Every teacher wants to be the best educator for their students. It’s why aspiring educators choose to study degrees that specialise in specific stages of development like early childhood education early childhood education. There are several ways that teachers can ensure that they make a maximum impact on the classes that they teach. We’re exploring four of the best ways below.
Much like every other skill, communication can and should be strengthened with a bit of effort. Whether we’ve chosen to study an honours in commerce or even a teaching degree, it’s up to each and every one of us to improve the way we communicate with one another. Here are a few steps to achieve better skills in this area.
Make sure you get a respected teacher degree
Whether it’s in early childhood education or intermediate phase teaching, every educator needs a degree behind them that equips them with the fundamentals. Although a lot of expertise is gained from the classroom environment, even the most promising of educators can’t make their desired mark on young people without studying first. At The IIE’s Varsity College, the IIE Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase Teaching degree promotes the #NewWorldThinking skills that the field of learning desperately needs, by strengthening students critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
Make sure you ask for help
Most teachers are exceptionally busy and have a host of tasks to complete on a daily basis. By asking for help when they need it most, teachers can avoid feeling overwhelmed and still maintain a healthy work-life balance. Asking for a hand in times of need also sets an example to students that it’s okay to need help sometimes. This sets a positive example which will lead to more learners reaching out as well as being willing to help others.
Make sure you strive for positivity
Drawing on the positives will always yield better results than a continuous focus on the negatives. This is especially true for teachers as students tend to perform a lot better when they feel less pressured or anxious. Some experts suggest a 5:1 ratio of positive to negative feedback. By all means, correct where necessary but make sure that you build up the confidence of your learners.
Make sure you take care of yourself
It’s easy to put yourself second when you’re in charge of the development of young minds. The truth is, your students need you to make yourself your number one priority. If you don’t, who will be there to teach them and inspire them towards greatness? This means you need to make healthy life choices concerning diet and exercise. Where stress is involved, you need to ensure that you make time to relax and do things that make you happy. Every educator should have a life outside of school and this includes a set of productive hobbies that they enjoy. By keeping some time and energy aside for these, you can let off some steam at the end of a long week of teaching and return on Monday feeling refreshed. This will keep you performing at your best for those in your class.
You have it in you to change lives
Becoming a world-class educator doesn’t happen overnight but it’s well worth the investment in your future. If you are interested in learning more about the IIE’s Varsity College and the IIE Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase Teaching, please contact The IIE’s Varsity College .
Varsity College is an educational brand of The Independent Institute of Education (The IIE). South Africa’s leading private higher education provider that’s registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training, and accredited by the British Accreditation Council (BAC).