12 Skills Teachers Require to be Effective in

Teaching
One book, one pen, one child and one teacher can change the world”

Teachers influence the lives of students much more significantly than we imagine. A
teacher with the right skills inspires and influences entire student lives. They are
instruments who can ignite powerful thoughts in students, helping them unleash their
true potential.

To bring about such long-standing impacts, it is important for teachers to have certain
skills. Let’s take a look at them.

1. Discipline Skills
Discipline is an important skill that you should possess a teacher so as to be labelled
as effective. A vital component of effective classroom management, your discipline
ensures that positive behaviour is encouraged inside classrooms.

Unlike common belief, discipline is not about punishing students. Rather, it is a way
to manage and guide students. Discipline is directly affected by the kind of
relationship you have with your students.

The most important discipline skills you can have includes being respectful,
responding to students, and reciprocating their interest. A teacher should be skilled in
setting an effective routine with the right amount of flexibility.

As you might be already aware, proper communication and relationship building are
very important skills as well.
 

2. Classroom Management Skills
As a teacher, by ensuring good behaviour of students, the battle is half won.  But to be
an effective teacher, you should also be able to help students develop study and work
habits.

Good classroom management skills start with setting certain ground rules to stress the
importance of classroom dignity.

Teachers should exercise patience along with a deep sense of care and kindness
towards their wards. You as an empathetic teacher will win over the hearts of your
students by demonstrating sensitivity, especially during student rifts.

Better student-teacher relationships emerge when you demonstrate a willingness to

lend an ear to the problems faced by your students. It is important for teachers to
establish a good rapport with students so that a positive, productive and safe learning
environment is created in classrooms.

Also Read: 35 Inspirational Quotes for Teachers Appreciation 

3. Observation Skills
It is the prime responsibility of teachers to have a thorough understanding about the
cognitive, emotional and social development of students. Since a classroom is filled
with students coming from different parental backgrounds, it makes sense to a teacher
to be aware of the learning capabilities of different students.

Here, observation is the key skill that every teacher should possess to become an
effective tutor.
A class can be a mix of slow learners and intelligent students. This is a challenge that
teachers face day in and day out when they need to adopt specific teaching patterns so
that no student is left behind.

Understanding the innate abilities of each student helps you to match your teaching
pace. Remember, given the variety of students in your classroom, “One size does not
fit all”. You should adjust your teaching pace taking into consideration the overall IQ
level of your class to ensure that every student benefits from your classroom lecture.

Also Read:  Why Is It Important For Teachers to Study Philosophy of Education

4. Student Engagement Skills

Day in and day out, every teacher handles a bunch of students with different
mentalities towards learning.

While some students demonstrate a keen interest in learning, others are distracted at
the smallest provocation. Hence for you to be called an effective teacher, you should
develop student engagement skills so that you can motivate your students.

You can make the educational content interesting for students by using different
strategies such as the use of visuals and impressive feats and facts.

Developing a strong rapport with students is one of the best ways to ensure your
students are engaged in the class. Show genuine interest in them and their interests. Be
receptive to their queries and ideas.

Take that extra effort to understand their lives and problems better. Student
engagement skills come naturally to some teachers, but others can develop them with
practice. If you do it well, you become a “go to” source for the emotional or
educational support that every student longs for.
Also Read: 7 Great Indian Teachers Who Gave Education a New Meaning

5. Strong Communication Skills with Students and

Parents
Being a teacher, you are always putting your communication skills to test, every
single day. Hence it is very important for a teacher to possess effective
communication skills.

Your oratory skills coupled with a strong understanding of the subject matter will
attract the attention of your students, paving the way for a high level of concentration
towards the topic you are discussing.

Your preparedness comes to the fore when you are in a position to clarify the doubts
of students so that you can make the subject material interesting to them.

An effective teacher is also expected to communicate with the parents of their wards.
When you begin to constantly interact with parents, you will be able to bridge the gap
between what is happening in school to what is expected from a particular student.

Parent-teacher meetings, along with phone and email conversations with parents are
the tools that will help teachers stay in constant touch with parents. With such
conversations, it becomes possible for teachers to update parents of the progress and
weaknesses of their wards.

6. Teaching Skills
Tagged as a noble profession that can change the lives of students for the better, every
effective teacher requires good inter-personal skills along with effective speaking and
strong presentation skills. Teaching skills include all of these and more… such as
great organizational skills.

Teachers should be well-prepared for their lectures ensuring that they carry all the
material that aids in teaching, to the class. You should have a penchant for working in
groups.

Along with motivational skills that will keep the fire burning in the bellies of students,
an effective teacher should rank high on empathy and rapport-building strategies.

Giving timely feedback about the behaviour and performance of your wards are also
part of effective teaching skills.

Also Read:  21 Innovative Apps for Teachers

7. Subject Matter Expertise

Every teacher comes with a specific specialization. Putting in years of teaching
experience, effective teachers stand in line with the changes to the curriculum of their
favourite subject.

Keeping themselves abreast with the new topics that are added to the course, effective
teachers will ensure that their students receive the best education from them.

When teachers demonstrate a high-level of subject matter expertise, students will be

encouraged to pose questions with a belief that they will be clarified then and there.
This overall knowledge about the subject you have chosen to teach will thus pave the
way for interesting classroom sessions.

 
8. Time Management Skills
It is easy to get carried away by so many different aspects of teaching. But you only
have limited classroom time.

Alongside ensuring that the curriculum is completed within the pre-defined time
frame, you should also attach importance to the time taken by students to complete
their assignments. You should follow a strategy to organize your working day around
educational and non-teaching priorities.

An effective teacher, with an intention to offer repetitive practice to students, should

strategically plan homework tasks. You can ensure the best use of classroom time by
framing and structuring assignments which will help students sit for studies while at
home.

Effective time management skills are vital for providing quality education to students
while also meeting the specific learning needs of each student.

Also Read:  20 Best Attendance Management App for Teachers

9. Clear Planning Skills

You should be able to clearly plan what the objective for each class is. Planning ahead
of time allows you as a teacher to be more confident about what you are going to
teach each time you are in a class.

There can be holidays and unexpected events which need to be taken into
consideration while planning. Also, have measures for students who are absent at
times to help them catch up with the rest of the class.

 
10. Passion & Positivity
While not exactly a skill, being passionate about teaching is a pre-requisite to be an
effective teacher. When you are passionate, you can learn from experience and there
would be a constant search for methods to improve yourself as a teacher.

Maintaining a positive attitude is also very important, as you are a role model for your
students. Your attitude towards each student will reflect in the way they behave and
grow. So, maintain a positive attitude towards each of your students and avoid
negative elements in the classroom.

Also Read: 20 Things Teachers Shouldn’t Do in the Classroom [Infographic]

11. Be a Team Player

Students would love to have teachers who are friendly and understands them. Rather
than forcing students to learn by disciplining, working with your students as a team
would help them have fun while learning.

It creates a positive atmosphere in your classroom, helping students to associate

learning with fun activities. If you are a team player, it helps students to bond not just
with you, but also amongst themselves.

Also Read: 25 Movies that Educate and Inspire Students 

12. Patience
Let’s deal with it; managing a classroom full of students is not the easiest of jobs.
There are going to be few students who would test your patience. But, if you lose your
nerves during such testing times, it can produce only negative outcomes.

By being patient and working with troublesome students individually, you would be
able to improve your classroom atmosphere effectively.
8 Qualities of a Good Teacher (and Tips
for How Develop Them)
August 5, 2021
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By: Indeed Editorial Team

This article has been approved by an Indeed Career Coach.

Effective teachers are critical to the development and academic success of students. If
you are looking to become a good teacher, you need to showcase strong skills in
communication, teamwork, time management, problem-solving and organization. Then
you should put these skills to work to educate your students.

Good teachers often have these qualities and characteristics:

1. Effective goal-setting
2. Clear communication
3. Acting as a role model
4. Adaptability and flexibility
5. Preparation
6. Self-reflection
7. Life-long learning
8. Promoting a love of learning

This article explores what these characteristics entail and offers tips on how you can
develop them to become a strong teacher.

How can I be a good teacher?

Good teachers are life-long learners dedicated to the academic development of

students. They typically continue their own education to further develop their methods
and skills. In seeking to become a strong teacher, you should look to build and hone the
following characteristics:
1. Effective goal-setting

The most effective teachers know how to set clear objectives for individual students,
single lessons, their entire class and themselves. Developing goals can assist with
gauging academic performance while giving students clear directives on how to
improve. Goals are also an important part of setting and measuring challenges, both for
the students and the teacher. You can set clear objectives with the following steps:

Check for understanding

Instead of waiting to test students’ knowledge in a test, check for comprehension during
each lesson. This process allows you to answer student questions and provide a deeper
understanding of the topic for students.

Offer feedback

Feedback allows students to know how their performance matches up with your
expectations. Feedback that is timely, detailed and constructive can assist students in
understanding academic expectations.

 Related: Using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to Achieve Goals

2. Clear communication

Teachers use verbal and nonverbal communication skills to identify student needs and
to know when to listen versus when to talk. Teachers also use developed written
communication skills to report information to parents and other school professionals.
You can develop these skills with the following tips:

Use active listening skills

Instead of preparing how to respond, use active listening skills when communicating
and listen to understand the other person’s needs. Give yourself a few seconds after the
question to decide how to respond so that you can truly focus on what the student,
parent or fellow teacher is saying.

