Learning the basic skills necessary for you to become an effective educator can be especially difficult for a first year teacher. Becoming an effective teacher takes practice and special guidance from mentors and administrators. Effective teaching does not involve presenting your exciting lessons or activities to the class, it is a craft learned over time. Effective teaching is a teaching philosophy that can distinctly change given the situation. For example, a classroom with five students is a much different situation than addressing a class of forty students. Having the skills and abilities necessary to become an effective teacher will allow you to craft your lessons and teaching style to accommodate any size of class.

Characteristics of an effective teacher:

1. Positive expectations
2. Enthusiasm
3. Effective classroom manager / Organization
4. Ability to design lessons and activities
5. Rapport with students

Effective teachers should have high expectations for their entire class. Whether a student constantly makes hundreds on tests or a fifty, each student should be given positive reinforcement in class. Effective teachers should exhibit positive expectations to ensure each student believes they can excel. Transmitting positive reinforcement by telling each student they have high abilities and are a capable learner will allow students to excel to their highest abilities. In addition, setting positive expectations in the classroom will help students who do not have proper motivation and support at home.

Effective teachers should always exhibit enthusiasm in the classroom. Enthusiasm will allow your students to be interested in class discussions and classroom activities. Effective teachers should speak in expressive ways, not a monotone style. In addition, gestures with arms and constantly moving around the classroom will allow your students to be interested in the classroom discussion. Effective teacher should also maintain eye contact with their students at all times.

Educators need to have proper classroom management skills in order to be effective teachers. Classroom management is not about disciplining your class, it deals with how to effectively manage the classroom. Classroom management deals with how to take roll, keep an effective grade book and how to discipline students.

One of the most important skills for an effective teacher to master is how to design and implement lessons in the classroom. Designing lessons involves how to cater the needed curriculum into discussions, activities and assignments. In addition, an effective teacher should also be able to evaluate whether or not their students mastered the lesson.

An effective teacher should always establish rapport with their students. Establishing interpersonal relationships with students is crucial to form a trusting bond with each student. Effective teachers should be available outside of class to answer questions and provide additional help to students. In addition, an effective teacher should show tolerance to differing points of view during class.