Trends, attributes and standards for teachers

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One attribute of a good teacher is attitude. A teacher has to be 'on' EVERY day, whether it is in front of students, walking down the hall or shopping at the local market. All could be A ok until the end of the 7th month (for example) and all it takes is ONE moment when something goes wrong, whether it is a communication misunderstanding, student that has had a bad day and looking for a scapegoat or other unfortunate occasion. A teacher could have a stellar reputation for quite some time but then all of a sudden things could shift in an entirely different direction and then the teacher could land in a defensive position, which can be quite stressful. If a teacher has a pleasant and enthusiastic attitude, and therefore is well-liked, then the problem that comes out of nowhere could diminish more quickly. It would be equivalent to a similar likelihood of the doctor with the black bag doing house calls at one time getting sued, and the community getting is more likely to back up a teacher that is well-liked than one that is not easy to approach or a less competent teacher.

Knowledge IS power and the teacher that has a lot of information at hand and can draw on life experience or a plethora of content, will flow much better in the ever-changing field of education. The one that must rely on outside sources often will be at a disadvantage compared to the teacher that is seasoned with experience and knowledge and can easily integrate one content area with the next, that especially works well with elementary teaching or thematic schools.

People skills work well in most all industries but are especially useful in the field of teaching, due to the necessity of working with so many different types of people. There is the need to relate with administrators, parents, other teachers, bureaucratic types for the areas of teacher certification and finally of course, the students. Learning good communication skills, use of appropriate body language, appropriate word usage, as well as good writing skills are invaluable for the teacher of the 21st century.

Planning and organization are essential traits, as well. Teachers are accountable now more than ever so lesson planning, following a district curriculum and the ability to locate documents quickly are important paperwork. A parent may come in with concerns and an administrator may request certain documents, which a teacher will need to come up with little notice and so a good organization system is critical.

Students need to know what is expected of them. Many schools or districts require or suggest posting a daily agenda or state standards so all those who enter a room are aware of what is going on in any given day. Students that are behind, absent, or confused need to have a compassionate teacher that is able to address individual needs, whether it means the high end gifted student or the special education ...