THE EFFECTIVE TEACHER

Leo R. Sandy

There are several dimensions taken together in varying levels of degree that embody the effective
teacher. Since teachers range from preschool through post secondary levels, and are unique
people, no two teachers will have the same combination nor will all of them be present in every
excellent teacher. There are also qualities that effective teachers have that may not be included
here. I invite others to add to the list.

Perhaps the most important quality of an effective teacher is that she be a learner . Paulo Freire
refers to this role as "teacher-student" because the teacher presents the material to the students
for their consideration, and reconsiders her earlier considerations as the students express their
own. The effective teacher, then, is one who extends a cordial invitation to her "student-
teachers" to enter into a dialogic relationship with her and the subject matter.

The effective teacher must be a leader who can inspire and influence students through expert
and referent power but never coercive power. This teacher knows his subject well and is kind
and respectful toward his students. He also has high standards and expectations coexisting with
encouragement, support, and flexibility. This teacher empowers students and gets them to do
things of which they did not think they were capable. This teacher has students who surpass him.

The effective teacher is a provocateur who probes, prods, asks incessant why questions, poses
problems, throws curves, plays "devil's advocate", and stimulates frustration and conflict all in an
attempt to "bust bubbles and plant seeds" so that tidy and stereotypical explanations are
unmasked and discarded.

The effective teacher exemplifies what Maxine Green calls teacher as stranger . By keeping
students at a healthy emotional distance, this teacher can, through continuous reflection, employ
greater objectivity in her ability to balance the needs of individuals with the needs of the class as
a whole. This allows the teacher to not only determine what those needs are but also how they
can be accommodated to by innovative approaches.
The effective teacher models enthusiasm not only for his subject but also for teaching and
learning in general. By showing exuberance, a positive attitude, excitement, and passion, the
effective teacher makes it clear to his students that he would prefer to be nowhere else. Effective
teachers value their craft and project this value to all in their presence.

The effective teacher is an innovator who changes strategies, techniques, texts, and materials
when better ones are found and/or when existing ones no longer provide a substantive learning
experience for her students. This teacher also employs a combination of lecture-discussion,
simulation, service learning, cooperative learning, visual media, role-playing, guest speakers, and
debates, and whatever is age and grade appropriate in order to accommodate diverse learning
styles and to present the subject from different angles to facilitate insights and connections. This
teacher values and uses students' ideas about how to enhance their own learning.
The effective teacher is a comedian/entertainer who uses humor in the service of learning
rather than as a distraction from it.

The effective teacher is a coach or guide who helps students to improve on their skills and
insights. By neither letting them flounder nor prematurely offering assistance, the effective
teacher enables students to own their own successes and to learn from their mistakes. By
returning the students' work promptly with constructive comments, and by being available for
assistance, the effective teacher helps students to develop responsibility for their own learning, or
to become what is known as self-reliant.

The effective teacher is a genuine human being or humanist who is able to laugh at herself and
the absurdity in the world without being cynical and hopeless. She is a person who can self-
disclose so that her students will see both her virtues and imperfections. By being a down-to-
earth person, the effective teacher helps her students develop the will, courage and hope to fulfill
their own potential as human beings.

The effective teacher is a sentinel who provides an environment of intellectual safety in which
opposing ideas can be aired without fear of censure or retribution. This teacher can express his
opinions and beliefs while taking care to distinguish fact from opinion. His students feel free to
express their views with equal ease even if those views are at odds with those of the teacher.

The effective teacher is an optimist or idealist who firmly believes that without an ideal or
mission, there will be no approximation of it. This teacher sees herself in each of her students
and feels that her legacy is what she contributes to their development. This teacher achieves a
sense of immortality by the positive influence she has on the lives of her students.

The effective teacher is one with others . He is a collaborator who places a high value on
collegiality. He shares ideas and materials with others, solicits input and involvement by parents,
and seeks help from his fellow teachers when he encounters a problem. The classroom walls in
this teacher's room are thin.

