12 Characteristics of an Effective Teacher

7/26/2019 12 Characteristics of an Effective Teacher

1/21

12

Characteristicsof an

Effective TeacherThe Forum for Innovative Leadership

Cook Convention CenterMemphis, Tennessee

June 7-, 2!11

PresenterRobert J. Walker, Ed.D.

Chair, Department of Education

Southwest Tennessee Communit Colle!e

" #$%$ b Dr. Robert J. Walker all ri!hts reser&ed.

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from the author after this session.from the author after this session.

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2/21

"#out this $tud% &hat started out as a simp'e first (eek c'ass assi)nment evo'ved

into an educationa' reve'ation* +ver m% co''e)iate teachin) career, I have en)a)ed co''e)e students

in discussion and (ritin) assi)nments pertainin) to the outstandin)characteristic of their most effective teacher*

Effective (as defined as the teacher (ho made the most si)nificantimpact on their 'ives*

"fter %ears of 'istenin) to students and readin) their essa%s a#outtheir favorite and most memora#'e teacher, I have iso'ated (hatstudents said are the 12 Characteristics of an Effective Teacher*

2!1! #% r* .o#ert J* &a'ker a'' ri)hts reserved*


3/21

$i)nificance of this $tud%$i)nificance of this $tud% TheThe 12 Characteristics of an Effective Teacher12 Characteristics of an Effective Teacher are moreare more

persona' traits than the% are academic traits*persona' traits than the% are academic traits* The% areThe% are notnot/ua'ities that teachers, )oin) throu)h a co''e)e/ua'ities that teachers, )oin) throu)h a co''e)eacademic course of stud%, 'earn in their c'asses or #% (a% of theacademic course of stud%, 'earn in their c'asses or #% (a% of thete0t#ook*te0t#ook*

These 12 characteristics make the point that no 'on)er canThese 12 characteristics make the point that no 'on)er canteachers vie( themse'ves as mere'% a dispenser of kno('ed)e*teachers vie( themse'ves as mere'% a dispenser of kno('ed)e*

These 12 characteristics make the inference that teachers mustThese 12 characteristics make the inference that teachers mustmode' the character that the% seek to insti'' in the chi'dren the%mode' the character that the% seek to insti'' in the chi'dren the%teach*teach*

2!1! #% r* .o#ert J* &a'ker a'' ri)hts reserved*


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$urve%$urve% 'ease take a fe( minutes to comp'ete the'ease take a fe( minutes to comp'ete the 1212

Characteristics of an Effective TeacherCharacteristics of an Effective Teacher $urve% found$urve% found

in %our handout*in %our handout* ouou will notwill not#e asked to turn this surve% in to me*#e asked to turn this surve% in to me*

This is 3ust a presentation activit%4This is 3ust a presentation activit%4



5/21

Characteristic 51

PreparedPrepared

The% kno( the su#3ect matter and are a#'e to teachThe% kno( the su#3ect matter and are a#'e to teachit in a (a% that students can 'earn*it in a (a% that students can 'earn* It is eas% to 'earn in their c'ass #ecause the% areIt is eas% to 'earn in their c'ass #ecause the% are

read% for the da%*read% for the da%* The% do not (aste instructiona' time* The% startThe% do not (aste instructiona' time* The% start

c'ass on time* The% teach the entire c'ass*c'ass on time* The% teach the entire c'ass* Time f'ies in their c'ass #ecause students areTime f'ies in their c'ass #ecause students are

en)a)ed in 'earnin) 6not #ored, 'ess 'ike'% to fa''en)a)ed in 'earnin) 6not #ored, 'ess 'ike'% to fa''as'eep*as'eep*

Prepared -Prepared - The most effective teachers comeThe most effective teachers cometo c'ass each da% read% to teach*to c'ass each da% read% to teach*



6/21

Characteristic 52Characteristic 52

PositivePositive

The% see the )'ass ha'f-fu'' 6The% 'ookon the positive side of ever% situation*

The% are avai'a#'e to students* The% communicate (ith students a#out

their pro)ress* The% )ive praise and reco)nition*

The% have strate)ies to he'p students#e positive to(ards one another* The% 'ove teachin) and (ou'd not (ant

to do an%thin) e'se*

Positive Positive The most effective teachersThe most effective teachershave anhave anoptimisticoptimisticattitudeattitudea#out #ein) a teacher and a#out theira#out #ein) a teacher and a#out their

studentsstudents



7/21

Characteristic 58

High Expectations

The% have the hi)hestThe% have the hi)heststandards*standards*

The% consistent'% cha''en)eThe% consistent'% cha''en)estudents to do their #est*students to do their #est*

