Successful Teacher: Aim in the future!

By: Frances Zia A. Pidlaoan

Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in Social Studies

After I have read an article entitled, “Four Characteristics of Successful Teachers”, I was inspired to write this mini-reflection which is also related to what I have learned in many of our courses.

It is easy to become a teacher but being a good, effective and successful teacher is difficult and it requires time, effort, experiences and willingness from the teacher herself to develop the characteristics to become a good and successful teacher. A good teacher is not only a content expert but a provider of learning experiences and activities. Good teachers have great passion for teaching and to her students. She never stops believing that her students can do great things and possess optimism in the abilities and potentials of her students.

According to Weimer (2013), there are four characteristics that a successful teacher possesses. First is the presence, where it is defined as a deeper level of awareness that allows thoughts, feelings, and actions to be known, developed, and harmonized within. This characteristic of a teacher described how important for a teacher to know their students not just by name but on their abilities, characteristics and backgrounds. Another important theme under this characteristic is the teachers’ care for her students and to their learning. Teachers can show that they care for their students by showing that she is concern to them, approach them and communicate with them in the students’ level. Another characteristic that a teacher should possess is that she should promote learning among all her students.  To promote better learning, teachers should maintain high standards and expectations to her students not to threaten them but to express that she believes that students can do better and can achieve their goals. Teachers should keep on monitoring their students’ work, their progress on it and to their achievement. Providing feedbacks, suggestions and comments to the students will help them to boost their confidence and be more motivated to study. One good thing to help the students learn better is to bear in their mind that memorizing facts and concepts are not enough but they should develop the ability to understand and go beyond to the information presented to them. Teachers can encourage developing the ability to understand than memorizing by providing them activities and tasks that will trigger them to think critically and creatively. To possess this characteristic, teachers should not limit the students’ learning in content acquisition but let the students to explore and discover their own learning. Teachers should promote the development of students’ higher order thinking skills. The next characteristic is that successful teachers treat themselves as learners as well. A teacher should never stop learning and discovering things for her to improve teaching and gain more experience. Teachers should strive to be better each day and don’t limit themselves to what they already know. And also, teachers should learn to try various teaching methods and strategies to promote better learning to the students. Teachers should take the chances and opportunities to learn new things so that she can provide relevant and significant information, learning and knowledge. The last characteristic of teacher is that teachers should be enthusiastic. Teachers’ enthusiasm starts with a love of the content, but it goes beyond that and includes a genuine love of teaching and a passion for students and their learning. And also, teachers should consider the students’ love for learning.

As a future teacher, I realized I should start to work on these characteristics and continue loving the profession I chose. I know that being a teacher is difficult and it will require me a lot of patience, courage and encouragement from others to stay firm and tough since there are different kinds of students and there are changing environments. Despite the hardships that this profession brings and may bring, one thing is for sure: I’ll be a great teacher who believes on my students’ abilities; shows positivity in accepting new ideas, praises and feedbacks from others; a teacher who loves to make the students learn and to learn and a teacher who knows when to be a teacher and a friend to my colleagues, students and other people. I realized that being a teacher maybe tough but if one knows how to handle the hardships and challenges that it brings, one can be successful not just in the role of teaching the students but to inspire them, motivate them and change their lives. By being a successful teacher, we don’t just make the students learn but we gain the fulfillment we seek in being with this profession.