Characteristics of an Effective Teacher

Knowledge and skills are taught and learned at school. School is a little community in itself
where teachers and students interact with each other. During this interaction teachers influence
their learner’s behavior and learners influence their teacher’s behavior. The nature of this
interaction is an important factor in determining the learner's perceptions of school and his/her
attitudes toward school-related persons and activities. This factor involves the relationship
between the personality of the teacher and that of the learner.

A teacher’s personality traits are important as Callahan, (1966) says that the teacher whose
personality helps create and maintain a classroom or learning environment in which students feel
comfortable and in which they are motivated to learn is said to have a desirable teaching
personality.

Personal qualities
Teachers need the following characteristics:
• strong interpersonal and communication skills
• a genuine interest in children and respect for their individuality
• the ability to sense children's individual needs
• the ability to be creative, imaginative, patient, energetic, organized and resourceful
• the ability to establish rapport children and parents
• strong leadership and teamwork skills and a good sense of humor
• a high level of dedication to work which often impacts personal lifestyle choices
• a clear, pleasant speaking voice and the ability to convey confidence
• positive conflict resolution skills and the ability to handle stress well.

Thompson, Greer, and Greer (n.d) says that “every teacher should possess twelve characteristics
such as displaying fairness, having a positive outlook, being prepared, using a personal touch,
possessing a sense of humor, possessing creativity, admitting mistakes, being forgiving,
respecting students, maintaining high expectations, showing compassion, and developing a sense
of belonging for students”. Let us read these characteristics as given bellow:

1) Fairness.
Fairness is one of the characteristics of the students’ favorite teachers. All humans possess an
inbuilt sense of fair play. Whenever a person violates, the other person in this situation is prone
to react negatively. Any impression of favoritism, or lack of fairness, leaves scars on the life of
persons that lasts forever. The students report in great detail, the unfair actions of their teachers
when they had negative experience of competition between classmates, even after many years
have passed.

2) Positive Attitude.
Another characteristic that students’ like most is the positive attitude and approach of their
teachers they use into the classroom. Scholars suggest that effective teachers are those who use
meaningful verbal praise to get and keep students actively participating in the learning process.
The effective teachers are generally positive minded individuals who believe in the success of
their students as well as their own ability to help students achievements. If the teachers have
positive attitude they “catch students doing things right” rather than “catching them doing
something wrong.” The students often recall praise and recognition that was given by their
teachers at schools, and they point to the confidence and direction that often resulted in their
lives.

3) Preparedness.
Competence and knowledge of the content area being taught is something that our college
students have always mentioned about their favorite teachers. In a research the students pointed
out that in classrooms where teachers were well prepared, behavior problems were less
prevalent. The well-prepared teacher is more likely to be able to take time during lessons to
notice and attend to behavioral matters, and is less likely to miss the beginnings of potentially
disruptive activity. If, on the other hand, teachers have not spent sufficient time in planning and
preparation, they tend to be so focused on what they are doing that they miss the early signs of
misbehavior. This ultimately results in frequent disruption, waste of valuable instructional time,
and student’s frustration.

4) Personal Touch
Teachers who are connected personally with their students; call them by name, smile often, ask
about students’ feelings and opinions, and accept students for who they are. As well as the
teachers who tell stories of their own lives events which relate to subject matter currently being
taught, motivate student’s interest and endorse bonding with the students. Teachers who show
interest in their students have interested students.

5) Sense of humor.
If a teacher has the ability to break the ice in difficult situations with the use of humor, this is an
extremely valuable asset for teaching. According to McDermott & Rothenberg (2000) students
enjoy teachers with a sense of humor and remember those teachers who made learning a fun.
Good teachers enjoy a laugh with the class occasionally.

6) Creativity.
Students always like the unusual things that their teachers do in creative ways. Construction of
models or things from wastage like plastic bottles provides a field into which children could go
and work by themselves quietly on academics activities like puzzles and word-finds. Fun
activities arranged by teachers into the classroom encourage the students towards learning.
Teachers can use unique ways of motivating their class. Teacher can set a reward for the class on
reaching a particular academic goal. For example a teacher can give extra marks of work done by
the students in a creative way.

7) Willingness to admit mistakes.

Like everybody, teachers may make mistakes. Sometimes students may know when their
teachers make mistakes. Unfortunately, some teachers try to let the mistakes go unnoticed or
cover over them quickly. Teachers who recognize their mistakes in a very humble and pleasant
way and apologize them. This act of teacher provides an excellent model for the students, and
they may be remembered as a good teacher.

