When you are an effective teacher, your teaching takes hold, and your students slowly but surely learn from you, and the learning is permanent.  Remember, too much too fast won’t last.  It is much better to spend 10 days teaching one skill that your students will be able to use for a lifetime, than teaching 10 different skills in 10 days that your students will forget the day after you taught them.  The problem that you may be faced with is being expected to move quickly through an overly ambitious curriculum. If you have the sense that your students have not grasped a concept, then spend more time on it.

When you are efficient, you have the ability to take care of the day to day administrative paperwork that seems to be never ending such as attendance, grading papers, your grade book, your lesson plans, etc. in an efficient manner. Administrative items must be dealt with efficiently so that you are freed up to teach. Understanding the difference between being effective and being efficient will help you understand what is important and what you need to devote their time to.

Characteristics of Effective Teachers

1. Effective teachers have mastered their subject, are well read, and can answer questions spontaneously about what they teach.
2. When the effective teacher lectures, he or she is well prepared and can carry on a discussion in an orderly manner

1. Effective teachers can relate their subject area to real life circumstances and offers practical illustrations to enhance student understanding
2. Effective teachers know how to check for understanding. They encourage students’ questions and opinions.
3. The effective teacher is enthusiastic about his/her subject area and communicates this to his/her students.
4. The effective teacher is approachable, friendly, and makes himself/herself available to his or her students after school hours.
5. Effective teacher are concerned about their students’ and places a high priority on their achievement.
6. The effective teacher has a sense of humor and knows how to motivate his/her students will humorous stories and appropriate jokes.
7. The effective teacher displays warmth, and kindness, and does his or her best to understand student circumstances that may interfere with their academic success.
8. The effective teacher knows how to use their resources and is not afraid to ask for help when needed.

CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFICIENT TEACHERS

1. The efficient teacher understands and is sensitive to administrative timelines.

1. The efficient teacher understands the policies and procedures of the school.
2. Efficient teachers have daily routines for completing lunch counts, taking attendance, and grading work, and recording of grades.
3. The efficient teacher makes time to call parents and schedules meeting with administration and other teachers as needed.
4. Teachers, who are efficient, have procedures in place to manage supplies such as pencils, paper, and other non-teaching items.
5. The efficient teacher keeps a neat and orderly work environment.
6. Teachers who are efficient set goals for the entire school year, and plan their objectives for each lesson on a weekly basis.
7. The teacher, who is efficient, knows how they are going to handle problems with students, parents, administration, and other teachers before they happen.
8. The efficient teacher knows how to cut through red tape and does his/her job regardless of any outside circumstance that may interfere with student learning.
9. The efficient teacher is concerned with teaching and takes responsibility for the academic success of his or her students.

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