Top Qualities of a Good Teacher

Effective Feedback

First Peoples Principles of Learning

Engaging

Good Collaborators

Critical Thinker

Empathetic

Creative

Inclusive

Active Learner

Strong Communicators

• Assessing students' written work: marking essays and reports.

Students need help in assessing existing knowledge and competence. In classes, students need frequent opportunities to perform and receive suggestions for improvement. That's why feedback on performance is one of important part of effective assessment. Here is a book at the JIBC Library on assessing students:

Effective Feedback

Assessment is one of the most powerful tools in teaching.

• Engaging virtual environments: creative ideas and online tools to promote student interaction, participation, and active learning / Joanne Ricevuto and Laura McLaughlin; foreword by Lillian Nave.

If you display a passion for students’ learning by developing creative ways to teach, they will engage with the curriculum and get the most out of it. Here is a book at the JIBC Library on creative ideas to promote student interaction:

Creative

A teacher's ability to infuse creativity into lessons keep students engaged.

• Facilitation in action: finding your authentic training style

Effective communication is the bedrock of successful teaching, encompassing not only the transmission of knowledge but also the establishment of meaningful connections with students. A skilled teacher can convey complex concepts in a clear and accessible manner, adapting their communication style to suit the diverse learning needs of their students. Here is a book at the JIBC Library on facilitation skills:

Being a strong communicator is a paramount quality of a good teacher.

Strong Communicator

A good teacher encourages curiosity and challenges students to question, analyze, and synthesize information, fostering a classroom environment. By incorporating activities that require thoughtful reasoning and open-ended discussions, educators not only deepen students' understanding of the subject matter but also nurture their ability to think critically. Here is a book at the JIBC Library on critical thinking:

• Infusing critical thinking into your course: a concrete, practical approach

Critical Thinker

Critical thinking equips students with essential skills for lifelong learning and problem-solving.

• Creating inclusive online communities: practices that support and engage diverse students

• Bias-aware teaching, learning and assessment.

Different students bring different talents and styles to class. Students need opportunities to show their talents and learn in ways that work for them. Then they can be pushed to learn in new ways that do not come so easily. Here are a few books at the JIBC Library on inclusive teaching:

Inclusive

Respect diverse talents and ways of learning.

• Seven steps to college success: a pathway for students with disabilities

• Designing intersectional online education: critical teaching and learning practices

An empathetic teacher understands the diverse needs, backgrounds, and emotions of their students, creating a safe space for open communication and mutual respect. Here are a few books at the JIBC Library related to this topic:

Empathetic

Empathy lays the foundation for a supportive and inclusive learning environment.

• Designing accessible learning content: a practical guide to applying best-practice accessibility standards to L&D resources

• Wake 'em up!: super-charge your student engagement.

• Student engagement techniques: a handbook for college faculty

• Motivational immediacy: fostering engagement in adult learners

• Engaging ideas: the professor's guide to integrating writing, critical thinking, and active learning in the classroom

• Engaged teaching: a handbook for college faculty.

Being able to engage students with creative lessons and a strong classroom presence is important. Here are a few books at the JIBC Library on best practices in engaging learners:

Engaging

Good teachers are engaging.

• Decolonizing and Indigenizing education in Canada

• Braided learning : illuminating indigenous presence through art and story / Susan D. Dion.

Here are a few books at the JIBC Library that you could refer to:

These principles represent an attempt to identify common elements in the varied teaching and learning approaches that prevail within particular First Nations societies.You can read the principles here:

• First Peoples Principles of Learning

First Peoples Principles of Learning

• Active learning online: five principles that make online courses come alive

Incorporating active learning strategies into your classroom gives you the ability to watch how your students think and learn. Good teachers show students that they are committed to learning best practices, that they’re willing to experiment with different teaching techniques, that they aren’t afraid of tackling technology, that they and their colleagues share ideas, that they’re adaptable to changing educational requirements, and needs. Here is a book at the JIBC Library on active learning:

Active Learner

Good Teachers are Lifelong Learners.

• Collaboration also involves working with colleagues and fellow instructors. Faculty Focus has a series of articles on team teaching.

• Collaborative learning techniques : a handbook for college faculty

• Student engagement techniques : a handbook for college faculty

Through collaborative activities, open dialogue, and a genuine interest in each student's journey, a great teacher instills a sense of camaraderie, making the classroom a place of instruction and a community of shared growth. Some resources from the JIBC Library:

Good Collaborators

A great teacher creates a sense of community and belonging in the classroom.