Steve Morgan asked:


The Balanced Teacher
 
There’s an old saying that states, “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach!” The trouble is it is true for some – but not all. Cast your mind back to when you were at school and you’ll probably remember a last-ditch teacher you had. Then think back again and you’ll probably remember the one teacher who inspired you.
The one teacher whose pupils left the classroom with a shining light in their eyes and ideas in their heads. What makes these teachers special? What was the secret ingredient that made you want to learn?
 
There are about six attributes that I’d like to touch on:
 
CONFIDENCE: A balanced teacher has a built-in confidence of authority. Not the no-nonsense desk slapping type who had you scared to breathe; but the one who just commands respect through their, ”I’m in charge” demeanour. Within minutes pupils can detect with an uncanny radar, those teachers who are hesitant in front of a class. Contrary to what you might think pupils actually prefer teachers who have the authority that says, “I’m the boss.” It makes them feel safe and secure in the knowledge that this will be a settled class. They actually resent weak teachers that they can dominate.
 
INTUITION: The balanced teacher has the amazing ability to sense things. They spot the bright kid and foster their talents. They can sense the shy kid and develop a class atmosphere of support. They see the bad behaviour as a signal that there’s something else behind it. They perceive the good and the bad in every pupil and know what to do about it.
 
REAL: The balanced teacher has no problem bringing their own life into the classroom so that pupils can learn from real experiences. They are honest about mistakes. Own up to them and kids don’t really worry; but try to cover them up and you’ll be in for a tough time because you’ll lose their trust.
 
COMIC: Perhaps the hardest attribute to master but the balanced teacher is a funny one. One who can enjoy a joke even at their own expense. The secret is laughing with them. Any comic situation can be used as a learning opportunity and balanced teachers recognise this and use it at every opportunity. A balanced teacher can bring the class back from a good laugh easily with one quiet sentence –“ Right then, it’s back to work for you lot!” or “You lot will get me sacked. Let’s get our heads down again shall we?” Notice the collective pronouns “our” and “we”.
 
LEAVEL-HEADEDNESS: Not panicking when the going gets tough. If a certain pupil is giving you or others grief causing tension in the classroom, the best method to placate this is to be quietly spoken but extremely decisive. The balanced teacher does not go in boots and all; he gives the pupil a choice. “Billy you can either stop that unacceptable behaviour, or you put me in a position where I’ll have to punish you, and I don’t want to do that! Let’s have a look at what’s bothering you.” As soon as you give them a choice then the defiant behaviour will not arise. And by showing concern for their problem you signal that you care.
 
EASY TO TALK TO: An approachable teacher is worth their weight in gold to everyone including parents. By having an open door policy with parents, teachers can increase their knowledge of their pupils exponentially thus leading to better teaching and learning. Children feel safe in their approaches to these teachers and know that confidences will be kept secret and that concerns will be acted on. No matter how trivial a problem may seem to you as a teacher it is probably a mountain in the eyes of the pupil – ignore it at your peril. Put time aside to develop an atmosphere of trust by group talks and discussions of world or local events. These are the times you can establish worthwhile values and virtues that you, as a mentor, whish to encourage in your classroom.