Learn what Highly Effective Teachers have in Common

If asked to recall the teachers that had the most impact on your academic development, you would likely be able to quickly name the mentors, subjects, and lessons that remain imprinted on your mind. If asked what made those teachers so successful, the answer may not come as readily. It was probably not their intellect or expertise in their subject matter that made them so successful. Instead, it was likely their intangible qualities and a fierce dedication to their students that elevated them into the realm of teaching legends. If you too want to learn how to take your teaching abilities from meets expectations to exceeds expectations, then start by adopting these five top habits of highly effective teachers.

1. Use an Effective Content Delivery Method. Your district or state likely preestablishes the majority of your course curriculum. The key to success, then, is how you deliver your lesson plans. The most effective teachers make an impact on their students by taking a hands-on, engaging learning approach, rather than solely lecturing from lessons plans or reading textbook content. By making the learning process fun and interactive, you will make a stronger impact on your student’s ability to consume and comprehend learning material.

1. Take Your Students’ Success Personally. The most successful teachers care deeply about their students’ success and put in the time and effort to enable each student to reach their full potential. For the most effective teachers, it is not just about teaching assignments, assessing performance, and turning in grades. They find joy in seeing a student who has struggled with a topic finally have that “ah-ha!” moment because they have worked diligently to help the student get there. Take time every day to reflect on why you chose a career in education, and ask yourself how you can take a more engaged role in your students’ achievements.

1. Establish Clear Learning Objectives. The most effective teachers do not only push their students to succeed, but they also remain motivated on personal achievements. They go into each school year with clear objectives for areas of focus and action plans for positive progress. For example, if a teacher’s classroom struggled to learn compound fractions, and their struggles were apparent on their standardized tests, effective teachers will reassess how they can better explain the concept the following year so that they and their students collectively achieve better results.

1. Foster a Positive Learning Environment and a Supportive Culture. Students learn best in an environment where they feel supported and have fun. The most effective teachers foster a collaborative culture where students are not afraid to make a mistake, ask a question, or re-do an assignment. By creating a climate of positivity, students will remain engaged and motivated to succeed, and they will be comfortable asking for help when they need it.

1. Don’t Become Defeated by Roadblocks. Throughout their careers, every teacher will be challenged by disruptive students, questioning parents, changes to the curriculum, and other difficulties. The most successful teachers do not let such experience turn to self-doubt or cause them to lose their passion for teaching. Instead, they learn from each challenge and apply what they have learned to future experiences for future success.

By adopting the practices that define highly effective teachers, you too can elevate the quality of your instruction, which will elevate the success of your students. When everyone succeeds, everyone wins, and you become the teacher that adults remember as someone who helped to define their adolescence. What could be more satisfying than that?