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The attitude of a teacher greatly impacts the learner’s experience. The students look to them for security and understanding. If the instructor appears unsure of themselves it in turn makes the students more prone to confusion, lack of engagement and interest, and lose faith in the capabilities of their teacher. It can be intimidating to stand in front of the classroom and effectively give a lesson, especially to new, inexperienced teachers. However there are various methods to improving your confidence. Preparation is important. If you don’t know what you are doing and just improvise, it will show. Students will not be invested in the lesson if it appears the teacher does not care. The less experience you have a teacher, the more time should go into properly planning out the lesson and activities beforehand. Review the information, Fill out a lesson plan and prepare any worksheets and visual aids you will need. While there should always be room for flexibility, the preparation will serve as a useful guide that will instill confidence as opposed to blindly stumbling your way through it. Building a rapport with the class provides a friendlier environment which keeps the students engaged and gives the teacher more confidence in the classroom. To do so, a teacher must take into consideration the particular group of students they will be teaching. Make sure the interactions are appropriate for their age and make an effort to learn and understand their culture. However even within the same age-group or culture, there are individual differences to take into account. Learn their names, allow them to give feedback on the course, give praise to students who are improving and offer more encouraging assistance to those that are struggling. Simply because a teacher is an authoritative figure, does not mean they must impose that authority at the expense of having a welcoming environment. While public speaking is not exclusive to teaching, it is still a skill that every teacher should exercise. A sizable portion of communication is not what is being said but rather how. Intonation and body language play a crucial role. Make sure to use a dynamic voice, clear and loud enough for everybody in the room to hear to avoid confusion and boredom. Be aware of what your body language is transmitting. Avoid crossing your arms and maintain a friendly expression. There should be a balance of eye-contact so as to connect with your students but not to the point of causing discomfort. Practice makes perfect. It is normal to lack confidence when attempting something new and it is impossible to have perfected your craft in your first attempts. Rather than fearing mistakes, it is important to welcome them as a part of the process. Be open to criticism, ask or look up advice from other teachers, and be able to laugh at yourself. Strive for improvement without being too harsh on yourself and given the time, experience will offer wisdom and confidence. A good teacher cares about their students and knows what they are teaching. Even though teachers may come with an array of different personalities with preparation, practice, and a caring attitude, they will come to learn their strengths and gain the confidence to perform to the best of their abilities. (a/n: The topic chosen was from the email I received about the summative task however I currently do not see it on the list of topics available so I do not know if it is still acceptable.)
