Pocket money - the ins and outs of what is best

“Deciding on when and how much pocket money to give your children is important when it comes to raising sensible, independent children who can understand the value of money.”  I am often asked about this as a Certified Financial Planner® and radio presenter.  Kirsty Scully, Core Wealth Managers, Cape Town

Pocket money is definitely one of the best tools to use to teach children the correlation between work and money.  For this reason, many parents see it as a ‘win-win’ situation when they are able to offer pocket money to their children in return for some chores around the house.  However, there are also parents of the opinion that children should be encouraged to do chores around the house without any form of pay back.  As a mom, I have found that it needs to be something in between the two, as I will explain later.

Why give pocket money?

Pocket money teaches children lots of things about money:

Earning power  -  I get paid for what I do

Spending power  -  Once I’ve spent it, it’s gone

Saving power  -  I have the power to save up for an item I wish to buy

Borrowing power   -  I can borrow, but it is tough to have to pay it back

When should I start to give pocket money?

Children as young as 5 or 6 can start to understand the value of money.  Personally, I wouldn’t start before then, as they are unlikely to have grasped the concept of needing money to buy things and of understanding that if all the money is spent now then there will be nothing left afterwards.

There are three main methods for paying pocket money:

1.        A reward system or a set amount

This is an ideal system for children under the age of 8.  They need to help with simple household tasks and then they receive the money regardless of whether they do the tasks or not.  This avoids it feeling like a ‘bribe’ that you are giving them.  Children under 8 can do tasks such as sorting the clothes washing into different colour piles, making their beds, simple cooking, and help with drying the dishes.  As they get older, these chores can include doing the dishes, sweeping, hanging out the washing, picking up the dog poop and making meals.  For young children, I would recommend that they receive their pocket money on a weekly basis.

2.        An income system

For older children, starting around 10 years of age, you can introduce a system where they are paid for doing additional jobs such as cleaning the swimming pool, clearing out the gutters before winter starts, babysitting or washing the car.  Doing jobs such as these will help children realise that the harder one works, the higher the pay is likely to be.  However, in addition it will teach them valuable tips such as how electricity works (when they change the light bulbs) and how to care for a garden (when they fertilize the flower beds).

As the child gets older, I would recommend that they move on to being paid their pocket money on a monthly basis.  This can be done at the end each month and will then teach them how to learn to ‘stretch’ money out over a month.

  

3.        An allowance system

This is the system which I recommend for older teenagers.  They continue to have responsibilities as discussed above; however, you pay them a higher basic pocket money amount which needs to then be used for payment of essential things such as clothes, transport and entertainment.  At this stage it gives them the opportunity to manage a budget, and ensure that their money ‘lasts the whole month’, whilst you are still providing for their basic needs of food, schooling and a home.  Watch how the realisation of ‘need’ versus ‘want’ comes to the fore!

The benefits of pocket money

Letting your child spend as he or she pleases is an important way for them to understand the concepts behind money and to develop a sense of responsibility and independence.  This said, it is definitely a very difficult thing for parents to do.  We know and understand the value of money and have a natural instinct to protect our children so that they have money left over, but we need to let them find that out for themselves.

It is easy to assume that all kids will just fritter their money away, but you may be surprised to find that your child is quite sensible about the power behind money; especially if they have seen you lead by example. 

Savings

Encourage your children from the beginning to start saving.  10% of their pocket money is a good percentage with which to start.  (This can also be 10% of birthday money or other gifts.) Allow them to set goals for themselves.  For young children it could be a small toy, for older ones a new cell phone.  Cut out a picture of the advertisement for the item and pin it in a prominent position, such as a mirror or cupboard door, for them to see on a regular basis.  Depending on their age and the amount which they need to save, use a piggy bank or a jar, or a savings account at the bank.

Giving

The chance to help others can make a child feel very good about themselves.  For children to know that they have sacrificed something such as their pocket money to help others in need can give them a sense of purpose in life and inner satisfaction.  Help them to choose a charity such as one which involves animals or other small children, alternatively to give when they attend church.

How much pocket money should I give my child?

This is the million dollar question, if you pardon the pun!  This decision is going to vary from family to family, but do realise that there will always be another child who is getting more than your child  -  or so you will be told by your teenager!  And always remember that how much you give is going to depend on what you are expecting your child to buy with this money.

I trust this information will make you feel a little ‘richer’ for having read it.

Written by: Kirsty Scully

What is visual perception and how does this influence my child?

This is the ability of the brain to interpret and process what the eyes see.

This is the building blocks that a child needs for reading, writing and maths.

Visual perception and vision may influence each other but kids with poor vision don’t necessarily have poor visual perception and vice versa.

Visual perceptual skills are divided into 7 sub sections:

• Discrimination
• Memory
• Foreground-background
• Form constancy
• Sequential memory
• Spatial relations and position in space
• Analysis and synthesis

What does it mean when my child has impaired visual perceptual skills?

