Throughout our many years of school, we’ve had many teachers. Most of those teachers have brought us positive experiences. They’ve taught us how to read, write, solve problems, handle issues that arise, and various other things. These good teachers are remembered and sometimes even consulted after we are no longer taught by them.
However, while most of the teachers we have are good, what happens when we encounter a teacher who is not so good? What happens when we have a teacher who makes school quite a bit more challenging and who does not affect us in a positive manner?
The reasons why one may be considered a bad teacher – one who does not affect students positively – range from getting a grade we do not deserve, to being overly sarcastic, to not providing clear directions, to covering material too quickly. All of these behaviors impact students negatively.
As a student, I feel it is very important to have teachers who not only teach the class content, but who also connect with students and build relationships. These types of teachers make coming to school more enjoyable and make learning easier.
There are certain traits that bad teachers have that affect their teaching and how their students interact with and learn from them. In his article “The Long-term Affects of Ineffective Teacher,” Alex Friedman details some examples. He writes, “A teacher can be too aggressive or too passive, and end up being either feared or not taken seriously by their student.” This type of behavior makes a big impact on the teacher’s effectiveness as well as the classroom environment. Friedman also notes that some poor teaching happens as a result of inexperience or even too much experience. He states, “A new teacher could be too inexperienced, while a veteran teacher might be too jaded – or no longer really present.” This can be avoided by having teachers reflect and look for room for improvement in their classroom, and even by taking into account some student input.
Teachers who come off this way may not actually intend to. It is important to consider that teachers have their own lives beyond the classroom that can affect their teaching, which is why it is important to remember that we are all human. Veteran teachers may need a refresh in terms of what they teach or their approach to students, and teachers with little to no experience may need more time to grasp the content so they are able to teach to the best of their ability. Also, people need to remember that a teacher might simply be going through a difficult time, and they might need more support in the classroom, which is completely normal.
So, if bad teachers struggle and this impacts their effectiveness, what makes a good teacher? As stated earlier, being a good teacher means connecting with the students and creating relationships. A good teacher will challenge students and make them want to learn, make them want to engage. In An article by Walden University Researchers titled “What Makes a Good Teacher,” it details some characteristics of a great teacher. These say of a good teacher that they: “love children, are prepared, know their subject matter, engage students, challenge their students, teach lifelong lessons, have excellent communication skills.” As a student, I feel all of these traits are very important, that when a teacher displays the majority of these attributes, then I am able to be successful.
The important thing for all teachers is to reflect. Just as students must reflect on what they are good at and need to work on, so do teachers. Good teachers do this, and it seems that struggling teachers need to do it more and need more support. Reflecting on how students behave in the classroom or conducting classroom surveys are an effective tool to help teachers better understand and evaluate how their students are learning and how they perceive their teachers.