The Answer - A blog about Education, Preparation, and Commitment.

The Ideal YES Prep Teacher

April 19, 2010 by Jeremy Jones

The Ideal YES Prep Teacher has clear goals that are associated in some sense with becoming the best in a given context (i.e. obtaining “exemplary” rating in TAKS, becoming a School Leader, promoting, obtaining and sustaining high student achievement). Not only that, but, the Ideal YES Teacher has the self-discipline required to become the best and to continue giving a 100% effort over the long haul. Along the same lines, the Ideal YES Teacher strives for perfection in all endeavors. This means he/she typically throws in extra time, resources, and effort in order to produce a highly refined and polished lesson. In other words, this teacher epitomizes the continual improvement philosophy, always looking for ways to set a higher standard.

Besides having great ambition, self-discipline and high quality in all endeavors, the Ideal YES Teacher wants to take responsibility for directing, coaching, delegating, and/or coordinating the tasks of others, especially his/her students. This means that he/she not only enjoys the responsibility of leading others, but actively seeks opportunities to be in leadership roles. In fact, this teacher believes that other people (students, fellow teachers, parents, or staff) will do what they say. So, he/she takes naturally to directing their work because of this basic, underlying belief that others are capable and reliable. He/she may be a great listener and show great interest in the needs of students, colleagues, staff, and community, but will only yield to others’ needs when conducive to success (i.e. a student may not be turning in homework due to a variety of circumstances. The teacher may listen to the student and work something out if appropriate, but will ultimately remain firm on homework expectations). Moreover, the Ideal YES Teacher enjoys being persuasive in a considerate, even though unyielding manner and he/she is more likely to deal with conflict than to avoid it. Along with seeking and enjoying the opportunity to direct others, the Ideal YES teacher shares his/her opinion on a regular basis whether asked for it or not. In other words, this teacher will take the initiative to share best practices and/or voice relevant and genuine concerns about the students, the school and the community when appropriate. So, in general, it’s easy to find out this teacher’s stance and feelings on a variety of issues.

Finally, the Ideal YES Teacher tends to be pessimistic. This pessimism propels him/her to take extra care in ensuring that each of his/her students is mastering the curriculum and achieving college-readiness. In his/her quest for high student achievement, the Ideal YES Teacher stays “on the move.” That is, he/she is full of positive energy and transmits this energy to his students and colleagues. In class, he/she is a dynamic instructor, never sitting at his/her desk and constantly checking on students’ work. Moreover, though pessimistic, this teacher recovers quickly from disappointment or situations of intense stress during a teaching day and is able to resume normal activity or move into problem solving without significant effort.

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