Characteristics of Poor Teachers

One would hope that all teachers would strive to be excellent, effective educators. However, education is just like any other profession. There are those who work extremely hard at their craft getting better on a daily basis and there are those that are just simply there never striving to improve. Even though this type of teacher is in the minority, just a handful of truly bad teachers can hurt the profession.   What qualities can deem a teacher ineffective or bad? There are many different factors  that can derail a teacher’s career. Here we discuss some of the most prevalent qualities of poor teachers.   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 districts 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 â€Å"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.