When a child struggles with visual perceptual skills this means that the brain struggles to perceive and process what the eyes see.

Signs when a child has visual perceptual difficulties

Discrimination:

The ability to recognize the differences and similarities between objects/number/letters/pictures

• Struggles to find words/numbers that is the same
• Struggles to find a specific word/number in a paragraph
• Struggle to find the differences between 2 pictures
• Confuses word e.g. saw/was, one/on

Memory:

The skills to recognize previously seen objects/numbers/letters/pictures – especially detail

• Struggles to copy work from the black board
• Struggles to remember detail
• Struggles to learn how to read
• Struggles with reading comprehension

 Foreground-background:

The ability to recognize important/relevant letters/numbers/objects/pictures and disregard irrelevant/unimportant information – thus locating a single object/word/number within a complex background

• Will ‘steals’ words/letters from other sentences/words and add it to the word/sentence while they are busy reading. 
• Find it difficult to find specific words/numbers on a page
• Struggles to find a toy in a toy-box
• Struggles to find a specific shirt in his drawer

Form constancy:

The ability to recognize objects/numbers/letters/pictures when it’s presented in a different format/context thus mentally visualizing the manipulation of object e.g. reversed, up-side-down, different font/capital letter vs lower case letter

• Struggles to read different types of fonts/hand writing
• Struggle to copy writing from the black board
• Confuses letters with each another when different fonts of writing are used e.g. a/d; u/a; c/e.

 Sequential memory:

The ability to remember a series of objects/numbers/letters/pictures – very important for spelling 

• Struggles to copy words/sentences/numbers from the blackboard or from a text book
• Struggles with spelling
• Omit, add or transpose letters in words

Spatial relations and position in space

The ability to recognize the position of an object/letter/number in relations to itself/the environment/another letter/object/number.

This skills also has a big influence on how a child manipulates himself in his environment e.g. go stand in front of the fountain.

Knowing the difference between left/right influences spatial relations and vice versa.

• Confuse e.g. p/b/d
• Reverses words in a sentence
• Starts writing the middle of the page – not against the boarder
• Reverses syllables e.g. will read no/on

Analysis and synthesis (closure):

This is the ability to take parts of objects/numbers/letters/pictures and make a whole object/number/word/sentence/picture or knowing what an object is by when only seeing parts of it e.g. building puzzles; c-a-t makes the word cat.finds it difficult to read words that they have to spell

• confuses words/objects that are similar

 Activities that can improve visual perceptual skills

• Show the child a sequence of objects and let him copy it (3 dimensional and 2 dimensional)
• Build puzzles
• Show the child a shape/object and let him find others that are the
•  same – bigger/smaller/other colours are required
• Find the differences between 2 pictures
• Match objects/pictures
• Find an object amongst others e.g. ‘Where’s Wally’
•  ‘I spy with my little eye’ game
• Show the child a sequence of objects for 5 seconds then the child has to copy it
• (if a child is 4 years old he should be able to copy 4 item – process  until 7 items)
• Sort objects according to shape/colour
• Dot-to-dot games

If you suspect that your child is struggling with his visual perceptual skills, please make an appointment with an occupational therapist for an assessment.

References

http://www.ncld.org/types-learning-disabilities

http://www.nhsfife.org/nhs

https://sites.google.com/site/smallschoolot/information-for-parents/visual-perception

Written by: Carla Grobler

Development of the Child Checklist

The importance of understanding and “feeling” the basics in mathematics.

As a high school teacher focusing on grades 10 – 12, this article is motivated by my observation of too many senior learners making basic mistakes and thereby losing unnecessary marks. This lack of basic understanding unfortunately emanates from the lower grades and although it is not my intention to criticise primary and junior secondary maths teachers, I believe that this issue is important enough to warrant some serious discussion.

Primary school and grades 8 and 9 are where a solid foundation needs to be laid for mathematics. Given the abstract nature of the subject, it is essential that one does not teach too much too soon. Learners need to be given enough time to absorb and get a feel for mathematical concepts. 

For example, grade 4 and 5 CAPS states that learners should add and subtract fractions with the same denominators. It is only in grade 6 that you are meant to introduce different denominators, but not any denominators, one needs to be a multiple of the other. If you are a teacher who feels that this is too simple and goes beyond what is required, please be aware that this will very likely lead to problems later on. If learners are not mature enough to grasp the concept, they will end up following rote methods that have no meaning for them. This will then result in them losing confidence and therefore the guts it requires to succeed in mathematics. And because of the hierarchical nature of maths, gaps start to develop in that all important foundation.

When learners graduate to grade 10, the demands of the curriculum are such that there is little time for going back to plug gaps. They mostly stay gaps . . . and sadly often become bigger gaps!

I would like to mention three typical problems which have their roots in the lower grades.

