Tip 33: Professional Development
As a teacher, you should continually improve your skills. Join some teacher organizations. You want to go to seminars and join workshops to improve yourself as a teacher. Learn new skills, go online, find resources, go to other teachers and learn from them. If possible, try to observe some classes of experienced teachers because every little bit that you learn will improve you.
One thing they always tell teachers is to be lifelong learners. It’s so important that teachers continually try to learn new skills to improve themselves. I’ve seen many teachers get comfortable in what they’re doing and then get stuck in a routine. To stop that, try extra activities. You should deliver teaching content in different ways. Always try to improve whatever you’re doing. Both your students and you will benefit if you learn new skills.
You are improving your value to your school as a teacher and also as a person. So, continually look for ways that you can improve. Learn new skills, go to workshops, join organizations and become an expert in your field.
33.2 Factors that Affect Teaching Efficiency:
Factors in education that affect the effectiveness and time efficiency of teachers include the knowledge they have of the subject matter and the curriculum they teach; secondly, their proficiency in the application of education methods and classroom management skills. Two other factors are personality and a passion for teaching.
33.2 Formal and Informal Teacher Development:
Formal Teacher Development includes conferences, courses, seminars, workshops, and team-building activities. Informal Teacher Development ranges from watching YouTube videos about teaching and the subjects they teach; reading teacher self-development books, peer conversations via social media, or chatting with colleagues in person or live broadcasts on the internet.
Tip 34: Leave Your Problems
Leave your problems at the classroom door. Your students deserve the best version of you. Enter your class with the right attitude. Teachers are human. We have problems at home and things that bother us. Looking at the news can bring you down too, but as a teacher is your responsibility to give your best to your students once you enter the classroom.
Let your worries go and you give your best to the students. I am NOT saying don’t be human. Students know and understand and they will value you if you can show the human side of you, but remember, you are the leader in the classroom.
Don’t be emotional. You’re supposed to be a pillar of strength for your students. Leave any problems that you have, any hang-ups, anything that’s keeping or holding you back, leave that at the door.
Enter the class with a fresh attitude and do your best for your students because they deserve that. It can be difficult, so I advise you to speak to other teachers if you have any issues, but once you’re in your classroom, try to show the students the best part of yourself.
Remember that many students are also going through struggles and are very young, so they don’t know how to exactly process or cope with problems. They will look up to you to help them through difficult things—and if they can see that you are strong even though you might go through something difficult. They will learn from that. Such an example is more than you can ever teach any content or ideas, especially today where a lot of students are struggling with depression.
If students can go into that classroom and see a teacher showing the best possible version of themselves, they can think “This teacher is going through something, but is showing me strength.” Keep it at the back of your mind that you are a role model for your students, not just by how you conduct yourself, but also in the way you control your emotions and issues you might have in your life.
