So, you wanna _________?

So, you wanna be a teacher, but you aren’t sure where to begin.  theDIHEDRAL is here to help. 

From philosophy to rock climbing there are some things that nearly all good teachers have in common.  This is not an exhaustive list, just some generalizations that could be helpful to anyone looking to not only teach or coach, but to do it well!

Students ask me somewhat regularly, how I became the teacher I am today.  This is a different question from how to become a teacher, it’s actually very complimentary, in that the question seems to be examining how to become a good teacher.  The attributes that make for a good professor can be applied to teaching across the board.  Whether one is teaching piano, coaching rock climbing, tutoring writing skills, instructing 8^th graders, or professing to grad students, certain aspects of good teaching will apply to everyone.

My number one piece of advice is to remember what it’s like to be a student.  As a student I hated when a professor was unorganized, took forever to grade assignments, and group work.  In turn, I make sure to let students know exactly how my classes function, I grade assignments as quickly as possible, and I stay away from group work at all costs.  As a student, no matter how interesting a topic was, after an hour or so my attention would fade.  In turn I try and limit the depth of my lectures to an hour or less.  As a student, speaking to faculty was intimidating.  In turn I do my best to be as approachable as possible.  The point being, if you can remember what you liked and disliked as a student, you can implement and avoid certain features in order to be the type of teacher you would have appreciated as a student.  Sidenote: Students come in a variety pack, so keep in mind that what works for you may not work for everyone.  For example, I imagine that someone somewhere actually likes group work? 

My other number one piece of advice is to copy your favorite teachers.  I have been so fortunate to have had terrific professors throughout my time as a student.  I could pick nearly any of them as a model for what good teaching looks like, but there are two professors in particular that were exemplary, and much of my style comes from their influence.  Even if you weren’t lucky enough to be molded by consummate professionals, there are excellent films, books, and even YouTube classes to find mentor worthy archetypes.  A great book for aspiring teachers and coaches is John Wooden’s classic book They Call Me Coach.

Another number one piece of advice is to be yourself.  I know I just said to copy the greats, but not at the expense of losing yourself.  Bullshit is transparent, and if you aren’t true to yourself, students will see right through it.

The flipside of that number one piece of advice is another number one piece of advice, and that is to let the students be themselves too.  We see this in coaching too often, sometimes, when a coach is aggressive, they expect everyone on the team to be aggressive.  Aggression may work for some, but there are other ways to achieve success.  What’s the quote about judging a fish by its ability to climb a tree?  That quote isn’t relevant in all aspects of teaching, but I think it works in this case. Accepting failure isn’t really an option at the lower levels of education, but at the college level, contrary to what the administration will tell you, failing a class is great.  Not all students will follow your lead and bust their ass for an “A””.  That’s them, that’s where they are, and it’s okay to let them be there.  They’ll come back if or when they’re ready.

But, my number one piece of advice for being a good teacher is to be the expert in the room!  Prep hard and try to forecast potential questions, so that you’re informed if those questions arise.  Once you have the material down, all you have to do is go in and crush!

My final number one pieces of advice is to be humble which includes being open to being wrong.  I know professors who are totally ill-equipped to handle confrontation.  They have the letters next to their name, they have the piece of paper framed in their office, how dare a student question them.  That is not the right approach!  No one cares about your letters and your degree; anyone can be wrong.  If you think you’re above being wrong, then maybe teaching isn’t for you, because ultimately good teaching is dependent on good learning, and if you already know everything, then maybe it’s time to try something else.  Students are a spectacular source of information, and if professors, teachers, and coaches think they are beyond learning from their students, then they are probably in the wrong profession.

There are dozens of additional elements that go into being a good teacher, but these are the main components that I rely on.  The world is always in need of teachers, and with a little practice and an open mind, almost anyone has the potential to do it well.