6 Steps To Becoming a More Confident Teacher
Every teacher needs a confidence boost, whether they are new or experience doesn't matter. It all depends on oneself to constantly develop and nurture one's level of self-confidence in the classroom because being confident in teaching is crucial as this is something transmittable. Your students always reflect your confidence level and this might affect their way of absorbing the language taught in the classroom.
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5. Set your own classroom rules
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If a teacher is confident in what they're doing, so are the students and unfortunately, the students can quickly spot the lack of confidence which can lead to complications in classroom management.
Here are 6 easy ways to help new teachers to boost their confidence in a classroom environment:
This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Rajeswaran A.
1. Prepare before Teaching
Planning your class beforehand will always boost your confidence. It's always better to put some extra effort and time to prepare your lesson before starting a class. Anticipating challenges that you might face in the classroom environment is a great way to be able to take control if things fall apart.
2. Don't be a Perfectionist
Of course, a teacher should do their best when creating or designing a lesson plan, activities, tests, etc. However, being a perfectionist doesn't always help inside the classroom because it is an everchanging environment. Being "over-planned", inflexible and indecisive can put some students off and actually be demotivating. Try to relate to your students and plan your lessons accordingly.
Also read 10 Pieces Of Advice Every New TEFL Teacher Needs To Know
3. Accept your mistakes
Everyone makes errors during their career but accepting one's mistakes and, more importantly, learning from them will certainly take your confidence to the next level. This is also a great way to show your students that making errors is a normal part of the learning process and there is nothing to worry about it. Therefore, when you make a mistake, don't overreact but correct it openly and in a positive way. Accept it, correct it and move on. This way your students also feel more comfortable with you and their own learning process.
4. Realize your strengths
As a new teacher, it might take some time and practice to find out what your strengths are but this will pay off in the long run. Once you know your strengths, you can then move on to working on your negative self-perception which ultimately builds your confidence level.
5. Set your own classroom rules
As a teacher, being flexible is necessary but, at the same time, you should have fixed rules that the students have to abide by. Your presence starts even before entering the class like greeting your students in the hallway, for example. If you find that you're losing control of your class at any point of time, be confident in laying out the rules and encouraging your students to follow them. At the same time, you should never lose your patience, take a moment of silence, breathe and then act mindfully.
Also read 5 Reasons Why Teaching Abroad is Better Than Studying Abroad
6. Clothing and Body Language
Wearing the right outfit instantly boosts your confidence. Choosing nice clothing and dressing up in a professional manner does not only improve your level of confidence but will also show your students that you care about them and your job and take it seriously. In return, they are likely to show you respect and want to please you by paying attention and studying hard.
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