On paper, a teacher’s job is to provide an educational experience, but off paper, teachers really do so much more. It does not matter if you teach kindergarten, or college aged students, these pupils are paying just as much attention to the emotional and social sides of your lessons, as they are the academic. Arguably some of the biggest role models, here are a few ways that some of the most successful teachers perfect their craft to make a positive impact.

They Care About Their Own Education

If you want to be an effective teacher in terms of telling your students how important caring about education is, then you need to do so yourself. A college degree and certain certifications are necessary to become a teacher, but the best ones know that simply going through the motions is not enough. Additionally, being honest about some of the struggles that will come with going to college is going to make you a more credible mentor.

Paying for college is enough to detour some hopeful students from even trying, but it does not have to. Scholarships are a great way to have some of the financial burden lifted, and to show kids that if you put in a little extra effort, it can result in lower college expenses. You can find college scholarships faster and start applying for scholarships quickly by using a free scholarship search and application platform. For example, Going Merry scholarships is one company whose mission is to help students discover these opportunities in an easy way so that the stress of the process does not result in giving up entirely.

They Lead by Example

Some of the social skills that teachers aim to focus on are things like empathy, listening, and healthy habits and routines. Teaching the habits of highly successful people can come off as disingenuous though if you do not adopt some of them yourself. Kids are going to ask questions and want your real-life perspectives. Also, students are going to be watching what you do, just as much as they listen to what you say. With regard to empathy, for example, kids, especially young ones, will absorb more through experiencing empathy, than they will from being told what it is and why it is important.

They Encourage Participation

Standing at the front of a classroom and preaching lessons is not the best way to help your students retain the information you are providing. Instead, think about ways to collaborate with them, and encourage them to be active participants in their own education. Some of the most successful teachers have learned how to encourage their students in such a way that their own brains are coming up with the conclusions and learnings of certain materials all on their own.

There are also retention focused learning strategies that exist outside the classroom that teachers can suggest to their students to bring everything full circle. This style can be highly motivating, once your students realize the role that they play in their own education, and that it can be empowering to do so, they will be encouraged to keep it up. This will also provide a safe space for more introverted students to be a part of a dynamic classroom experience and help to eliminate some of the more eager students from casting such a large shadow that their classmates struggle to come out from under it.