What Makes a Teacher Effective?

Chapter 6, by Courtney Benavidez

“How we think shows through in how we act. Attitudes are mirrors of the mind” - David Joseph Schwartz

It takes many tools to become a strong, effective teacher in the classroom. For one, the teacher must become a decision maker. Teachers have to decide the different techniques on subjects to use because it is important to keep the students interested in what they are learning. Teachers have to be enthusiastic about what they teach so that the students will want to learn more about what is being taught. There’s a quote that says “Enthusiasm is contagious. Be a carrier” by Susan Rabin, which makes a lot of sense. Teachers are the leaders of the classroom and they have to send out a positive message about learning new things. If the teacher is excited about the subject, the students will be as well. Another huge part of being effective in the classroom, is the teachers attitude. It is crucial to have a good attitude and personality towards students so they know that the teacher cares. It’s very important to treat all kids fairly and be compassionate towards them. An effective teacher should be extremely patient as well. There is always going to be kids who need extra help and the teacher has to make sure that all the students understand what is taught. I think going around the classroom seeing how each student is doing is important so the teacher knows how well every student is doing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MInPwzg6TiQ



In this Fred Jones video, he works out the math problem from beginning to end so everyone understands it. It’s a fun and easy way to get the whole class involved. For over 30 years Fred Jones has been studying successful teachers to see how they make learning and teaching so easy. His objectives are classroom management and making teaching fun for both teachers and students in an easy, effective way.

“For teaching to be enjoyable, you must be able to simply relax and teach. Classroom management must be built from the ground up so that problems do not occur” -Fred Jones