The Essence of a Great Teacher
Can you still remember your favorite teacher’s names? Funny things they said and did? The way they made you feel you could do anything you wanted with enough effort and conviction?
In my own life, I remember Ms. Koehler, who used to wear this funny black and white dress and do a dramatic cheerleading routine to help us not forget our conjugations—“Ara! Iera! Go past subjunctive!!” Then there was Mr. Rogers. If I came to his desk with a reason I couldn’t make it to choir practice, he would give his infamous, silent stare… it was enough to help me take responsibility like an adult.
Even in my adult life, there have been many teachers who have stood out for their ability to inspire. My first Sensei, for example, managed to encourage me to push past countless physical and mental limits while training in the martial arts.
What made them such incredible mentors?
Today we begin to answer that question, to extract from such experiences some of the qualities that make great teachers—that you might find the brilliant teacher inside of you.
Positive Expectation in Three Easy Steps
Instead of correcting behavior by looking for things our children are doing wrong, we will make worlds of difference by beginning with a positive approach. Adopt this three-point teaching methodology: look for the good in their behavior, believe they can accomplish what we are asking, and help them create new possibilities for the future.
Look for the Good
Instead of telling a struggling swimmer how much farther he has to go, we can celebrate how far he has gone. Instead of pointing out how our toddler is getting carrot peels all over the kitchen, we can applaud her for helping.
This tact helps them solidify the positive progress they have already made while girding them for the work ahead of them. It also puts our kids in a better state of mind and makes them more receptive to future correction. They will be less defensive because they will sense that we are on their side.
Sometimes it requires enormous patience to be a good-finder! Some days it might seem that our children are walking disasters, destined to make the same mistakes time and again. But if we hold our corrections until we speak praise, no matter how challenging that may be, we will always get better results. Use this handy mantra: Praise, correct, praise.
Believe They Can
You have to have a genuine belief in your child’s abilities. When your students—your children—see that belief in your eyes, they will begin to develop their self worth in relation to your positive expectations.
My mom believes I can do this, so maybe I really can! Whether you are teaching a young child to ride a bicycle or helping a teenager apply for college, believing she can is a prerequisite for her success.
Meanwhile, on our end, believing in our children’s abilities gives us the strength to carry on as their teachers. It is hard to invest the necessary time and energy in our lessons if we are not convinced that our children are ultimately going to succeed. Your faith in your students must be rock solid and thoroughly communicated to them.
Create Future Possibilities
Help your child with some positive brainstorming around your children’s future. What would it be like to be a black belt? What would you do today if you were an expert musician? Let’s pretend you are a master chef—what did you do when you were little to get there?
Then, encourage them to act as if they are already on that trajectory. Help them create and undertake all the tiny daily steps necessary to reach the moon.
Make it Count
As parents, the only lesson that matters is the one we are teaching right now. Simply put, it is the only lesson that can have any effect. Yesterday’s lesson is gone, and tomorrow’s lesson is yet to be. Whether a teaching moment is one we thoughtfully prepared or arises by chance, and whether it is a new idea or another pass on a well-visited subject, we must not waste the opportunity with half-hearted stabs. We must treat it as the most important lesson we will ever teach—because it is.
How?
Stay tuned for some more thoughts on realizing your potential as a great teacher….