Teach English in GAohe Zhen - Anqing Shi

How Teachers Can Increase Their Confidence in the Classroom Every student knows that having a great teacher usually means they will have a great class, or at least a very interesting one. To become a great teacher, one needs to have a heart of a teacher and practice and focus on many things. One of the more important attributes that a great teacher has is being a confident person and ensuring the class is educational and entertaining. There are many different ways that teachers can increase their confidence in the classroom. Practice is very important for increasing a teacher?s confidence in the classroom. Practice gives the teacher an opportunity to review what they will be doing, saying and how they will be acting in class. It will give them an opportunity to time their lessons and make sure they are accomplishing all the tasks on their lesson plans. Eventually teachers will become very comfortable and practice may not be necessary but for teachers just starting out, it is an important tool to help them to become a better teacher. Teacher?s can also practice with other teachers or friends or tape themselves to get feedback on their teaching. Taking teaching courses is also a very important way that a teacher can practice and improve their confidence. Another thing that teachers can do to improve their confidence in the classroom is to prepare ahead of time. Teachers should spend time planning out their lesson and reviewing what they want to teach their students. Teachers should have a teacher?s copy of the book so that they can review it ahead of time and be prepared to answer any questions that the students may have. Preparing ahead of time will help the teacher feel more comfortable and confident in the classroom and help them to be a better teacher. A teacher should be aware of their strengths and weakness and try to teach in a style that is supported by their strengths. If the teacher encounters a problem or makes a mistake, it is important that they don?t make a big deal out of it and try not to let it upset them. The teacher should correct their mistake if possible and move on with teaching. If the teacher has weaknesses, they should work on improving them to become a better teacher and if they are able to overcome them or avoid them, they will be much more confident in the classroom. A teacher should be positive and have lots of energy and enthusiasm for teaching. I believe that the students feed off this and usually rebound with an energy very similar. Being positive and enthusiastic helps students feel more comfortable and have fun learning in class. When students are comfortable and having fun, they are more likely to participate and complete the work required of them. When you have great students and are enjoying yourself you feel much more confident in your abilities as a teacher. Teachers can sometimes setup the classroom ahead of time in a way that works best for them. They can arrange the seats in a style suited them and allow them to check and ensure the classroom has enough seats and the required materials that the teacher needs to teach effectively. Sometime the teacher may switch the layout of the class if they are working on an activity or can put two desks together if the class will involve teamwork. If this is not the teacher?s home classroom, it will give them an opportunity to familiarize them with the room and get comfortable with it and walking around. Also the teacher can check to ensure the class is clean and that they room is at a suitable temperature and will not distract from learning. These things will help a teacher feel more comfortable and lead to an increased confidence while teaching in the classroom. Through practice, preparation, being aware of one?s strengths and weaknesses, being positive and have lots of energy and enthusiasm and being aware of the classroom setting will help a teacher to feel more comfortable and increase their confidence in the classroom.