10 Characteristics of a Successful Teacher
👩🏫 👨🏫 Successful teachers are…
When I asked a group of my teacher friends, "What are the characteristics of a successful teacher?" the number one answer given was...flexibility.
Here are their other responses in no particular order.
Flexible - Teachers need to be adaptable to new situations. Every day, every period is a new situation. We need to be on our toes and ready for change. Successful teachers understand that students come with all types of skills and limitations and adjust for those needs.
Respectful - Teachers need to be considerate, compassionate, and respectful towards their students, colleagues, and parents/families.
Professional - The best teachers are masters of their content and develop their teaching strategies. They use data to drive instruction. The rockstar teachers are able to differentiate instruction based on student need, learning styles, and interest.
Reflective - This was another popular answer among my teacher friends. A successful teacher reflects on his practice and adjusts as necessary.
Determined - A successful teacher is goal-driven. She has the end in mind and has a plan to get there. She also has grit; she’s willing to take risks, even if it means failing. She isn't afraid to get kicked in the ass and come back for more.
Organized - Maintaining organizational systems that fit your style leaves room for developing the other successful characteristics in this list.
Passionate - As one of my friends put it, "If you don't love teaching, you don't love students; if you don't love learning; then the profession doesn't need you." Straight to the point! Well said.
Patient - Successful teachers maintain a calm and cool demeanor despite many situations that demand otherwise.
Assertive - Be sure to balance your patience with assertiveness. Your students need tough love. Being a warm and assertive is a perfect balance between the two traits.
Collaborative - The best teachers collaborate with each other to develop their practice. Many of the other characteristics can best be developed alongside your colleagues.
Which characteristics do you already possess? Which do you need to improve upon? What are some other characteristics of successful teachers that I forgot? Want to expand on an idea?
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