, and they will respond with respect as well.
Another good idea is to model for students how to listen even when they disagree. You might say, “I don’t really agree with your opinion, can you explain more? Or do you have a different opinion?

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Make sure students are focused on the task at hand. Set deadlines for class assignments or activities. In discussions, use feedback with students as a way to lead the class. For example, you could say, “I really like your idea. How do you think it relates to goal number 5?” ^{[3] X Research Sources}

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Motivate students towards success. Try to create an environment that always challenges students intellectually. Let the children know that it is okay to fail sometimes. You should maintain a balance between setting goals that are too high and motivating your students. Based on students’ progress as your own direction. Your students will gradually improve, but this requires a lot of work. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

For example, you could give high school students a short advanced reading and ask them to use a dictionary to look up unfamiliar words. If applied in moderation, this is a great way to challenge students to expand their vocabulary.

Dealing with problems in class

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Maintain timely and reasonable discipline. Set rules for the class and each task clearly and consistently. If a student violates, you should handle it right in the class before continuing to teach. However, once you have made the decision to discipline, don’t dwell on it forever to avoid further problems. In addition, you also need to make sure the penalty is commensurate with the severity of the violation. ^{[5] X Trusted Source Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Go to source}

For example, if a student accidentally breaks a prescribed “quiet time”, you may only need a warning on the first violation.
You can also ask the student to stay after class to talk to you. This is a way to stay disciplined without interrupting class time.

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Assign leadership roles to students with distinctive personalities. Some students are often disruptive in class due to boredom or disconnection from lectures or with teachers. You can start by giving the student small individual tasks, then assign more difficult general responsibilities. ^{[6] X Trusted Source Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Go to source}

For example, you might assign a student the task of timing a class assignment.
Note that this does not always work for all “individual” students. If these children do not do well on simple tasks, do not assign more difficult tasks.

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Show interest in all students. If you show that you enjoy being around your students and value their opinions, your students will be significantly less likely to engage in challenging behavior in class. Ask about their daily lives and personal interests. In response, you should also give the student some information about yourself in a professional manner.

For example, you could talk to students about where they are going during the upcoming break.

Timothy Linetsky

Music producer and educator

Timothy Linetsky is a DJ, producer and music educator who has been working with music for over 15 years. He has created educational YouTube videos focused on electronic music production and has over 90,000 subscribers.

Timothy Linetsky
Music producer and educator

Are you teaching in the form of a one-on-one teacher? Timmy Linetsky, music teacher, suggests, “Design a curriculum that balances what your students want to learn and what you think is best for them.” He added: “Sometimes you have to steer students in the right direction and convince them that something has something to do with them, even if they don’t think so. Identify students’ weaknesses at the root rather than the ones they think they are.”

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Stay calm when dealing with argumentative students. It is easy to lose your temper when faced with an argumentative or defiant student. Take a deep breath and try to see things from your perspective. Ask them to explain their point of view in more detail. Encourage other students to join the discussion. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Keep the right mindset

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Always maintain a professional demeanor. Dress appropriately for the educational environment. Organize classrooms and teaching facilities in an orderly manner. Set aside time to prepare each day for class. Maintain a respectful attitude towards colleagues and administrators. Think of the image of a professional teacher and strive to live up to that image. ^{[9] X Research Source}

It also helps to remember one of my former teachers who was described as an exemplary teacher. Think about how you can imitate your teachers in the classroom or in your teaching career.

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Funny and funny. Try to help students understand that learning doesn’t always have to be serious. If you do something funny or silly, make fun of yourself. Students will feel more connected to you when you humble yourself a little. If you incorporate humor or funny stories into your lessons, your students will also be more likely to remember the lesson. ^{[10] X Research Source}

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Repeat the positive mantra over and over on unlucky days. Not all of your teaching sessions go well, some even turn into disasters. However, it is important that you keep a positive attitude; Avoid letting negative energy pass to students. Pause for a moment and say to yourself, “Everything will be okay” or “Tomorrow will be a new day.” Smile and keep working. ^{[11] X Research Source}

You can even say out loud, “I love teaching because…” and give a few reasons. For example, think of a moment when you saw one of your students have a better life because of your efforts.
Your students also have bad days sometimes, and when you do, you can say you want to “reset”. Tell the children that you want to officially start over from that point forward.

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Build a good relationship with the student’s parents. Communication is of the essence when working with parents of students. Stay in touch with them through parent meetings or through a contact book. Let them know that you care about their opinions and views on teaching. You can also ask for the support of parents during school events and celebrations. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Contact your school’s parent association and ask if there’s anything you can do to help.

Improve yourself as a teacher

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Find support from colleagues. Find other teachers in your school who are willing to discuss teaching with you, even allowing you to attend their lessons. If they are interested, you can also invite them to your class, then ask them to suggest what you can do to be a better teacher.

For example, they may suggest that you set clearer goals. Then you can discuss with them how to do it.
It is always a good idea to exchange teaching materials with colleagues. Show them the format you use to ask questions or tests and ask them to show their copy as well. Even if you don’t teach the same subject, you can learn useful things from talking to your colleagues about how to teach.
You can also find mentors through educational institutions, even at seminars. Get in touch with the people you’ve met and seek advice when needed.

Advice

Memorize students’ names as quickly as possible. They will appreciate your efforts, and you will find it easier to communicate with them.
For shy students, encourage them to participate with open-ended questions. Stick to “why” and “how” questions. ^{[15] X Research Source}
You may feel that grading your work doesn’t have much to do with marking wrong answers and grading it, but there’s a big difference between a work that includes helpful comments and explanations for deficiencies. missed a task filled with only red ink marks.

Warning

If you are concerned about the safety of a certain student, do not hesitate to reach out to administrators or other teachers for advice or support. Trust your intuition.
Give yourself time to be the best teacher you can be. Don’t expect quick success, and be patient with yourself during practice. ^{[16] X Research Source}

Steps