November Beacon Article

Seven Characteristics of Highly Effective Teachers

I think a lot about teaching. I became involved in the teaching ministry of the church as an assistant with a kindergarten group while I was still in middle school. So, teaching has always been very important to me--maybe too because it is such a vital part of the church’s ministry. Jesus commanded in His Great Commission that teaching be part of our disciple-making process.

Since teaching is so important, the question that follows is “How do we teach well?” Let me state upfront that great learning experiences grow from teachers who are biblically based and Spirit-led. Aside from grounding our teaching in Scripture and moving at the guiding of the Holy Spirit, we have little to say that can add to the lives of our learners. With those presuppositions in place regarding teachers, let me add an additional Seven Characteristics of Highly Effective Teachers in the church’s ministry:

1. Highly Effective Teachers are Learner-Centered. While our craft is teaching, our concern is learning. I have known too many teachers who are like Rube Goldberg devices which can be quite impressive until you realize that they do little other than call attention to themselves. Effective teachers willingly take themselves out of the spotlight for a learner-centered and subject-focused experience.
2. Highly Effective Teachers are Committed to the Development of their Learners. Great teachers are deeply devoted to the holistic growth of their learners. Effective teachers plan carefully and at the same time recognize that a learner’s most urgent need may not be addressed directly by the content of the lesson plan. Excellent teachers are always looking to facilitate the needed growth in their learners. 
3. Highly Effective Teachers are Risk-takers. If you are a teacher and you have not introduced a new approach or done something different with your learners recently, please try something new. The suspense that effective teachers create in their learning environments keeps learners engaged and motivated. Just because you tried something once and it did not succeed as you hoped does not mean that new approach can never work. Maybe you need to introduce it differently or allow time for learners to adjust. Keep trying!
4. Highly Effective Teachers are Enthusiastic about Their Own Growth. All of us should be excited about that new thing that we are learning. Life is about growth and change. As teachers, we should be enthusiastic learners and role models for learning!
5. Highly Effective Teachers are People of Integrity. They are committed to integrity first, last, and always. God calls teachers and He has high expectations. James 3:1 states, “Don’t be in any rush to become a teacher, my friends. Teaching is highly responsible work. Teachers are held to the strictest standards. And none of us is perfectly qualified”(James 3:1 The Message).
6. Highly Effective Teachers are Connected to Community. Those who teach in the church’s ministry represent the larger church community to their learning group. Therefore, it is essential that teachers remain connected to the church. It can be tempting to think of it as “my class” or “my ministry” when, in fact, our educational ministries belong to the church and ultimately to the Lord.
7. Highly Effective Teachers are Constant in Prayer. Effective teachers pray for their learners, for their lessons, and for God to enlarge their reach. So effective teachers are people of prayer. Not only do they pray, but they also encourage others to pray for their effectiveness. 

“As I teach, I project the condition of my soul onto my students, my subject and our way of being together” (Parker Palmer, The Courage to Teach, 2). My prayer for all of us who shape the learning experiences of God’s people of all ages is that we are committed to being as effective as we can be in service to the Lord and for the sake of the learners that God has entrusted to us.