Do your kid's teachers have these 5 traits?

Your child spends a large amount of time under the care of a teacher and it’s important to understand their mindset, values and attitude as these qualities may soon be emulated in your child’s personality.

While it is not always possible as a teacher to have a sunny disposition, it is essential to maintain a positive and cheerful outlook while being amongst little ones.

Here are 5 of the attributes a teacher must showcase at all times:

Care and compassion

These are primary characteristics every teacher possesses (or claims to). ‘I love children’ is the most common reply you would get from a teacher; however that cannot be the only reason why one enters the teaching profession. You must possess ideas of warmth, concern and affection, and shower your children with it at all times.

For example, observe how your child’s teacher greets them in the morning. Is it a formal ‘good morning’ or an affectionate cuddle? Or what kind of discipline method does the teacher undertake? Are they always using loud and irritated voices in the classroom? Children respond best when they develop a bond with their teacher. Each child is different and it is the teacher’s responsibility to attend to their specific needs.

Accessibility

This is an important issue during your child’s preschool years. A teacher needs to update you with information about your child’s day or any concerns they may have. The line of communication between you and the teacher need to be strong and open. Where it is difficult to be in touch with all parents, a teacher must contact you weekly or on a fortnight basis to keep you updated.

Children at early years develop new skills and changes almost instantly; hence you and the teacher need to be on the same page. Ask your teacher if it would be possible for her to send videos or pictures of your child in action. (Some teachers do not prefer to share their personal numbers; they can always use the school’s email for the same). Remember not to become obsessive about your child and ask for details on a daily basis but develop a healthy bond with the teacher. It is not enough to meet your child’s teacher only at parent-teacher meetings.

Personal connections and listening

Parents want their child to be heard! And why not? With the exuberant fees preschools charge, you and your child both have the right to voice your opinions. Your child needs individual care and nurturing. If a teacher simply goes through the motions of getting worksheets done or submitting paperwork, your child may be ignored. A teacher must know her students like her own children; and should be well-versed with aspects like their allergies, temperaments, likes and dislikes, favorite activities and more.

You can know the teacher is interacting with your child when they give your personal details like, what your child enjoyed the most in the day or instances of how they shared toys with a friend or even something funny they said during snack time. If the teacher is vague about her feedback or gives a general overview means your child has not been observed carefully and the teacher needs to keep her listening ears open!

Motivation

A teacher should not be a dictator in your child’s education, but rather a facilitator in their learning. Children need to be given the reigns and teachers should be equipped to maneuver their progress in a constructive way. Teachers should provide choices and let students select different areas of learning rather than be forced to complete one generic task.

For example, if a child is able to perform at a higher level than their own age, the child needs to be encouraged, motivated and challenged at school to achieve the same or vice versa when some children are shy and passive, they cannot be ignored and pushed at the back of the herd. These children need more inspiration and love which they must get at school and back home.

Creativity and technology

Being creative does not mean being able to make beautiful decorations or picture perfect displays, a teacher should be creative in her teaching. For example, teaching numbers to a student can be done through a variety of fun and challenging ways like counting beads, rhymes, colorful flash cards, playing dice games rather than the age old rote method. Learn about how much technology the teacher uses in her teaching every day.

It is not suitable for children to sit in front of a screen watching a video for long periods of time, while the teacher completes her work; but if the teacher shows interactive videos or lessons your child will not only enjoy them but also be stimulated by visual learning. For example, if students are learning about countries, a great way is to use Google maps and show children various places.

A teacher needs to be unbiased with children, enthusiastic by profession and open to parents. Teaching requires teachers to have tremendous patience and hard-work so don’t forget to cut them some slack too!