The% are carin) professiona'sThe% are carin) professiona's(ho #ui'd students9 confidence(ho #ui'd students9 confidenceand teach students to #e'ieveand teach students to #e'ievein themse'ves*in themse'ves*

High Expectations:The most effective teachers do notset 'imits on an% of the students and #e'ieve the% a'' can#e successfu'*



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Characteristic 5:

Creative

E0amp'es;E0amp'es;


9/21

Characteristic 5>

Fair

The% a''o( a'' students e/ua'The% a''o( a'' students e/ua'opportunities and privi'e)es*opportunities and privi'e)es*

The% c'arif% re/uirements for the c'ass*The% c'arif% re/uirements for the c'ass* The% reco)ni?e that @FairA doesn9tThe% reco)ni?e that @FairA doesn9t

necessari'% mean treatin) ever%one thenecessari'% mean treatin) ever%one thesame, #ut )ivin) ever% student (hat hesame, #ut )ivin) ever% student (hat heor she needs in order to #e successfu'*or she needs in order to #e successfu'*

The% understand that a'' students don9tThe% understand that a'' students don9t'earn in the same (a% and at the same'earn in the same (a% and at the samerate*rate*

FairFairB The most effective teachers are 3ust inB The most effective teachers are 3ust inho( the% treat students and in their )radin)*ho( the% treat students and in their )radin)*



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Characteristic 5

Personal Touch

The% connect (ith students in aThe% connect (ith students in apersona' (a%*persona' (a%*

The% share persona' e0periences (ithThe% share persona' e0periences (iththe c'ass*the c'ass*

The% take a persona' interest in theThe% take a persona' interest in thestudents and find out as much asstudents and find out as much as

possi#'e a#out them*possi#'e a#out them* The% visit the students9 (or'dThe% visit the students9 (or'd6nei)h#orhoods, homes, sit (ith them6nei)h#orhoods, homes, sit (ith themin cafeteria, etc**in cafeteria, etc**

The% come to sportin) and otherThe% come to sportin) and otherevents outside norma' schoo' hours*events outside norma' schoo' hours*

Personal TouchPersonal Touch B Effective teachers are approacha#'eB Effective teachers are approacha#'e ..



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Characteristic 57Develops a Sense of

elonging

T(o comments repeated'%T(o comments repeated'%mentioned #% students (ere;mentioned #% students (ere;

Fee'in) a sense of #e'on)in) in thec'assroom*

Fee'in) that the teacher (as happ%to have them in the c'assroom*

Develops a Sense of elonging Develops a Sense of elonging The most effectiveThe most effectiveteachers make students fee' (e'come and comforta#'eteachers make students fee' (e'come and comforta#'ein their c'assrooms*in their c'assrooms*



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Characteristic 5D

!d"its #ista$es

E0amp'e 61;E0amp'e 61;&hen a student is mistaken'%&hen a student is mistaken'%accused, the teacher is (i''in) to apo'o)i?eaccused, the teacher is (i''in) to apo'o)i?eto the student*to the student*

E0amp'e 62;E0amp'e 62;The teacher is (i''in) to makeThe teacher is (i''in) to makead3ustments (hen students inform thead3ustments (hen students inform theteacher that there (as materia' on the testteacher that there (as materia' on the testthe% (ere not to'd to stud% or (hen errorsthe% (ere not to'd to stud% or (hen errorsare made in )radin)*are made in )radin)*

E0amp'e 68;E0amp'e 68;The teacher is (i''in) to )iveThe teacher is (i''in) to )ivestudents an opportunit% to redo a pro3ect ifstudents an opportunit% to redo a pro3ect ifshe did not e0p'ain an important step in theshe did not e0p'ain an important step in theassi)nment*assi)nment*

!d"its #ista$es !d"its #ista$es Effective teachers are /uick toEffective teachers are /uick toapo'o)i?e to students (hen an error (as made*apo'o)i?e to students (hen an error (as made*



