There are many skills that contribute to a teacher becoming a professional, however, here are five that I feel are very important.
- Patience
Patience is a very important skill for a primary teacher to have. This is because every child is different and will learn things at a different pace compared to others; the teacher must be patient and allow the children time to try and understand the topic.
- Empathy
For a teacher, being able to empathise with the children is very important. They need to see what is happening as if they were seeing through the eyes of a child. By getting on to ‘their level’ the teacher will also be able to sympathise with the children and therefore get them the correct support they need. For example: if the teacher can see that a child is being picked on, they can give a personal anecdote and then direct the child to whichever teacher is in charge of anti-bullying.
- Respect
Mutual respect is very important in a primary school. By respecting all of those in the workspace, from cleaners to classroom assistants, a better learning environment is created as well as better established relations with others. Teachers will also find that by having respect for the children in the class, they, the children, will be more respectful and listen to the teacher more attentively.
- Kindness
Being a kind and approachable teacher is very important because it means that when the children enter the class they will feel more relaxed and enjoy coming into the learning environment. Furthermore, if a teacher is known in a local community as being kind, then parents would feel more at ease if their child was going to be in their class.
- Fairness
A teacher must be able to be fair and just with the children in their class. Clear boundaries should be set at the start of the year in partnership with the children, so that they know what behaviour is expected of them. Once the rules are set the teacher must make sure that they do not let one child away with something they would not allow another child to do. This will make sure they are working in a professional manner and work well with the children.
