Traits of a Bad Teacher – You may be a bad teacher

Traits of a Bad Teacher – You may be a bad teacher.

The qualities that can make a teacher ineffective and not deserving to be an educator will turn out to be the traits of a bad teacher.

While one may feel that all teachers, no matter their quality, strives for excellence. The perception may lead to a very poor conclusion that presumes all teachers are good.

However, teaching just like any profession has bad nuts. There are teachers who do their very best, give their all, work extremely hard at their craft and get better on a daily basis.

But there are others who do not just improve no matter what. There are actually more good teachers out there than bad ones and these few continue to drag the name and the calling in the mud with their actions and decisions thereby hurting the profession.

What qualities can deem a teacher ineffective or bad? There are many factors that can derail a teacher’s career. Here we discuss some of the most prevalent qualities of poor teachers.

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Lack of Classroom Management

A lack of classroom management is probably the single biggest downfall of a bad teacher. This issue can be the demise of any teacher no matter their intentions. If a teacher cannot control their students, they will not be able to teach them effectively. Being a good classroom manager starts on day one by incorporating simple procedures and expectations and then following through on predetermined consequences when those procedures and expectations are compromised.

Lack of Content Knowledge

Most states require teachers to pass a comprehensive series of assessments to obtain certification within a specific subject area. With this requirement, you would think that all teachers would be proficient enough to teach the subject area(s) they were hired to teach. Unfortunately, there are some teachers who do not know the content well enough to teach it. This is an area that could be overcome through preparation. All teachers should thoroughly prepare for any lesson before they teach it to make sure they understand what they are going to be teaching. Teachers will lose credibility with their students quickly if they do not know what they are teaching, thus making them ineffective.

Lack of Organizational Skills

Effective teachers must be organized. Teachers who lack organizational skills will be overwhelmed and, as a result, ineffective. Teachers who recognize a weakness in organization should seek help in improving in that area. Organizational skills can be improved with some good direction and advice.

Lack of Professionalism

Professionalism encompasses many different areas of teaching. A lack of professionalism can quickly result in a teacher’s dismissal. Ineffective teachers are often tardy or absent. They may fail to follow a district’s dress code or use inappropriate language in their classroom.

Poor Judgment

Too many good teachers have lost their careers due to a moment of poor judgment. Common sense goes a long way in protecting yourself from these sorts of scenarios. A good teacher will think before acting, even in moments where emotions or stressors are running high.

Poor People Skills

Good communication is essential in the teaching profession. An ineffective teacher communicates poorly, or not at all, with students, parents, other teachers, staff members, and administrators. They leave parents out of the loop about what is happening in the classroom.

Lack of Commitment 

There are some teachers who simply lack motivation. They spend the minimum amount of time necessary to do their job never arriving early or staying late. They do not challenge their students, ​are often behind on grading, show videos often, and give “free” days on a regular basis. There is no creativity in their teaching, and they typically make no connections with other faculty or staff members.

There is no such thing as a perfect teacher. It is in the nature of the profession to continuously improve in all areas, including classroom management, teaching style, communication, and subject area knowledge. What matters most is a commitment to improvement. If a teacher lacks this commitment, they may not be suited for the profession.

The above traits of a bad teacher paint a true picture of educators we do not need in the industry. Wake up and improve yourself to be counted.

Source: Ghanaeducation.org & Meador, Derrick. (2020, August 26). Traits of a Bad Teacher. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/characteristics-of-bad-teachers-3194336