8) Forgiving
The effective teachers reflect a willingness to forgive students for misbehavior. For example if a
student repeatedly asks irrelevant questions and detracts others from the lesson. The teacher can
simply say the question is irrelevant and direct the student for further study.

9) Respect
The teachers’ desire be respected by their students. The teachers who give respect to their
students are always respected by them. Effective teachers can train their students be respectful by
many ways such as, he can keep individual grades on papers confidentially, or can speak to
students privately after misbehavior not in front of others. Good teachers show sensitivity for
feelings and consistently avoid situations that unnecessarily make students uncomfortable.

10) High expectations

Teachers with positive attitudes also possess high expectations for success. Teachers’
expectation levels affect the ways in which teachers teach and interact with students. Generally,
students either rise to their teachers’ expectations or do not perform well when expectations are
low or non-existent. The best teachers have the highest standards. They consistently challenge
their students to do their best.

11) Compassion
Hopefully, school is a place where children can learn and be nurtured in an emotionally safe
environment. Sometimes in youngsters classrooms there may happens a significant amount of
cruelty and hurt feelings. In these situations a caring teacher tries to reduce the impact of hurt
feelings on learning.

12) Sense of belonging

Teachers developed a sense of family in their classrooms. A variety of strategies, such as random
act of kindness awards, class picture albums, and cooperative class goals build a sense of unity
and belongings and maintain an emotionally safe classroom. Good teachers also took strong
measures to prevent mean and hurtful behavior like teasing and bullying. Effective teachers
know well that when children feel emotionally and physically safe, they learn far better.

Professional Qualities

The teacher’s professional characteristics are following:

Collaboration: The teacher works with others to achieve a common goal.

i). Interacts constructively with peers/colleagues, administrators, supervisors, staff, mentor
teachers, and parents
• Shows consideration and respect for thoughts and feelings of others
• Demonstrates effective verbal and non-verbal communication skills
• Demonstrates flexibility with others
• Solicits suggestions and feedback from others
• Maintains communication with colleagues, supervisors, and mentor teachers when questions or
concerns arise
• Recognizes a range of valid viewpoints

ii) Functions as a contributing member of an instructional team to achieve long-term curriculum

goals, state content standards, and district standards (term 4)
• Communicates effectively both verbally and non-verbally
• Shares ideas and materials

Honesty and Integrity: The teacher demonstrates truthfulness, professional behavior, and
trustworthiness.
i) Displays honesty and integrity
• Maintains confidentiality
• Elicits trust and respect from both peers and supervisors
• In completing course and field experience assignments, produces original work and credits
sources when appropriate

Respect: The teacher honors, values, and demonstrates consideration and regard for oneself and
others.
i) Is respectful of cultural patterns and expectations within a community context
• Presents self in a professional manner (e.g., dress, communication)
• Speaks and behaves in a manner that is sensitive to linguistic and cultural differences and
respects the dignity and worth of others
• Establishes good rapport with students and colleagues
• Seeks to address the varied learning needs of students in his/her classroom, including lower-
performing children and those with disabilities
• Recognizes and respects identities informed by a group’s historical context

Commitment to Learning: The teacher values learning for self and students.

i) Exhibits energy, drive, and determination to make one’s school and classroom the best
possible environment for teaching and learning
• Plans and delivers instruction that engages all students in his/her classroom and addresses their
learning needs
• Values ongoing assessment as essential to the instructional process

ii) Demonstrates a commitment to students’ learning

• Implements research-based strategies
• Proposes ideas and solutions that address curriculum, instruction, and classroom management
• Locates and/or creates materials that bring about student learning
• Assumes responsibilities, locates materials and resources, and improves teaching
• Reflects upon and evaluates effectiveness as a teacher, and seeks to improve skills
• Reflects on and offers ideas to address curricular, instructional and classroom management
matters
• Engages students in discovering how knowledge is constructed
• Actively and consciously looks for stories, wisdom, action, and creations of knowledge from
diverse perspectives

iii) Reflects on performance and attitudes as a teacher

• Reflects upon and evaluates effectiveness as a teacher, and seeks to improve skills
• Receives feedback in a positive manner and makes necessary adjustments
• Regularly re-assesses his/her commitment to the profession
• Evaluates instruction and student interactions and modifies as needed

Emotional Maturity: The teacher demonstrates situation appropriate behavior.

i) Is self-confident and enthusiastic
• Displays enthusiasm for teaching and the subject matter
• Demonstrates self-confidence through body language, voice tone, eye contact, preparedness
• Exhibits energy, drive, and determination to become a professional educator

ii) Is dependable, conscientious, and punctual

• Arrives early or on-time
• Completes assigned tasks in a timely manner
• Follows through with assignments and expectations

iii) Models social skills, character traits and dispositions desired in students.
• Establishes caring and mutually respectful relationships with students
• Explicitly teaches and models desired behaviors and attitudes

