It is often said that teaching is one of the noblest professions on earth. After all, no one can pursue any other profession without first learning from qualified teachers. This means that the quality of future professionals largely depends on the quality of the teachers who guide today’s students.
If you are currently a teacher or planning to become one in the future, you need to understand that you play a major role in shaping the next generations. There are several important tips that can help you become a successful and well-loved teacher.
If you truly want to become a better teacher, keep the following methods and strategies in mind:
1. Don’t Spoon-Feed Knowledge to Your Students
Instead of giving your students ready-made answers, teach them how to think.
Rather than simply delivering lessons, allow them to discover knowledge through activities, research, and guided discussions.
Be a facilitator of learning, not just a traditional lecturer who mechanically spoon-feeds information in a narrative way.
2. Be Accurate in Assessing Students and Correcting Their Mistakes
Sometimes, teachers find it exhausting to carefully check students’ work, so they end up giving grades based on:
Appearance (e.g., the length of a paper, presentation style, handwriting, neatness)
Class participation (e.g., giving higher marks to those who actively engage in discussions and lower to quiet or passive students)
Unfortunately, this means they assign grades without verifying the actual content or the student’s true level.
A dedicated teacher, however, is willing to put in the effort to thoroughly review students’ work to track their progress, correct their mistakes, and assess them fairly.
Giving constructive feedback and necessary corrections will help students improve their performance.
3. Master Your Lessons
You cannot deliver high-quality teaching if you prepare your lessons superficially.
You must have strong mastery of the subjects you teach and their related concepts.
Take every opportunity to learn and re-learn all topics related to your subject or lesson.
Read the latest books, and look up reliable journals and resources online.
4. Make the Most of Every Seminar and Training You Attend
Schools often require their teachers to attend seminars, conferences, and other training programs to develop themselves.
However, some teachers attend simply to comply with the school’s request — without any real interest in applying what they’ve learned to improve their teaching methods.
If you want to be a better teacher, be enthusiastic and eager to learn new strategies whenever you get the chance.
5. Be Ambitious and Pursue Further Studies
Pursue postgraduate studies not just for career promotion, but as an opportunity to gain deeper expertise in your field and improve your teaching techniques.
6. Appreciate Students Who Participate in Class
It’s human nature to want to feel appreciated — your students are no exception.
Many students are afraid to raise their hands during class discussions because they are shy or scared of making mistakes.
Encourage them to participate more, and praise every student who volunteers, even if their answers are incorrect.
7. Avoid Using Hurtful Words When Correcting Students
No matter how slow a student seems to learn or how poor their performance is, never use derogatory remarks like:
“You’re stupid,”
“What a ridiculous answer,”
or laugh sarcastically when correcting them.
Such words can have a shocking and damaging effect on the student, lowering their self-confidence and self-esteem.
8. Stop Comparing Students to One Another or to Other Classes
Comparing students to each other only makes them feel resentful.
It will make them think you are biased.
You must understand that students are different, with diverse learning styles and levels.
You cannot expect them all to learn at the same pace or be at the same level.
9. Learn from Other Teachers’ Methods
Be humble enough to admit that you have weaknesses as a teacher — and that some of your colleagues may perform better than you in certain areas.
Ask for their help or simply observe what they do.
You don’t have to become their copy, but you can incorporate their effective methods into your own teaching strategies.
10. Laugh with Your Students
Break the classroom tension by showing a sense of humor, laughing, and occasionally sharing jokes with your students. This does not make you less respectable.
Being overly strict creates fear among students, which prevents them from actively participating in class.
If they see that you can be kind and approachable at times, they will like you more and enjoy your lessons.
11. Don’t Show Favoritism
Stop constantly praising the same student or group of students. This makes the rest believe that you are biased.
Give equal opportunities to everyone to participate, and value each student individually.
Also, be transparent and honest in how you calculate grades. Show your students that every mark reflects their actual performance and output — nothing more, nothing less.
12. Be a Counselor
Your role as a teacher isn’t limited to intellectual guidance.
You are like a second parent and a life coach as well.
Be sensitive and empathetic toward students going through difficult times. Take the time to talk with them, encourage them to open up, and offer guidance.
13. Reassure Them That It’s Okay to Make Mistakes
Remind your students that the reason they are still in school is because they still have more to learn.
As a teacher, don’t expect them to fully understand everything right away.
Teach them that making mistakes is part of learning — and that errors help them work harder to improve and find the correct answers.
This mindset will encourage them to participate more and seek the right path.
14. Praise Every Student’s Progress
Especially those who struggle to keep up with lessons — give them sincere recognition whenever they make progress, no matter how small.
Telling them that they’re moving forward will motivate them to keep working and striving to do better.
15. Be a Good Role Model — Even in Your Personal Life
You are not just a teacher inside the classroom.
Your students look up to you as a role model, so be mindful of the way you live.
Of course, you are not perfect, but always evaluate whether your actions, words, and lifestyle reflect the image of a good person and teacher.
If you want your students to follow your example, you must embody what you teach.
16. Know Your Students Inside Out
You will spend several months with your students, at the very least.
Make the effort to get to know each of them individually.
Don’t just memorize their names — learn about their personalities, backgrounds, and interests as well.
17. Teach Them Discipline and Respect for Rules
Teachers must not tolerate carelessness or disruptive behavior.
As a teacher, you should make your students understand the importance of discipline, commitment, and respect for rules.
Discipline can be enforced without harming their self-esteem — meaning you can apply appropriate disciplinary measures for misconduct without humiliating them in front of the class or using insulting language.
18. Admit Your Own Mistakes
Teachers are not perfect, and students know this very well.
In fact, students tend to respect teachers who can admit their mistakes and accept corrections from them.
This shows that you value your students more than your pride or ego.
19. Integrate Values into Your Lessons
A teacher’s job is not only to teach academic knowledge but also to instill moral values.
You should be able to connect lessons to everyday life and help students understand that they are learning to become responsible, ethical citizens in their communities.
20. Inspire Them
The best lessons you can give your students are not found in textbooks — they are the lessons you’ve learned through your own life experiences.
Whenever possible, share some of your inspiring personal stories. These will undoubtedly benefit your students in their own lives.
In Conclusion: Teaching is a profession that builds generations. Being a teacher is not just a job.
If you work in this field, you must see yourself as a mentor of future generations, with the goal of guiding and preparing tomorrow’s leaders.
