The question of what makes a effective teacher has been around for a long time. It’s an enquiry that poses many problems because there’s simply no set recipe for success, and different approaches work for different professionals and students.
Here are 6 key points you must know as a teacher for effective teaching:
1. Know your subject
The best teachers have a deep knowledge of their subject, and if that falls below a certain point it has a “significant impact” on students’ learning. Targeted help for teachers, giving them an understanding of particular areas where their knowledge is weak, could be effective.
2. Praise can do more harm than good
The wrong kind of praise can be harmful for students as praise is meant to be encouraging but it can actually “convey a teacher’s low expectations”. If a student’s failure was met with sympathy rather than anger then they were more likely to think they had done badly due to a lack of ability.
3. Instruction matters
The quality of teaching has a big impact on the achievement of students’ from humble backgrounds, and effective questioning and assessment are at the heart of great teaching. This involves giving enough time for children to practise new skills and introducing learning progressively.
4. Teacher beliefs count
The reasons why teachers do certain things in the classroom and what they hope to achieve has an effect on student progress.
5. Think about teacher-student relationships
This may also seem obvious, but the interactions teachers have with students has a big impact on learning – as well as the “classroom climate”. It is important to create a classroom environment that was “constantly demanding more” while affirming students’ self-worth. A student’s success should be attributed to effort rather than ability.
6. Build relationships with colleagues and parents
A teacher’s professional behaviour, including supporting colleagues and talking with parents, also had a moderate impact on students’ learning. There may not be a direct link with these practices and student achievement, but to capture a broad definition of good teaching they should be included.
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