Attitudes and Habits of Highly Effective Teachers

By:
Gloria B. Nayo

 

GLORIA B. NAYO has an MA in Development Education from the University of Sto. Tomas.  A multi-awarded teacher, she was given the exemplary teacher award by the Mathematics Trainers Association of the Philippines (MTAP).  She is also a master teacher and currently directress and grade school principal of Colegio de Sta. Cecilia, Valenzuela City.  She is one of the authors of a number of Abiva’s grade school mathematics series including Step-Up Mathematics, Mathematics in Action, and Mathematics Horizons 1-6, all published by Abiva.

No amount of paycheck can reward a good teacher. – Cory Aquino

This is very true considering the many demands and responsibilities of teachers.  Their efforts to teach with their hearts and transform students into God loving, service-oriented, productive, and globally competitive citizens are priceless. 

Indeed, a teacher’s job entails expertise, commitment, and responsibility.  But even so, teaching as a profession is very satisfying.  It is regarded as the noblest of all professions.

For teachers to become effective, they should know themselves very well.  They should find time to discover their strengths and limitations, capitalize on and enhance their strong points, and do their best to turn their weaknesses into positives.

Qualities of Effective Teachers
Each of the four shapes below is associated with the qualities which every teacher should acquire.  Ponder on these attributes and try to assess yourself.  Which are you of the four shapes?
1    Tough person, good in decision making
2   Fair, just, God-loving
3   Versatile, well-rounded, persevering
 z     Creative, artistic, open to changes


Core Values
Let the following core values be the standard norm of conduct for teachers.

Compassion
Teachers, having special parental responsibility in school, must treat students with care, love, and dignity.  They should exert effort in developing their students’ character, inspiring their minds and hearts so that they would reflect God’s love to their fellow men.

Commitment
Teachers must dedicate themselves to the vision and mission of education and uphold high professional integrity.  They should go beyond teaching subject areas in order for students to learn and discover real-life challenges that shape their character.

Collegiality
Teaching and learning is a partnership and a collaborative effort.  Effective learning can be achieved by establishing harmonious relationship, trust, and rapport with parents, community stakeholders, government, and non-governmental organizations.


Stewardship
Teachers help reshape the Filipino society by continuously seeking breakthroughs to meet the demands of the times.

Excellence
Excellent teachers are ordinary persons who do ordinary things in an extra ordinary way.  They always give their best efforts in doing a task no matter how small.  They always go the extra mile—doing beyond what is expected of them.  Their every work is autographed with excellence because they believe that excellence is a way of life.

Seven Habits
Stephen Covey’s The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People: Restoring the Character Ethic is an effective guide that can help teachers sustain their commitment in developing the character of their students.

1. Be proactive. Teachers have the power to choose their strategies, instructional materials, and seek further learning in order to help students achieve their fullest potentials.  They must act and accept responsibility for the way they can develop their skills and that of their students.

2. Begin with the end in mind. Set meaningful life goals that will matter most to the school, community, and the students.  Once the goals are clear, teachers will be able to think of strategies on how to achieve them.

3. Put first things first. Manage priorities based on the overall goal of teaching, that is, to help students achieve their fullest potential.  Maintain a balance between what must be done today and what must be realized in the future.

4. Think win-win. Conflicts occur in dynamic organizations like schools.  Thus, teachers and educational leaders must be able to cooperate and hang in there until they can think of mutually beneficial solutions that will promote the well-being of all concerned.
5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood.  Teachers, aside from being good communicators, must also be good listeners.  They must be able to bracket their own biases and prejudices and sincerely understand others’ point of view before they try to make others understand their views on things and situations.

6. Synergize. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. In practice, this means teachers must be able to use creative cooperation in social interactions. They must also be able to work through differences because it is often the clash between individuals and teams that leads to creative solutions.

7. Sharpen the saw. This is the habit of self-renewal, which has four elements:  1) mental (includes reading, visualizing, planning, and writing; 2) spiritual (value clarification, commitment, study, and meditation); 3) social/emotional (includes service, empathy, synergy, and intrinsic security); and 4) physical (includes exercise, nutrition, and stress management).

 


References
Covey, Stephen R.  1989.  The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.  New York: Fireside.
Evert, Joseph E.  n.d. The Excellent Teacher.  New York: World Book Co.
Harrison, R.H. and Gowin, L.E.  n.d.  The Teacher’s Responsibility & Rewards.  San Francisco: Wadsworth Publishing Co., Inc.

 
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