1. Be Mindful of Your Words
Speech is the primary means of daily interaction between teachers and students. Therefore, we must be extra careful when communicating with them, choosing our words to ensure mutual respect and understanding.
Teachers should avoid offending or belittling students, and refrain from using crude or vulgar language that may hurt or cause disrespect. If a teacher speaks harshly in the heat of the moment, it's important to apologize without hesitation.
However, it's essential to remember that we don’t always need to use overly poetic or extravagant language when talking to students. That would come across as insincere. Instead, teachers should speak in a clear, concise, friendly, and approachable manner. Avoid mumbling, speaking unclearly, or making errors.
Be Mindful of Your Words
2. Always Maintain a Bright Face and Smile in Class
A teacher's facial expression directly conveys their attitude towards students. A teacher with a kind and gentle face is ideal, especially for language or literature teachers, as their appearance can leave a strong impression on students.
If a teacher doesn’t have a conventionally beautiful face, they should pay attention to their appearance when teaching: perhaps a little makeup, neat clothing, and a confident look can help feel more attractive and be better received by the students. This shows respect for them. However, excessive makeup or bold hairstyles that are too flashy are not suitable for the educational environment.
Always Maintain a Bright Face and Smile in Class
3. Avoid Pressuring Your Students
Avoid pressuring students with strict rules, attendance checks, or oral exams. If assessment is necessary, try creative methods such as educational games to review lessons or giving written tests.
Avoid pressuring students
4. Regularly organize discussions
Hold discussion sessions about teaching methods. Teachers can assign tasks or exercises and encourage students to present in front of the class. This will motivate them to engage more in the lessons and build confidence while speaking in front of the teacher and peers. Organize forums where students can share their insights about the lesson based on various sources and perspectives. Allowing students to read different books on the same topic and express their opinions will certainly make learning more enjoyable for them.
Regularly organize discussions
5. Keep up with current social trends and topics that interest students
Students have high expectations from teachers, believing them to be experts with deep knowledge. They place a lot of trust in their teachers. Therefore, it's valuable if teachers possess knowledge in areas beyond their specialty. For instance, knowledge about fashion, gender health, beauty, current youth trends, social issues, careers, entertainment, and even updates on social media like Facebook can make a big difference. Being aware of the new things happening around life, and putting yourself in the students' shoes, is essential to uncovering the hidden aspects of their minds, inspiring passion and love for learning.
Keep up with current social trends and topics that interest students
6. Teachers must lead by example
This is an essential factor that allows teachers to confidently educate their students. Teachers must always uphold and refine their moral integrity and character as educators. If a teacher teaches students to forgive but cannot forgive others, teaches empathy but often belittles others, advises students to overcome jealousy while being petty and jealous themselves, or preaches fairness but treats students unfairly, they will not be able to convince their students. Character and integrity are not abstract concepts; they are reflected in the everyday attitudes, actions, and interactions of the teacher both at school and in their personal life.
Teachers must lead by exampleIn reality, students really enjoy teachers who are a bit 'cool' and up-to-date with trends. Keeping up with the latest trends and understanding what interests teenagers is a significant advantage for teachers in engaging students. Knowing the preferences and mindset of students will help teachers greatly in building rapport and effectively conveying knowledge.
Be a 'cool' teacher
8. Maintain a professional demeanor
Students appreciate teachers who dress neatly, elegantly, and modestly while still looking youthful. Therefore, teachers should dress appropriately for class, ensuring they stay in tune with current trends, as this will create a positive impression on students. A teacher's walk and posture also serve as a visual representation to students. For female teachers, grace and elegance in every movement, even in the way they stand or walk, can significantly impact students' psychology. Teachers' actions are always visible to students. Teachers must be tactful and discreet, avoiding inappropriate behaviors like pulling up their clothes, wearing overly short outfits, loudly talking on the phone, or throwing chalk at students, as these actions can leave a negative impression.
Exhibit a professional demeanor
9. Show respect and actively listen to students
It is important to respect and listen to students, no matter their age. Teachers should refrain from criticizing, comparing, or judging students. When students are treated with proper respect, they will develop confidence, self-worth, and an understanding of how to respect others, including their teachers. If criticism is necessary, it should be general, with a follow-up private discussion with the student involved. Teachers should listen to students' concerns, allowing them to express their thoughts, and avoid pushing their own ideas onto them.
Show respect and actively listen to students
10. Apply flexible teaching methods and continuously refresh them
Teachers need to prepare a variety of learning methods and teaching strategies, constantly updating them. Every time a new approach or method is introduced, it sparks students' interest due to the novelty. A dynamic 45-minute lesson can incorporate 6 to 7 different methods. Additionally, teachers should have funny stories ready to alleviate any drowsiness, and the more relevant the stories are to the lesson, the better. These should be used whenever the classroom atmosphere becomes too quiet. Giving students more tasks to encourage exploration will also help maintain a lively and engaging classroom environment.
Apply flexible teaching methods and continuously refresh them