7 Traits of Effective Teachers

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In 2010, Ross Morrison McGill founded @TeacherToolkit from a simple Twitter account through which he rapidly became the 'most followed teacher on social media in the UK'. In 2015, he was nominated as one of the '500 Most Influential People in Britain' by The Sunday...
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What do you believe are the traits of an effective teacher?

Working with over 1,000 teachers over the past 20+ years, these are what I believe to be the 7 traits of an effective teacher. Definition of ‘trait’: a distinguishing quality or characteristic, typically one belonging to a person.

1. Passion.

Primarily, teachers love teaching and are passionate about their students, their subject and teaching as a whole. An effective teacher is one who is passionate about education, but that doesn’t mean they will be on ‘cloud-nine’ all of the time. They are in tune with the classes they teach and the constraints and pressures they are working with; sometimes wearing their hearts on their sleeve! High or low, an effective teacher cannot hide their passion for teaching.

You know, kids don’t learn from people they don’t like.” (Rita Pierson)

The trait of an effective teacher knows that teaching is supposed to be tough. Who else has the responsibility to shape the minds of hundreds and hundreds of young lives?! Effective teachers know teaching children is meant to be a very enjoyable and rewarding career (although exhausting) but know hard work must be the main focus in their learning environment. They accept that students will want to have some fun at times, and that if they [the teacher] are not enjoying the teaching, their students will probably know it.

2. Planned and organised.

Effective teachers are always organised! So much so, they often know the diary of others and pre-empt potential problems. Lesson plans – whether lengthy or concise – are considered to meet the needs of all students; books are marked (smartly, considering their workload versus school policy) and their classrooms are an engine room. Classroom resources are organised in meticulous fashion, laid out carefully in trays, drawers, cups and pots. You name it, this teacher has it in their domain! Better still, you’ll never catch a student abusing any of their teacher’s well-thought resources: they wouldn’t dare!

3. Reflect and are open-minded.

The most effective teachers know they are constantly being evaluated by their headteacher, colleagues, parents and even students! And instead of feeling aggrieved about being held to account, they embrace the challenge of teaching and are open-minded when receiving feedback about how they can become even better! Effective teachers know, nobody is perfect and there is always room for improvement, but know that it is a necessity for teachers to reflect on their teaching to develop even further. They always think about what went well and what to do next time.

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Henry Ford said, if you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting what you’ve always got!”

4. Take risks and embraces change.

In teaching, lessons don’t always go according to plan, so there is a huge need to be flexible and ‘go with flow‘. An effective teacher knows they need to move with the times. They know they need to adapt to meet the needs of students and the requirements of curriculum and assessment. Therefore, what may have worked 2 or 3 years ago, may not be so effective today. They believe that they are a subject expert and must be at the forefront of their subject knowledge, skills and educational pedagogy.

5. Collaborate.

Effective teachers have a unique habit for bringing positive energy into the classroom every single day. They can also do this with most colleagues they work with across the school. They know we all have personal challenges in and out of school, but they leave all of it behind before they step into the classroom, sharing worldly experiences where applicable to the curriculum. Effective teachers never underestimate the expertise that lies within their school. They never forget the importance of sharing ideas with colleagues through simple discussions, sharing best practice or simply going for a little walk around school in search of good ideas.

6. Breaks down barriers.

Most teachers break down barriers day-to-day in their classrooms, but the trait of an effective teachers knows that literacy, language or social background is no barrier to learning. They accept no excuses of themselves, their colleagues or from the child. Effective teachers know that quality first teaching has the greatest effect a child can receive. Intervention is offered, and it usually is, but it is never offered as a substitute for low standards in the classroom.

7. Consistent.

Above all, effective teachers share one common trait. They are consistent in all that they do. They may be a maverick teacher, but they teach freely in-line with whole-school policy and never undermine their colleagues. There are no surprises, even if they do surprise they colleagues with unusual and maverick ideas. Their behaviour never raises an eyebrow, because their reputation and prior evidence speaks for itself. They always give 100% in everything they do. They are reliable and do what they do because they love teaching, not because they feel obligated to do it.

They create standards for themselves – often too high to meet – but never fail to disappoint.

What’s missing? What traits are evident in the effective teachers you know? Leave a comment below.