Leadership and Responsibility: The teacher acts independently and demonstrates

accountability, reliability, and sound judgment.

i) Is aware of and acts according to school policies and practices

• Has obtained and read school policy manual
• Adheres to class, school, and district rules and policies.

ii) Advises students in formal and informal settings

• Shows concern for all aspects of a student’s well-being, is alert to signs of academic and
behavioral difficulty, and responds appropriately
• Actively listens to and advises students, making referrals as appropriate

iii) Meets work schedule demands

• Is prepared for lessons and other responsibilities
• Meets and consults with mentor teacher each week to plan lessons

iv) Is aware of the importance of professional appearance and demeanor

• Dresses professionally
• Displays a positive attitude
• Communicates in a professional manner

v) Demonstrates initiative, in an acceptable manner, for introducing programs or practices in a

school or classroom
• Make suggestions at faculty meetings
• Offers ideas to mentor teacher and other instructional team members around instructional,
curricular, and behavioral needs of students.

According to Lemlech (1988) classroom management makes teaching and learning achievable.
The classroom management is defined by using the key components that affect success in the
classroom. The components are planning curriculum, organizing procedures and resources,
arranging the environment to maximize efficiency, monitoring student progress, fore looking
potential problems.

Classroom management
Successful classroom management is defined as producing a high rate of work involvement with
a low rate of deviancy in academic settings. To some extent teachers control their instructional
effectiveness in the classroom. A passive teacher simply relies on the same old teaching
techniques. As compare to him an active teacher plans different teaching strategic and techniques
in order to motivate the students and to achieve more success in teaching.

Different teaching techniques provide change for the teachers and minimize disturbances and
make sure that instruction can proceed efficiently; they set up their rooms according
to the following principles:
i. Teachers should be able to see all students at all times.
ii. Teaching materials and supplies are readily available.
iii. High – traffic areas should be free of congestion.
iv. Students should be able to see instructional presentations.
v. Procedures and routines should be actively taught in the same way that academic content is
taught.

Time management skill

Academic learning time in the classroom is an important factor in keeping the classroom
discipline. A teacher’s quick and efficient calls/instructions can vary the time allotted to all
classroom activities. The time spent on taking start, handle digressions, off-task behavior,
discipline have an ultimate effect on student learning. Student who spends more time on
academic content learns more and receives higher achievement scores. It is important to allocate
adequate time to academic content. Making time schedules is not enough, but the proper use of
this allocated time leads towards student achievement. In order to study the use of classroom
times, researchers have developed the following terms to allocated time, engaged time, and
academic learning time.
- Allocated time is the amount of time a teacher scheduled for a subject for example, 30 minutes
a day for mathematics. The more time allocated for a subject, the higher student achievement in
that subject is likely to be.
- Engaged time is that part of allocated time in which students are actively involved with
academic subject matter (really listening to a lecture, participating in the class discussion, writing
a composition, and working on mathematics problems).
- Academic learning time is engaged time with a high success rate. Many researchers suggest
that students should get 70 to 80 percent of the answers right when working with a teacher.
Teachers who effectively provide and manage academic learning time in their classrooms can
determine student achievement.
Effective classroom managers are nearly always good planners. They do not become late; handle
the situation after noise and disruption. They teach the rules about appropriate student behaviour.

Seating arrangement
Arrangements of space and furniture that cluster students together or hinder the teacher’s view
make teaching more difficult. Seating arrangement must depend on type of lesson to be taught,
and the type of classroom furniture. Each teacher needs to know the appropriate seats of all
students. A seating plan helps the teacher to learn names easily. Proper arrangement of furniture
also contributes to the smooth running of classrooms functions. According to Anderson (1991)
desks, chairs and tables can be arranged in a variety of ways; light and temperature can be
increased or decreased. Paint wall coverings, art work and plants can be used to enhance or
detract from the attractiveness of the physical classroom environment.

Discipline in the classroom

Discipline in the classroom involves using guidance and teaching techniques. Discipline creates
an atmosphere conducive to learning and encourages students to become self-directive. The
teacher must fairly examine the reasons of individual student behavior, and then he can plan
intelligently how to prevent disciplinary violations before they occur. If violations occurs,
appropriate steps can be taken so that as little injury as possible is done to the learning process.
Discipline rules should be posted in the classroom for all to see in order to create a classroom
environment with maximum productive time utilization.