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I believe there are many qualities that are important for English teachers to possess. I think the most important quality for a teacher is having patience. As an eager new teacher, I will have to be extremely patient. Students will be on all different levels with their English and I will need to know how to interact with each student based on their level and their personalities. While giving my lessons it will be very important to not get frustrated if the students are not comprehending what I am teaching. Visual signs of frustration such as sighing and eye rolling can negatively affect the class morale and can discourage participation due to fear of answering incorrectly. As a teacher, I will want and need my students to be fully engaged and excited to learn English. Another extremely important quality is to have a sense of humor. I believe a classroom should not always be so serious and ran like a military school. Through my own experiences I have found that making the class fun will boost the morale of the students. If I can tell a silly joke, for instance, it can lighten the mood for the day and the students will be more interest in the lesson and they will want to come to class and learn how to speak English. I have also found that as long as I set a good example of the English language there are many different ways I am helping the student such as pronunciation, putting sentences together, and using correct terminology. So, why should the class be so serious all the time? Another reason having a great sense of humor is a great quality is, you have to show the students that it is okay to make mistakes. The students should never be scared to make a mistake. If I can laugh at myself when I make a mistake or I do not understand something, then the students will be more likely to try even if they get the answer wrong. Hopefully as a teacher i can pass this on to the students. A sense of humor also ties into the teachers friendliness and approachability. The students need to feel comfortable coming to me with any questions or concerns they may have. Finally, the ability to build caring relationships with the students is a great quality that all teachers should possess. This also encompasses communication skills, listening skills and openness. Communication is so important because you have to be able to talk to your students to build a relationship with them. The best way to do this is by asking questions about the students family, life, hobbies, and goals. If you have terrible communications skills, teaching will virtually be impossible. Listening skills are needed to comprehend what the students answers are to the questions you have asked them. You should maintain eye contact when you are being spoken to. If you ask the student a question, then look away from them when they start to respond, this can have a negative effect on building caring relationships with the student. You need to show you are receptive and interested in what the students are saying to you. Openness is the final part of building caring relationships. Some ways of showing openness with your students is by showing interest in their culture, trying local foods and restaurants or shops that the students suggest, and showing a genuine interest in all aspects of the students life and country. In summation, if I can show patience, have a sense of humor, and build meaningful relationships with my students, their willingness and enthusiasm about coming to class and learning from me will rise exponentially.
