Five Key Factors That Create Good Teachers: Turning Simple Communication into Appreciated Understanding by Dr. Rob Anthony
Author and leadership expert John Maxwell is credited with stating, “Educators take something simple and make it complicated. Communicators take something complicated and make it simple.”
As an education leader, I would argue Maxwell’s quote is not axiomatic; however, I would certainly agree that many educators can complicate learning due to a lack of understanding their students. School principals are tasked with many responsibilities, and one of the more crucial obligations is helping teachers understand that “good” teaching requires an understanding of the makeup of each individual student. Good teaching is indeed sound communication, and in order to ensure the education seeds being sown inside a classroom can grow, a teacher needs to first assess the soil onto which their lessons will fall.
This is the reason teachers must first develop a relationship with each individual inside their classrooms. While the students may all live in the same school district, each one brings unique past experiences with them, some of which may be barriers to their learning. As teacher-communicators, it is paramount we reach students where they are rather than expect them to learn from a one-size-fits-all approach.
In an effort to assist teachers, the following are five considerations that will help a teacher assess the makeup of their classrooms so that communication yields learning.
The first impressions you exhibit to your students will inform you about student attitudes. Pay attention to non-verbals and body language when you first encounter your students. Personality and beliefs are often expressed during an initial observation of others. Don’t miss out on this key opportunity to learn something from your students.
Most problems students will face in a classroom are psychological rather than physiological. Psychological problems can be addressed with prevention and the promotion of a transparent and consistent environment. Physiological problems are dealt with according to what law dictates. Teaching now involves more counseling than it does the sharing of facts. Understanding others is now more important than what you know. Knowledge is abundant on the Internet. Compassion and character are not.
Three unique forms of stimuli will impact a teacher’s understanding of his or her students. These are: Cultural facts; Stereotypical tendencies; and Assumptions. Being able to differentiate from which stimulus one is being influenced will either enhance communication or stifle it. Regardless of whether one believes these three forms of stimuli are right or wrong, all three do indeed play a major role in expression, so we need to be aware of what is motivating our thoughts.
Past negative experiences impact peoples' involvement in education. This definitely includes both parents and students. A parent who had a bad education experience likely communicates negativism even if it is unspoken. Likewise, a child who has miserable memories of school will require different motivational approaches than would one with positive memories. Understanding present and past influences on a student’s mindset should guide how we approach in-class communication.
A final point to remember as a teacher: There is an enormous amount of education in American society, yet at the same time there is a tremendous dearth of practical wisdom. America's bowing down to the idol of "empiricism" has not historically and cannot in the future solve the deep questions of mankind. You will likely be asked these deep questions in your classroom every year. How well are you prepared to assist your students with answering them? Teachers are typically well-versed in their subject and how to teach curriculum. However, classrooms are now more about developing soft-skills, character, and the ability to cope in students than it is about mastering curriculum.
If education is essentially good communication, then teachers must recognize what they say is less important than how they are understood. Keeping this in mind should inform the teacher that he or she has a responsibility of learning the student so that the relationship built over the school year is one built on trust and respect for another’s dignity. Traditional education was once an expert sharing what they knew to knowledge-hungry pupils. Times have changed. Successful teachers now understand that information is abundant and easily accessible. What is not is a compassionate and understanding mentor who is able to assess student needs and meet them wisely and in a manner that is relatable, understandable, and practical.
Dr. Anthony is a cancer-survivor, secondary administrator, author, speaker, and advocate for wise living. He is the author of Finite Obstacles ~ Infinite Truth. He adds value to others’ lives by teaching people how to overcome challenges, how to lead with grace and accountability, and by advocating for wise choices based on truth. Learn more at DrRobAnthony.com and linkedin.com/in/dr-rob-anthony/.