I revisited my roots a bit this week by putting myself in a new teacher’s shoes and looking at the “Pennsylvania Standard Teaching Application.” On the very last page of the application, there are 3 essay choices. I was immediately drawn to one that asked, “What are the qualities of an effective educator?” I challenged myself to create a list of qualities that don’t go beyond the one page maximum (as my colleagues here at The Educator’s Room might tell you, have I have a tendency to be more verbose than succinct).
In no particular order, effective educators are those who:
- Have a student-centered mindset that keeps students at the focus
- Work on becoming content specialists, and continually seek to improve the breadth and depth of their knowledge
- Never pretend to know everything, but work at anticipating questions
- Continue to improve their classroom skills with both solicited and unsolicited professional development
- Foster and sustain a strong rapport with parents through regular phone calls, email updates, and meetings
- Seek and develop relationships with people who’d be considered pillars of the community
- Make good use of his/her resources
- Share and learn from colleagues
- Create assessments first and allow that to drive the instruction
- Vary instructional techniques for the multiple intelligences
- Differentiate instruction to challenge each student on a personal level
- Treat others with respect
- View the profession as a calling or a career, not as a job
- Are professional
- Are positive
- Inspire students to continually improve
- Encourage students to use their minds and their hearts to move their feet
- Uphold a core set of values such as integrity, honesty, transparency
- Earn and share respect
- Are available for and unafraid of questions, comments, concerns, and commendations
- Reward and award major accomplishments and minor improvements equally
- Share personal accomplishments with his/her students and staff
- Handle classroom discipline on his/her own
- Are fair and firm to every student
- Treat every child as he/she would expect his/her own child to be treated
- Find time for professional reflection
- Find time for leisure and a personal life
- Build and sustain a cooperative, comfortable learning environment
- Set both short- and long-term goals
- Work with the current, not against it
- Yet still stick to ideals, dreams, and dedications that are worth fighting for because they represent the best interests of students
- Put a smile on your face every day and watch it become contagious
- Be the teacher that others remember for making a difference in each and every student’s life
What did I forget to include on this list? I encourage you to add to it!