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Characteristic 5

Sense of Hu"or

The% have the a#i'it% to #reak the iceThe% have the a#i'it% to #reak the icein difficu't situations (ith humor*in difficu't situations (ith humor*

The% #rin) humor into the c'assroom*The% #rin) humor into the c'assroom* The% en3o% 'au)hin)The% en3o% 'au)hin) (ith(ith the c'assthe c'ass

6#ut, not at the e0pense of a student*6#ut, not at the e0pense of a student*

Sense of Hu"or Sense of Hu"or Effective teachers do not takeEffective teachers do not takeever%thin) so serious'% and make 'earnin) fun*ever%thin) so serious'% and make 'earnin) fun*



14/21

Characteristic 51!

%ives &espect to Students

Teachers (ho )ive the hi)hest respect,Teachers (ho )ive the hi)hest respect,)et the hi)hest respect*)et the hi)hest respect*

E0amp'es;E0amp'es; .espect students9 privac% (hen returnin).espect students9 privac% (hen returnin)

test papers*test papers* $peak to students in private concernin)$peak to students in private concernin)

)rades or conduct*)rades or conduct*

Effective teachers (ere remem#ered forEffective teachers (ere remem#ered forsho(in) sensitivit% for students9 fee'in)s,sho(in) sensitivit% for students9 fee'in)s,and for consistent'% avoidin) situationsand for consistent'% avoidin) situationsthat mi)ht unnecessari'% em#arrassthat mi)ht unnecessari'% em#arrassstudents*students*

%ives &espect to Students -%ives &espect to Students - The most effectiveThe most effectiveteachers do not de'i#erate'% em#arrass students*teachers do not de'i#erate'% em#arrass students*



15/21

The% are (i''in) to for)ive students forThe% are (i''in) to for)ive students forinappropriate #ehavior*inappropriate #ehavior*

The% have a ha#it of startin) each da% (ith aThe% have a ha#it of startin) each da% (ith ac'ean s'ate*c'ean s'ate*

The% understand that an attitude ofThe% understand that an attitude offor)iveness is essentia' if difficu't studentsfor)iveness is essentia' if difficu't students

are to #e reached*are to #e reached*

The% understand that disruptive or antisocia'The% understand that disruptive or antisocia'#ehavior can #e upsettin) and /uick'% turn a#ehavior can #e upsettin) and /uick'% turn ateacher a)ainst a student* ut, the (i''in)nessteacher a)ainst a student* ut, the (i''in)nessto never )ive up on a difficu't student canto never )ive up on a difficu't student canresu't in a (onderfu' success stor%*resu't in a (onderfu' success stor%*

Characteristic 511

ForgivingForgiving Forgiving Effective teachers do not ho'd )rud)esEffective teachers do not ho'd )rud)esa)ainst their students*a)ainst their students*



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Characteristic 512

Co"passionate

The teacher takes a specia' interest in he'pin) students so'veThe teacher takes a specia' interest in he'pin) students so'vepersona' pro#'ems*persona' pro#'ems*

$tudents can te'' that their teacher 'oves them*$tudents can te'' that their teacher 'oves them* The sensitivit% and compassion of a carin) teacher affectsThe sensitivit% and compassion of a carin) teacher affects

students in profound and 'astin) (a%sstudents in profound and 'astin) (a%s''

Co"passionate -Co"passionate - Effective teachers are )enuine'% concern a#outEffective teachers are )enuine'% concern a#outstudents9 persona' pro#'ems and can re'ate to them*students9 persona' pro#'ems and can re'ate to them*



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18/21

+roup cti&it+roup cti&it

Directions:Directions:Di&ide into four !roups andDi&ide into four !roups and

discuss the followin! -uestiondiscuss the followin! -uestion

If you had only one of theIf you had only one of the 12 Characteristics12 Characteristics

of an Effective Teacherof an Effective Teacher, which one would, which one would

you like to have and why?you like to have and why?



19/21

Fina' &ords of &isdom

@If students 'ike %ou, the% (i'' doan%thin) for%ou* If the% do not 'ike

%ou, the% (i'' do an%thin) to%ou*AMari'%nTa%'or Memphis Cit% $choo' teacher*



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The End



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12 Characteristics of an Effective Teacher