Being a teacher can be a highly rewarding profession, with the opportunity to make a real difference to the lives and futures of countless young people. Whether you choose to teach in a traditional school environment, teach at a college level, or even progress further in your career to positions like a head of department or even a headteacher, the education sector brings countless opportunities to aspiring professionals.
However, there are certain criteria that must be met in order to ensure your success in your new role – and it’s not just about your training, experience, or qualifications, although these do play an important role. Read on to discover some of the key personality traits that any aspiring teacher should possess.
Ability to Work with Young People
This may seem like an obvious one but working with children is an essential component of being a teacher. The best teachers will have a passion for helping children and young people, understanding how best to approach learning and adapting their teaching to suit a range of different learning styles. At times, working with children can be challenging, but a teacher needs to know when to assert their authority, and similarly when a softer approach is needed. It’s all about reading the needs of the students and working with them to create the best possible learning environment.
A Love for Learning
As a teacher, you really will learn something new every day. In order to educate a class full of children about a topic, you need to know about that topic in at least a fair amount of detail and be able to understand the topic so that you can fully explain it in a simple and easy-to-understand way for your pupils. Additionally, you never know when an inquisitive student might present you with an out-of-the-blue question about the subject – it never hurts to be prepared!
Enthusiasm
This ties into the above point, but it is essential to be enthusiastic about your subject and about learning and education as a whole. Clearly demonstrating your own passion and enthusiasm for the topic will naturally engage students better, as well as perhaps even helping to foster their own enthusiasm for what they are learning. After all, there is nothing better than learning from an enthusiastic teacher who is genuinely passionate about their subject.
Dedication
A good teacher should be dedicated not just to their job, school or college, and their subject, but they should also be fully dedicated to providing the best possible education to every single student who enters their classroom. Some students will need a little more TLC to reach their full potential, whereas others will be content to get along and study on their own, simply coming to you with questions. As a teacher, it is your responsibility to ensure no child’s learning is left behind.
Qualifications
Last but certainly not least, one of the most significant components of becoming a teacher is gaining the necessary qualifications and experience. Many aspiring teachers choose to complete a dedicated teacher training course, as this provides qualifications and, often, valuable on-the-job work experience in a school setting. For instance, when completing teacher training in Sheffield, trainee teachers will study towards a PGCE or dedicated qualification, while also completing important work experience in multiple schools in the local area. Alternatively, some aspiring teachers choose to gain their qualifications through a relevant college or university course.
Of course, every teacher is different, and no two teachers will approach their job in the same way. While these qualifications and personality traits are all important assets, many more factors will play a role in helping you decide whether or not teaching is the right profession for you.
However, if you are set on entering the education sector – we wish you good luck and all the best with your studies and future career.