I work as a careers advisor and what is always interesting to note is how every couple of years, the desires of young students in terms of their career choices, changes dramatically. In recent years it has been business that most young men and women wanted to go into once they had finished their education. Whilst I still do speak to many young students who want to be the next Mark Zuckerberg, I have recently noticed a huge spike in those who want to teach.
I had a chat with the remarkable Kevin Rolle Alabama University Executive Vice President and a man with over 20 years of experience in education and administration, about the skills that these young boys and girls would need to become a teacher, or a professor.
Patience
At the heart of teaching is patience and this is something which you must possess if you plan on being any kind of successful teacher. Students can often test you, either intentionally or otherwise and it is vital that you can keep your cool and apply patience to remedy any problems that arrive.
Faith in Youth
Something that the very best teachers possess is a real desire for their students to go on to be the very best versions of themselves that they can. If you find a teacher who is just turning up to pick up the paycheck then you will instantly see this reflected in their classroom. A successful teacher will always have the best interests of their students at heart and be constantly striving to give these young men and women the best possible chance at a successful life.
Inspirational
Teacher must be able to offer their students real inspiration and give them not only the tools, but also the desire to be as good as they can be. Inspiring students can be difficult as each one will need a different type of treatment in order to get inspired. A teacher therefore must be flexible in their style so that they can best inspire everyone around them.
Knowledgable
It is not just enough that a teacher or college professor knows about their subjects, they must instead by experts in their subject in order to give their students the best service. This requires basic knowledge as well as the desire to want to constantly learn more about their subject matter. Students will look to you to be an expert and you must ensure that you can answer the call.
Flexibility
Teachers must be able to alter their teaching style depending on the level of those that they are teaching, or the individual student that they are teaching. Not everyone learns at the same speed or in the same way and the very best teachers can spot the differences and adapt their approach so that everyone has the chance to learn something within their classroom. Much of this will come through experience of teaching but as a core skill, one must be able to change and adapt.
