The profession of teacher is very often chosen by vocation, a vocation born of the desire to transmit one’s knowledge. To ensure that you make the right career choice, it is important to be aware of the necessary skills. Indeed, directing a class and passing on one’s knowledge to one’s students cannot be improvised.

To achieve a brilliant career, the teacher must have an arsenal of qualities that come in 2 main families: technical skills and interpersonal skills .

In this article, we will explain in detail why teachers must have at least 10 skills to guarantee quality teaching and their well-being at work .

1. Pedagogical spirit, major skill of the teacher

French , foreign languages, mathematics, history, geography, plastic arts, technology, university or professional training… Whatever the subjects you teach, the level of studies and the age of your students, pedagogy will constitute the basis of your education.

Pedagogy is by definition the ability to teach well. Can this be learned? Certainly. During your academic journey, your professors will guide you and help you develop your pedagogical spirit. You will have the opportunity to practice various teaching methods . That said, one thing is certain: each class is different and each student is unique. With a good pedagogical spirit, you will be able to establish a relationship of trust with your students and execute to perfection the methods acquired during your apprenticeship.

Pedagogy is undoubtedly the first skill of the teacher, but it is not limited to the execution of a teaching method. The teacher has the duty to create an atmosphere conducive to learning in his class. They must speak clearly when addressing all their students, taking care to use language that is accessible to everyone when sharing technical or scientific knowledge.

2. Proportionate Authority

No ship arrives safely without a captain. As a teacher, you will have tasks to perform, obligations to fulfill and goals to achieve. As for your students, they will have to obtain results (pass exams and obtain a diploma) thanks to their efforts and your work.

The cogs of a clock and of teaching only turn beautifully when they are in order. And it is up to the teacher to establish order . You will only succeed if you subtly manage to assert your authority in the classroom. The authority of the teacher should be measured and benevolent . You’ll have to find the middle ground, and not be the nice teacher or the aloof, overbearing teacher. You will have to wear these two costumes at different times depending on the profile of your students. How do you know which suit to wear for which occasion? By using another essential skill to exercise the profession of teacher :

3. Listening skills and psychology

Communication in class is an exchange. If it is true that the speaking of the teacher often occupies more space than that of the pupil, it should not however stifle it. To meet the needs of your students, you must know them. And to do that, you have to listen to them. The sense of listening is an essential quality in all professions. Listening to your interlocutor means putting yourself in their shoes and adopting their point of view.

If you can put yourself in your students’ shoes, you will know which teaching method is the most effective for imparting your knowledge to them. Identifying the problems of your students and finding the solution to provide is one of the major challenges of teaching. Listening is the ability to receive and process information . Psychology consists in understanding the mechanisms. For this reason, these two qualities are often associated.

These qualities also allow teachers to detect students in difficulty , to understand the cause of academic failure and to adapt the content of the program to the level of the class.

4. Sense of organization

The sense of organization must imperatively be one of the main skills of a teacher. Preparation of courses, choice of content and teaching aids, development and correction of exams, search for internships, advice to guide tutorials or find the angle of approach for a thesis, support for a class during a school trip in France or abroad… Each of these tasks requires a great sense of organization in order to facilitate the management of one’s schedule and the respect of the imposed deadlines .

5. General Culture

The desire to cultivate one’s knowledge is a fundamental skill. Teachers who have a lot of knowledge generally transmit it more easily. Even if they teach a specific subject, they can rely on their transversal knowledge to deepen a subject , illustrate an argument or launch a common reflection. A good general culture helps teachers to find a good angle of approach to treat a subject and to create relevant teaching materials. The quality of teaching materials requires another important quality in teaching: creativity.

6. Creativity

The creative sense is a highly appreciated added value in a class. Creativity is a real asset to motivate students and make lessons more interesting . Learning through play, the use of innovative methods or original teaching tools make it possible to transmit knowledge while stimulating students. Creativity is a bridge that will help you bond with your group , build a lasting relationship that will simplify your work and make it more attractive. You will quickly realize while preparing for your lessons that your creative sense is an excellent ingredient to fuel your passion for your work.

7. Versatility

The teaching profession has many facets. During your career, you will probably have to practice your profession in different environments which will depend on several factors: