INTRODUCTION

Great teachers do it all. Across all ages, languages, ethnicities, and subjects, teachers

are some of the most widely skilled people around in order to be successful. A day in the

life of a teacher can vary greatly depending on the subject and grade level in which they

teach. From Kindergarten to high school and special education to statistics, one theme

runs consistently throughout every great teacher’s career: their job does not end with the

school day. Although standing in front of the classroom is a huge part of a teacher’s

responsibilities, they extend far beyond that into the lives of their students, their

students’ families and their community.

Teachers are in a unique position to have a direct impact on their students. Teachers can

see their work in action, see the changes they affect, and in so doing they witness

firsthand their goals coming to fruition. No matter what the goals are, they can pretty

much be summed into a single sentence: You want to help people. And there are many

ways you can help someone as a teacher. To name a few, teachers aspire to educate, to

inspire, to learn and to affect positive change.

1. Believe In Your Students' Potential

A teacher's success begins with the success of their students. Always have high expectations for
your students. Believe in their potential to succeed and make sure you push them to their limits.

Even when they fail, motivate them to try again and to work harder. This strategy helps you to pull
them out of their comfort zones so that they can pursue success knowing that you are there to pick
them up each time they fail.

2. Learn Everything You Can About Your Field

Being very knowledgeable in your field of study is also a crucial stepping stone towards a
successful teaching career. It's true that even the most successful teachers don't know everything.
But, the more you know, the easier it will be to teach your students and to offer them prompt
answers to their questions. You can also do more with technology, such as doing online lessons and
creating exciting technology-based activities.

Learning never stops and that's why, as a teacher, you need to feed your mind with as much
information as it can take in. Remember that students always prefer consulting teachers who are
known to possess in-depth knowledge about a specific field. Knowledge indicates authenticity.

3. Be Fun and Energetic

Did you know that most students are more comfortable sharing their academic problems with
humorous and enthusiastic teachers rather than the grumpy and "ever-serious" ones? Yes! The way
you carry yourself greatly determines your approachability.

Make a point of smiling each time you converse with your students, crack a joke or two and so on.
This helps to ease any tension or fear that the students may be feeling when approaching you for
help.

4. Take Risks

They say, "No Risk, No Reward!" Taking risks plays a crucial part in a person's success. Your
students watch and observe all your moves. Therefore, if you take risks by trying new things every
once in a while, they'll also be confident enough do the same. This pushes them to burst out of their
bubbles, exploring the unknown which eventually nurtures their risk taking skills and eventual
success.

5. Be Creative and Think Outside The Box

The strategies you use to pass on information to your students need to be creative in a way that
captures the attention of your classroom. Strive to make each learning lesson a thrilling one for your
students. This not only makes their learning experience fun but also ensures that they are fully
engaged during each class and always eager for the next one.

6. Be Consistent and Decisive

To be successful at teaching, you need to be coherent and resolute. If you say something, stick to it!
If you say you are going to do something, make sure you see it through! If you set rules, stand firmly
by them! Avoid making exceptions or playing favorites.
7. Always be Up-To-Date

A successful teacher knows how important it is to be abreast with the latest news, educational
advancements, technology and so on. Sharing this information with your students helps you to keep
them updated too. In turn, this adds value to the learning experience.

Sharing new knowledge also pushes students to research and learn more about things that happen
beyond the confines of their classroom. They might also do more outside of school hours, boosting
knowledge instead of forgetting (e.g. see summer learning loss).

8. Communicate

Communication is a powerful learning tool. Whether it's with a student or with their parent, dialog
helps you to pass critical information and recommendations that may be crucial to the student's
success.

9. Listen and Show Empathy About Personal Issues

Failing an exam does not always mean that the student failed to read for it. Sometimes, it may be
due to external factors. That's why successful teachers always take their time to listen and to advise
their students. Always treat them as if they are your own kids. That way they'll always confide in you
in case something is deterring their success in class.

10. Provide Relevant Study Materials

This may be in the form of e-books, online resources, past papers, videos and so on – anything and
everything that may be useful for their studies. Avoid overloading them with homework and
assignments because it may exhaust their minds hence slowing their learning.

11. Be Observant

To be successful at teaching, you need to observe all your students individually separating their
strengths from their weaknesses. This will help you to tailor strategies aimed at helping them to
harness their strengths and to overcome their weaknesses.

12. Set Goals With Your Students

As mentioned above, a teacher's success is mostly determined by the success of their students.
Therefore, you need to set goals and objectives with your students. After that, work with them
towards achieving these goals together as a team.
Educate
A great teacher should love educating students, and one of the principal goals many

teachers set for themselves is to be the best educator they can be. There is something

extremely gratifying about imparting information to your students and working with

them to ensure they understand, not only concepts, but practical applications as well.

There are different methods you can use to teach, and while your teaching style is

unique to you, the most important thing is that you engage, motivate and inspire

students to learn. Many people teach out of a passion for their subject. If you truly love a

particular topic, you may have a desire to share that knowledge with others indeed, that

passion can make you excel at it! Other people teach out of a concern for some of the

issues facing the education system and because they want to be a part of the solution.

Whatever the reason, a teacher can do nothing if not educate their students, so many

teachers set this at the forefront of their goals: impart lessons that will last a lifetime.

Inspire
Teachers seek to inspire students in all aspects of their lives, and for many teachers, their

greatest goal is to be a role model. A role model is someone who inspires and

encourages students to strive for greatness, and teaches them through experience and

commitment how to realize their full potential to become the best they can be. Teachers

can inspire an uninterested student to become engrossed in learning. They can motivate

them to participate and focus, and even bring introverted students out of their shells. A

great teacher can get students reading, inspire a passion for languages, make math or

science fun, and turn history lessons into fun and exciting stories. For many teachers,

one of their simplest goals is to inspire their students to love learning. But the

inspirational power of a teacher can transcend the classroom. So often, we hear people
say that they were inspired to pursue their careers because of their teachers. A great

teacher can leave an indelible mark that lasts a lifetime, and for many of us, some of our

most important decisions were inspired by our teachers.

Be Fun and Energetic

Did you know that most students are more comfortable sharing their academic problems with
humorous and enthusiastic teachers rather than the grumpy and "ever-serious" ones? Yes! The way
you carry yourself greatly determines your approachability.

Make a point of smiling each time you converse with your students, crack a joke or two and so on.
This helps to ease any tension or fear that the students may be feeling when approaching you for

help.