🧑‍🏫ONLINE ASSIGNMENT - "Becoming an Effective Teacher"

"The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles but to irrigate deserts." - C.S. Lewis

I believe that teaching is a profession that can be used to rewrite the history of a society. Teachers educate the youth of the society who in turn become the leaders of the next generation. They teach children and impart knowledge upon them so that they have a significant influence on the development of young children.

Creation of critical and rational citizens is the prime responsibility of a teacher. She must be a role model to her students and must practice the saying 'Do as I do' rather than 'Do as I say'. 

Teaching is one of the most challenging and pleasure providing tasks in the world. Although most teachers strive to become an efficient one but not all of them succeed. According to the Education research conducted in Los Angeles and North Carolina found that teacher effectiveness directly affects student achievement.

There exists different dimensions in explaining an effective teacher. Each and every teacher are unique in their own style of teaching. Also some qualities may uplift an ordinary teacher to an effective one. Let's have a look on to that qualities.

Characteristics of an Effective Teacher:

1) Positive expectations

2) Enthusiasm

3) Effective classroom organisation

4) Ability to design lessons and activities

5) Rapport with students

6) Patience

7) Ability to use Technology efficiently

8) Communication strategies etc.

Teaching is a complex process and is not a single skill but a composite one. There exists a concept that "Teachers are born and not made" but this statement is proved wrong through the education and training given to student- teachers. Various skills can be acquired to make the teaching process effective. Eg: Skill of introducing a lesson, Skill of Stimulus variation, Skill using black board, Skill of reinforcement, Skill of questioning etc.

Characteristics of Teaching Skills are: 

Identifiable, Trainable, Observable, Measurable. Perception, Cognition and Action are three basic components of teaching skills.

Qualities that can be inculcated to become Effective Teacher :

1) Sincerity of purpose - He must have a love for his profession and must be on the path of excellence both for his own personal achievements and that of his pupils.

2) Studious and Learner - A very desirable quality of a teacher is his taste for reading. He should have the habit of keeping himself in touch with the latest development especially belonging to his own subjects.

3) A good communicator of Ideas

4) Plain speaking - A teacher by nature should be truth loving and plain speaking. He must have enough courage to say the right thing as right and wrong ones as wrong.

5) Develop Impartial behaviour and attitude.

6) Be Hardworker and Responsible.

7) Leadership and love for discipline.

8) Self Confident

9) Mastery of his subject and knowledge of other subjects.

10) Scientific thinking and attitude.

11) Efficiency in the preparation and use of teaching aids.

12) Must have a knowledge of methods of teaching the subject.

13) Should have a knowledge of psychology of the students of different age group.

Teachers are the torch bearers and has the power to take the young minds from darkness to light, from falsehood to truth, from ugliness to beauty. She takes up many roles in the life of her students such as : Role of Leader, Scaffolder, Mentor, Motivator, Reflective practitioner, Social-engineer, Nation builder etc. 

According to Dr. Radhakrishnan, Teachers acts as a pivot for the transmission of intellectual traditions and technical skills from generation to generation and helps to build the lamp of civilization burning. 

Teaching is both an Art and Science. So, let's inculcate various qualities and skills to become an effective teacher thereby leading to the progression in the lives of everyone and society.