Teach English in Zhouyuan Zhen - Baoji Shi

Teacher confidence in the classroom is one of the most influential factors in developing a happy and engaged group of students who thrive in the learning environment. Most teachers do not start out strong and confident. Almost all teachers have fears, anxieties and more than a few butterflies as they begin their careers. Therefore, developing, increasing and maintaining their confidence in the classroom is vital to both student success and teacher effectiveness. This is critically important when teaching English to non-English speaking students. They look to the teacher to be the expert. Fortunately, there are a lot of helpful resources available to assist the teacher. These include self-help resources such as courses, websites, You Tube videos (such as Ted Talk) and various books and videos. Getting feedback from Administration, other teachers and the students will provide valuable insights as well. A good teacher does not fear feedback – they use it! By listening carefully to feedback, the teacher has the opportunity to make improvements. Creating strategies based on this will give the teacher more confidence as they construct solutions based on specific (and not so specific) feedback. Making these adjustments, combined with the positive feedback the teacher is sure to receive from these sources, can be very helpful. One of the most important ways a teacher can increase their confidence in the classroom is to walk and talk with confidence! Body language is important as it affects how others see you. Even if the teacher doesn’t feel it, it is important to stand and talk confidently. This will boost the teacher’s self-confidence and will have a positive impact on both student and teacher success in the classroom. A good skill for the teacher to practice is “projecting your voice”. They should speak clearly, firmly and in a level that is loud enough to be heard throughout the classroom. In an English language class, the students will often have difficulty understanding, so a strong, clear voice is very important. A timid, frightened approach will not inspire respect in the students. A teacher conveys confidence when they stand tall and project their voice! Another important factor is to be prepared. Taking the time to carefully plan the lesson and prepare it thoroughly from beginning to end will add to the teacher’s confidence. This is the time the teacher can identify potentially difficult situations and how to resolve them. Things may happen that may necessitate an adjustment to the lesson plan at some point, so a little built-in flexibility will be helpful. Students may come to English class tired after a long day at day school or hungry and distracted by other things they need to do outside of the classroom. Having a plan regarding how to keep them engaged is vital and will give the teacher confidence in their ability to manage these situations. At the same time, there will be situations where things just seem to “go off the rails”. When this happens and the teacher feels an occasional panic attack, it is helpful to step back, breathe and relax. A good technique is for the teacher to pick up that day’s lesson plan and just breathe a few times – always appearing calm and collected. If the students are getting too boisterous or aren’t paying attention, silence can be a very effective tool. Yelling or shouting won’t work if the students won’t listen. If the students start talking in their native language, it is best to stay quiet, calm and still (no matter how the teacher is feeling inside) and soon the classroom will quiet down. It may take a minute or two, but soon the students will acknowledge the “deafening silence”. This will command respect and is another way the teacher’s confidence will increase as they demonstrate that they are in control of their classroom. A teacher can always increase their confidence in the classroom by remaining courteous and professional at all times – both inside and outside of the classroom. Teachers should treat all stakeholders with professionalism and respect. This includes students, fellow teachers, Administration, parents, etc. These stakeholders will generally treat the teacher the same way – reaffirming that the teacher is a professional and boosting the teacher’s confidence. If there are others (teachers, etc.) who tend to be critical and negative constantly, the teacher is best to avoid these influences. Nothing is perfect, but a positive approach is always best. The teacher can always be confident that they haven't been spreading negativity or bad-mouthing others. Another strategy that can help build teacher confidence in the classroom is a periodic reflection of the things that are going well and the accomplishments of the students. The teacher should discuss with their students what is going well and recognize their hard work. Celebrating improved speaking and reading skills, for instance, boosts student confidence and encourages them to work harder learning English. The teacher should also privately recognize that they are deserving of a great deal of the success of the students. This will enable the teacher to recognize their own strengths and boost their confidence in what they are doing well. The benefits to increasing teacher confidence in the classroom are immeasurable. Confidence makes the entire classroom experience more enjoyable for both the teacher and the students. It facilitates an atmosphere that will be relaxed and enjoyable. Increased confidence will also enable the teacher to demonstrate more creativity in lesson planning and will enable a higher caliber of teaching, thereby increasing their effectiveness. Truly, both the student and the teacher win when the teacher has an increased confidence in the classroom!