Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in Shigang Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Nantong Shi? Check out ITTT’s online and in-class courses, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English ONLINE or abroad! ITTT offers a wide variety of Online TEFL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language.
To be an exceptional English teacher certain qualities should be present. They are few but they are simple and very important. These qualities are inherent in a balanced person with a calm demeanor. Just because a person doesn't have these basic qualities does not make them unsuitable for teaching. But they must be recognized in order for them to be acquired. These are basic and are very important to teachers especially those learning a new language and even more so for young learners. Starting with patience it is so important to have this virtue. The difference in change of the behaviour of the students is numerous most importantly. Students need time to learn which subject is being taught. Students of course are all different, some are quicker than others while others take a bit longer. This is when patience comes into play, the students expect to have a patient teacher. Because that's an experienced teacher's quality. They are learning a new language, so they need time to absorb the lesson. The students will be able to see when a teacher begins to lose patience, just by looking at the body language of the teacher. When this starts to happen slow down, breathe and calm down let the students take their time to learn what they need to. Try another method that may teach them what they are struggling with. Just as important as patience is simply having a good attitude. This is as simple as walking into the classroom on time and with a smile everyday. Ready for whatever issues the students may present to you that day. Once the students notice that you are a teacher with a positive attitude they will be more comfortable around you. Then they will more likely be more verbal in class and participate more during activities and teacher to student interaction. Because they know that even if they respond with the wrong answer they will hear a positive reinforcement just for trying. A good attitude includes a sense of humor that can make the students feel comfortable being themselves and expressing their thoughts and opinions. The classroom should not feel like a place with a heavy atmosphere but light and positive. I feel that an important quality for any teacher to have is to be understanding and the ability to be personable. Which means that the teacher should be able to read the body language of the students. And recognize what it is that hindering the student. Counseling would be the next best option. If this happens then this is the ability to be personable comes into play. People make mistakes and especially young people. So if a mistake is made then it is up to the teacher to be understanding, but if it is a repeated mistake then there must be an underlying issue and should be addressed accordingly. Being able to communicate with the students individually if need be. Maybe the student has a hard time understanding something and needs some extra attention. Or maybe the student is going through a difficult situation at home and needs some counseling. The qualities needed to be a balanced teacher are simple but important. Because they provide a good base to build a healthy relationship with your students. Aside from understanding what you are teaching. These qualities add the flavor to the classroom atmosphere, that when the students walk in they have a motivated and positive outlook. They think about coming to your classroom thinking about the positive qualities. They should feel like they are going to be welcomed as they are and that their efforts will be met with an equal positive reinforcement.