Ask for clarification when needed

If you do not fully understand what the other person needs, ask them to rephrase their
question or request. You can also repeat what you understood in your own words to
assess what part of their request needs more clarification.

Related: Nonverbal Communication Skills: Definition and Examples

3. Acting as a role model

Setting rules and encouraging certain behaviors is a good step toward student
development. Teachers who model the same behaviors they ask from their students are
more likely to help students cultivate desirable habits and behaviors. You can be a role
model for your students with the following tips:

Be aware of your behavior

Students observe and learn how to speak, act, treat others and other developmental
behaviors. Modeling behaviors of patience, understanding, empathy and communication
can encourage students to develop these same skills.

Create an environment of honesty

Encourage your students to be honest with one another through mediating open
conversations. You can model honest behavior by sharing your intentions behind
classroom decisions to help students better empathize with you and your position. This
step can translate into students evaluating their own intentions and how they impact
others, increasing empathy and honesty. 

Related: Integrity: Definition and Examples

4. Adaptability and flexibility

Each student comes from a unique background with individual personalities,

educational needs and developmental milestones. Teachers find that while one lesson
plan or method of teaching works well with one type of student, it does not work well
with another student. Good teachers learn how to adjust to meet the individual needs of
each student. You can learn to adjust using the following steps:

Celebrate students’ individuality

Create an environment of acceptance by encouraging creativity, freedom of thought and

questions in the classroom. Accept students where they are at developmentally and
academically. When students feel comfortable and accepted, they also feel more
comfortable asking questions and learn.

Identify different learning styles

Good teachers can identify the individual learning needs of their students while also
creating lesson plans that cater to their academic style. For example, some students
may learn best in a lecture classroom whereas other students are better able to grasp
information with hands-on learning opportunities. Consider blending methods in lessons
to appeal to more students at one time.
Related: Emotional Intelligence: Definition and Examples

5. Preparation

In addition to learning to adjust to individual student needs, effective teachers also learn
to prepare for every possible scenario. Preparation can promote trust and comfort in the
classroom, and it allows teachers to create lesson plans that are catered to the
individual needs of each student. Use the following tips to become more prepared:

Create intentional lesson plans

The most effective teachers create lesson plans with intention by considering the ways
the lesson plan could shift as well as the potential emotions, thoughts and concerns that
each lesson plan could bring up with each student. Teachers can also define each
lesson’s purpose to ensure students understand why they are learning that specific
topic.

Understand strengths and weaknesses

It can also be useful to create lesson plans based on the strengths and weaknesses of
each classmate. Getting to know these areas of improvement early on can assist you in
creating classroom plans that are catered to the individual needs of your students.

Show Transcript

6. Self-reflection

Self-reflection is a person’s ability to reflect on their own needs, desires and interests
that can lead to self-acceptance as well as academic success. Teachers who are
reflective of their own strengths, weaknesses and characteristics as a teacher and are
intentional about improvement are better able to encourage the same level of self-
reflection from their students. You can encourage this in your classroom with the
following tips:

Designate time

Designate a time each day to focus on self-reflection activities. Encourage students to

evaluate their own progress for the day and come up with ways they can do better
tomorrow. Promote self-evaluation with the focus on improvement by having self-
reflection time after a big test or near the end of the semester’s class.

Offer privacy

Some students can be hesitant with self-reflection, so good teachers encourage

students to share when they are comfortable and allow them to remain private when
they are not. Journals can be a great way to encourage self-reflection without requiring
students to share their insights with the entire classroom.
7. Life-long learning

Teachers are often required to complete continuing education courses and encouraged
to pursue professional development opportunities to best serve their students. Teachers
can employ their continuing education in the following ways:

Prepare for the changing classroom

Courses in child psychology allow teachers to keep up to date as emotional

development strategies change. Technological courses help teachers make the most of
the new tools in the classroom.

Encourage personal and professional development in the classroom

Continuing education classes allow you to develop your teaching skills, which can
demonstrate to your students that you value self-improvement. You can also use the
same study techniques you teach your students to prove how impactful they can be.

8. Promoting a love of learning

Good teachers also make learning enjoyable by educating students in a way that is
engaging and appeals to students’ interests. When students enjoy learning, they are
more likely to participate in the classroom, perform better academically and value
continued education. You can instill positive feelings in your students in the following
ways:

Use alternative methods of teaching

The best teachers aim to try something new to make any topic more entertaining. Turn
a lesson into a game, performance or music. This step can help students want to learn
and even promote creativity, critical thinking and collaboration skills they can apply
outside the classroom as well.

Ask for feedback

Good teachers ask their students for feedback to identify if students are struggling with
a specific lesson plan and the elements they like and dislike about a lesson or topic.
You can apply feedback to create a lesson plan that works for them and even come up
with new areas to explore that best engage them in the classroom.