This teacher is effective because she aspires to all these qualities and more. She values truth
more than certainty and the rightness of a cause more than personal popularity. As this teacher
attempts to change the world, she transforms herself and others in the process. Thus, the effective
teacher is a revolutionary because she knows that, with the exception of parenthood, her role is
the most vital one on earth in the preservation of the sanctity of life and its natural outcome - the
elevation of humanity .
     Learning the basic skills necessary for you to become an effective educator can be especially difficult
for a first year teacher. Becoming an effective teacher takes practice and special guidance from mentors
and administrators. Effective teaching does not involve presenting your exciting lessons or activities to the
class, it is a craft learned over time. Effective teaching is a teaching philosophy that can distinctly change
given the situation. For example, a classroom with five students is a much different situation than
addressing a class of forty students. Having the skills and abilities necessary to become an effective
teacher will allow you to craft your lessons and teaching style to accommodate any size of class.

Characteristics of an effective teacher:

1. Positive expectations
2. Enthusiasm
3. Effective classroom manager / Organization
4. Ability to design lessons and activities
5. Rapport with students

Effective teachers should have high expectations for their entire class. Whether a student constantly
makes hundreds on tests or a fifty, each student should be given positive reinforcement in class. Effective
teachers should exhibit positive expectations to ensure each student believes they can excel.
Transmitting positive reinforcement by telling each student they have high abilities and are a capable
learner will allow students to excel to their highest abilities. In addition, setting positive expectations in the
classroom will help students who do not have proper motivation and support at home.

Effective teachers should always exhibit enthusiasm in the classroom. Enthusiasm will allow your
students to be interested in class discussions and classroom activities. Effective teachers should speak in
expressive ways, not a monotone style. In addition, gestures with arms and constantly moving around the
classroom will allow your students to be interested in the classroom discussion. Effective teacher should
also maintain eye contact with their students at all times.

Educators need to have proper classroom management skills in order to be effective teachers. Classroom
management is not about disciplining your class, it deals with how to effectively manage the classroom.
Classroom management deals with how to take roll, keep an effective grade book and how to discipline
students.

One of the most important skills for an effective teacher to master is how to design and implement
lessons in the classroom. Designing lessons involves how to cater the needed curriculum into
discussions, activities and assignments. In addition, an effective teacher should also be able to evaluate
whether or not their students mastered the lesson.

An effective teacher should always establish rapport with their students. Establishing interpersonal
relationships with students is crucial to form a trusting bond with each student. Effective teachers should
be available outside of class to answer questions and provide additional help to students. In addition, an
effective teacher should show tolerance to differing points of view during class.

 
   + Start at step one. For an effective teacher, the first step is to care about students. They
must become more than numbers or lumps in the desks. The teacher must view them as more
than the trouble maker, the apple polisher or the ADHD problem. Look beyond their behavior to
see who they are and what they need from you. It will not be the same need for every student.

 Step 2

Parents provide a feast!

Network with parents. They are your number one ally when you are an effective teacher,
therefore, communication is paramount to effectiveness. Let parents know what is happening in
your classroom, what you need for your room, when their child is wonderful, what they can do to
help their child. On the whole, parents care and they want their child to succeed. Help them help
you do just that.

 Step 3

Interactive learning rocks!

Bring your subjects to life! Reading the book, discussing the material or answering the questions
can only be useful on occasion. Yes, it keeps the little angels busy and out of your hair, but to be
effective in your teaching, they must learn something too! Take them on a sailing adventure and
discover the new worlds or let them settle with the great civilizations. Interactive learning
involves multiple senses and intelligences!

 Step 4

Karaoke adds American History

Learn to be an effective teacher by being creative and borrowing ideas well. For example, my
classroom is about to become an underworld adventure as my students create 3-D models of sea
life and then share their creature in a report. My kids love it and I love Sharla for modeling the
idea when I taught with her! Keep your eyes open for ideas no matter where you are or what you
are doing.

 Step 5

Activities outside normal hours

Work tirelessly. Effective teachers know that you cannot keep track of the hours you spend
giving student feedback (grading), creating lesson plans and preparing your materials for
education. At the same time, a truly effective teacher will make time to do things outside of the
classroom to refresh and reinvigorate his/her mind.

 Step 6

Effective teachers are often loved by their students, but not because they are their "friends."
Teachers must keep a line of professionalism that separates them from the other students in the
room. They are loved because they are fair, bring education alive, and care about their students.

 Step 7

If you are not feeling effective now, take a class or find a mentor. Read a book written by a great
teacher. Time and effort can turn you, can turn every teacher, into an effective teacher.