Do you have what it takes to be a good teacher?

Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Good Teacher?

Perhaps you’re someone who lined up all of your dolls, action figures, and stuffed animals in front of a mini-chalkboard when you were a kid. You read to them and taught them how to solve math problems. Maybe when older, you became an after-school tutor or mention and thought, “Hey, I’d like to do that full-time.”

The inspiration to become a teacher hits some people when they’re young while others become teachers later in life. Whether you want to study to be a teacher right out of high school or you transition from another career into teaching, the best teachers share a few things in common.

Of course, teachers have to have at least an undergraduate degree, and many districts require teachers to earn a graduate teaching degree. Many school districts have begun requiring a master’s degree, on top of state licensure, and teachers with graduate degrees often receive higher compensation. However, on top of education, good teachers also display some common traits that help them to inspire and motivate their students.

1. Good Organizational Skills

Unfortunately, when you think about your own experiences as a student, you can probably think of some disorganized teachers that never seemed prepared for class. At the same time, you can probably remember many teachers who were well-organized and patient explainers. Although some people are more naturally organized than others, organization is a skill than anyone can learn.

Some teachers prefer to teach in a very linear, sequential, structured style while others prefer assigning group work, encouraging class discussions, and letting students do independent projects. Both types of teachers can be very well-organized as long as they have a reason for what they do and they’ve carefully planned their lessons. If you’re good at making material not only fun but memorable and if you can present it in a concise way, then you probably have the organizational skills to become a teacher.

2. Expertise

Great teachers know the subjects that they teach inside and out. They can explain the history, current developments, and future trends of the subjects. Also, they understand the essential theories of their fields, and they can easily present related concepts and facts from other subject areas. They’re not afraid to present viewpoints other than their own, and they relate their subjects to current social, technological, and political problems. Elementary school teachers need to have command of multiple subjects including reading, math, writing, social studies, and science. Middle school and high school teachers usually focus on a single subject area, and they develop in-depth knowledge of that subject.

If you decide to become a teacher, you should commit to learning everything that you can while in high school and college. You also should develop good study habits that allow you to retain information about your field. If you don’t study, skip class a lot, or often copy others’ homework instead of doing your own, then you likely won’t learn enough to provide your students with the education they deserve.

3. Enthusiasm and Positive Attitude

You’ve probably had teachers who obviously didn’t like their jobs. At the same time, you’ve likely also had teachers who were dynamic and had lots of enthusiasm. These were the teachers who encouraged you to succeed, and they probably inspired you to become a teacher yourself. They made it obvious that they loved their work, cared about their students, and loved coming to school every day.

Great teachers are concerned about doing a good job, and they work hard to motivate their students. The best teachers encourage and carefully pace class discussions to help all of their students properly absorb the material. They are also demanding but fair and they encourage independent thought even when student opinions differ from their own. Their enthusiasm and positive attitude make students want to come to class.

Some people know right away they want to become a teacher and others transition from different careers into the teaching field. If the latter sounds like you, contact your state’s department of education to learn more about alternative licensure. You might be able to count at least some of your job experience toward earning your teaching credentials, which might also help reduce the number of college classes that you are required for graduation.