At least once in life, a teacher must have surely thought whether they are natural teachers or they have to develop the skills to be one. We have heard our colleagues commenting that some of us have the flair of teaching our chosen subjects and some, no matter how much ever they strive, are unable to teach. Who is a Natural Teacher? A Natural Teacher is someone who can teach a particular subject with such finesse that he or she is described as a teacher who is born with the skill to teach. I am at least a teacher who is definitely not a natural teacher but striving to be one.

The first thing that comes in the minds of the faculty about a quality of a natural teacher is that of his or her teaching style. A natural teacher will ensure that all the students are brought together so that efforts are undertaken to work in teams which will assist in the co-operation with others in classrooms which will then aid in their work life. We must also scan the pedagogy adopted irrespective of the subjects taught. This include the approaches, methodologies and techniques utilized in teaching.

A Natural Teacher will incorporate all sorts of activities that are creative in nature in the class schedule. Thinking communities are formed by the natural teacher. This means that the student community are not just taught their subject but also made to think, question, analyse and apply their minds. Whatever have been discussed till now are superficial things. Haven’t we, the teaching community thought about our own teachers? How many of them do we recollect? What has made them special in our hearts?

When I thought about the above questions I found some qualities that were similar to most of them. These qualities still make my heart call them as my loving teachers. The first one among them is the connect some teachers had with their students. It is really unbelievable and enviable. They command not only the attention but also the respect from the students. These teachers do not need any external faculty to draw the student’s attention or discipline for themselves.

The natural teachers, secondly, deal with warmth amongst the student community. This really means a lot. It means that the teachers make sure that they unconditionally accept their students. They listen to the needs of the class actively, make eye contact and smile with them. These physical attributes are the first attraction or you can say the first impression in the minds of students on any teacher.

Emotional aspect is as much important as the physical one. A natural teacher must have the ability to keep aside his or her petty feelings, be with their class and empathize with their feelings. Spiritual quotient is also an intriguing aspect. We are also aiding in the formation of the character of students. We must realize the leadership angle of a teacher as we facilitate the children to make them figure out the manner to work out whatever they want in life instead of spoon feeding them.

The Natural Teacher strives hard so that there is an equilibrium between the needs & wants of the majority and the needs and wants of the minority in the class. I don’t believe that a natural teacher is born biologically. A person has to toil really hard to be called as one. He or she has to do a SWOT Analysis of oneself and work towards the goal.

Nevertheless, most of the teacher community thinks that Teaching is an art rather than science. This skill can definitely be learnt and gradually fine tuned in time. Natural teachers might be an expert who commands the classroom but is also a partner in the learning of students. We can also observe the fact that some teachers are in a better position to convey an idea in a lucid manner with lots of excitement.

Teachers must create a road map wherein their students can tread their academic journey with a clear mission. These students are then placed in the driver’s seat wherein they go through their study references with utmost seriousness. They get the liberty to practice multiple times. Students are also given timely feedback from their natural teachers. The progress in student’s learning can be witnessed in the way the course is planned and the climate or the environment in which they learn.

Therefore, being a natural teacher takes a lot of time, numerous experimentation, mindful reflection and rigorous coaching. All teachers must strive to be teachers of students in good spirit instead of just teachers of course content. Secretly, don’t we want our students to fondly remember us as a super teacher?

Reference:- 1. The Chronicle of Higher Education (chronicle.com)

2. teachertomsblog.blogspot.com

Penned by – Livea Thekkekara Paul works as an English Lecturer at International School of Management Excellence, a leading private B-school in Bengaluru, India.