Effective Teaching

Effective Teachers

According to your reading, what are the characteristics of effective teachers? What qualities do effective teachers possess?

In the book Introduction to Teaching: Becoming a Professional, Kauchak and Eggen (2014) defined effective teaching as, “instruction that maximizes learning by actively involving students in meaningful learning activities” (p. 511). To be an effective teacher one must care about and involve each and every individual student. An effective teacher not only succeeds at helping all students learn, but increases learning for all students as well. Effective teachers possess three main characteristics or qualities. First, an effective teacher will know how to motivate his/her students. Second, an effective teacher will carefully plan a lesson, implement that lesson plan, and test students’ knowledge on that lesson by using essential teaching skills. Third, an effective teacher will use a variety of strategies in hopes of fulfilling all students learning needs.

Motivation is an important aspect of a student’s education. Schunk, Pintrich, and Meece (2008) stated that motivation is, “the energizing force behind all forms of learning” (cited in Introduction to Teaching: Becoming a Professional, 2014, p. 341). Motivation is essential to succeeding in life itself. It is as necessary for students to possess as it is for employees. When speaking of motivated students though, they are better behaved than unmotivated students. They participate in class, do their homework, take the time to study for exams, etc. They actually enjoy learning and are determined to advance. Students may have an “intrinsic” or “extrinsic” motivation. In other words, motivation can stem from having a certain interest in a...

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...ponsibility for their actions; develop personally, socially, and morally; respect and embrace peers with different ethnic, language, and religious backgrounds; persevere in the face of frustration; and value the acquisition of knowledge and skills that may not be initially interesting to them” (p. 375). This pertains to me because in order to become an effective teacher I will need to portray these exact characteristics and qualities. I will need to be knowledgeable in all of the areas listed. Introduction to Teaching: Becoming a Professional is an extremely helpful book and also has great tips and advice. I’m glad that I purchased it because I feel that it will serve its purpose. I think that it will be useful not only in this course but throughout my schooling and career.

Works Cited

Introduction to Teaching: Becoming a Professional Kauchak & Eggen 2014