The teachers I admire most are those who remain intellectually curious and professionally vital inside and outside the classroom for decades. It's a profession with great rewards and challenges. South Africa is known for the shortages of qualified teachers will likely continue, resulting in competition among some localities, with schools luring teachers from other provinces and districts with bonuses and higher pay.
We've put together 10 Steps to Become a Great Teacher, a guide to help you along the way. You'll learn about the education system, the degrees and certifications necessary to become a teacher, excellent interview tips and more.
Step 1: Learn About the Education System:
An old African proverb states, "It takes a village to raise a child." Likewise, it takes many people to educate each unique student. Some people find their place in the classroom with students, while others work hard to spin the wheels of policy and standards. Some work with local government systems to implement education standards, while others work for alternatives to public education.
Education in South Africa is governed by two national departments, namely the Department of Basic Education (DBE), responsible for primary and secondary schools, and the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), responsible for tertiary education and vocational training. Before 2009, these two departments were represented in a single Department of Education.
Step 2: Decide if Teaching is Right for You
Being a teacher is only for some. Teaching comes with a low salary, though it can happen with high rewards. Many skills are required to become successful in the classroom. If you select education as your first or second career, several qualities are helpful. Ask yourself the following 6 questions.- Do you like people?
- Can you be calm in any situation?
- Are you fair?
- Can you see situations from different views?
- Are you confident about sharing your knowledge?
- Can you manage time efficiently and with flexibility?
Step 3. Successful teachers hold high expectations:
An outstanding education is about risk-taking and making a mess; learning is chaotic, right?" Michael Goodwin, English teacher at Concord-Carlisle Regional High School in Concord, MA and founder of the experimental interdisciplinary high school program--Rivers and Revolutions In education, expectations form a self-fulfilling prophecy. The most effective teachers expect significant accomplishments from their students and don't accept anything less. When teachers believe each and every student can soar beyond any imagined limits, the children will sense that confidence and work with the teacher to make it happen.
Step 4. Bring your passions into the classroom:
I embody how learning to read and write well serves a purpose beyond the academic. These are critical skills that can open up new worlds of opportunities. The best teachers think outside the box, outside the classroom, and outside the norm. They leap outside of the classroom walls and take their students with them! Top teachers try to make classroom experiences exciting and memorable for the students as much as possible. They seek ways to give their students a real-world application for knowledge, taking learning to the next action-packed level. Think tactile, unexpected, movement-oriented, and a little bit crazy... then you'll be on the right track.
Step 5. Successful teachers have a sense of humour:
Humour and wit make a lasting impression. The best teachers live outside of their own needs and remain sensitive to the needs of others, including students, parents, colleagues, and the community. It reduces stress and frustration and allows people to look at their circumstances from another point of view.
Step 6.
The teachers I admire most create lighthearted fun out of serious education. They aren't afraid to be silly because they can snap the students back into attention with a stern look or a change in tone of voice. Successful teachers emphasize the fun in learning and in life:
Step 7. A great teacher is a continuous learner.
They continuously read and apply the newest research in their classroom, have yet to satisfy whether they have taught for one year or twenty, seek professional development opportunities, research ideas online in schools, and subscribe to multiple teaching-related newsletters. Great teachers are fearless in asking other teachers what they do in their classrooms. They often take these ideas and experiment with them in their class. Good teachers find time in their schedule to learn themselves. Not only does it help bolster your knowledge in a particular subject matter, but it also puts you in the position of a student. This gives you a perspective on the learning process that you can quickly forget when you're always in teaching mode.
