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April 22, 2013 Featured

32 Qualities of Effective Educators

  • About the Author
  • Latest Posts

About Jake Miller

Mr. Jake Miller is the 2016 National History Day Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year, a 2017 NEA Global Fellow to China, and a former candidate for county-wide office. Miller has written more than 500 articles, most of which have appeared on The Educator's Room. He's the opening contributor to TER's book When the Fire Is Gone. Learn more about Jake at www.MrJakeMiller.com
  • The Student-Teaching Model Is Outdated: Here's How We Can Do Better - September 15, 2021
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  • From STEM, Let's Pivot to the BRANCHES of the Humanities - May 25, 2021
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  • 10 Ways to Teach Like Ted Lasso: Part I - March 12, 2021
  • The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teachers: Habit 3 - First Things First - February 26, 2021

school-appleI 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!

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