1. Fractions, especially adding and subtracting them. Just mentioning the word “fraction” rattles a lot of learners and if they can’t add (a) imagine the problems they will have later  with something like (b)! As I mentioned earlier, if learners are not given enough time to absorb a concept, they resort to memorising methods which they do not understand.

2. Negative numbers, and in particular, adding and subtracting them. I have noticed that learners are quick to grab their calculators to find the answer to – 2 – 3. A senior learner should have no problem doing this in their head if they have a feel for the concept of negative numbers.

3. Solving equations. Learners get so tangled up in the methods that they completely lose sight of what they are busy with. I had a learner the other day who could not understand why x = 5 in the equation 1 = (c).

And another who did the following: (d) because the method he was taught is “take the 9 to the other side and change the sign”.

As teachers, our job is to motivate and inspire learners, especially when teaching mathematics. By laying a solid foundation in the early years, learners will have a much better chance of success with their mathematics . . . something we desperately need in this country!

Written by: Peter Prentice

You Can Do Maths

Money Tips to Teach Your Kids

Ask any three year old “Where does money come from?” and they are bound to say “Out of the machine in the wall.”  If only life was that simple!! 

The sooner we teach our children about the source of money and its spending capacity, the more likely it is that they will grow into financially responsible adults.

In order to educate your children about finances, you need to set a good example for them.  If you can’t save money, then how can your children be expected to save money?  Or if your children see you buying everything you desire in a shop, how can you expect them to spend any differently?  So start by setting the right example.

Involve your children in the household finances

Quite often, parents chose not to talk to their children about finances, but it is important that they learn from an early age.  They do not need to hear the finer details about what you earn, otherwise the whole school may get to know.  Do involve them in the cost of living and the cost of basic household items. Teach them an understanding for budgeting so that they can see how you spend your money. 

Children understand by what they see.  To try and illustrate how quickly money is spent, try drawing out all your earnings in cash.  Make up a pile of R100 notes.  Sit your child down and show them how one pile goes towards paying the bond, another towards food, another towards the telephone account etc.  They will then see how the pile diminishes very quickly.

Life is about the choices we make

Children need to learn from a young age that there is a big difference between ‘wants’ and ‘needs’.  A want is an ice cream, whereas a need is a healthy balanced meal.  A want is the latest designer clothes, a need is a school uniform.  It is OK to want, but you need to teach them that ‘wants’ are met only after ‘needs’ have been seen to.

Try and explain the advantages of buying the item and the disadvantages.  For example, instead of spending money on chips and chocolates, rather save it for a while and buy something lasting like a new bike helmet or a sleeping bag for a school trip  -  you can tell that I am the mother of a boy!

By teaching our children about choices, when they are older and wiser, they will be able to make informed decisions when purchasing bigger items such as a microwave or a gas braai.  It will give them the background to be able to decide between a new car and a used car.  They will have learned to do research and to avoid spur-of-the-moment decisions.

Work equals Reward

It is imperative that children learn that we as parents work hard for our money!  Money is a precious resource.  Success at school work can bring from you some monetary rewards if that is how you want to start this lesson in life.  Otherwise, repeatedly pointing out what you as parents own and are able to purchase because of your job  -  which is because of your education -  is an on-going additional resource. 

If you constantly just give money to your children as and when they ask for it, they will not learn how to earn money, and therefore, will not understand the real value of money.  Children need to understand that money doesn’t just pour out of the machine in the wall.  They need to realise that there is a direct relationship between the work that we do and how much money is available to spend.

Banking

Involve your child in opening a bank account for them.  I would suggest that you open a debit card account, and once your child is old enough, in most cases around 10 or 11, you can start paying their pocket money directly into the bank account. Encourage them to start using the debit card when purchasing items.  Link the electronic bank statements to their email address, and open a ‘file’ for them to save the statements.  Discuss the statements with them, showing them the debits (amounts they have spent) and the credits (the pocket money you have paid to them or any other money they have paid into the bank account).

Budgeting

Most children and teenagers will definitely have better things to do than drawing up a budget, but I really would encourage you to help your children with a budget.  Although it doesn’t need to be electronic, once children enter high school, they will probably feel very comfortable using an Excel spread sheet and this will certainly be of benefit to them, as it is quicker and easier for regular budgeting.

It is imperative that children understand that a budget is a saving and a spending plan, with the emphasis on saving.  The earlier children start budgeting, the less likely it is that they will end up in debt  -  more on that later.

With budgeting, at the outset, children need to learn two very important principles:

1.       Pay myself first (i.e. save at least 10% of your money)

2.       Tithe (i.e. invest at least 10% into your church or other charity of choice)

Saving is not optional. They must save on a monthly basis.  When it comes to saving money, a young child can be taught the concept of saving toward something, for example, saving towards a new computer game.  Over the years, as children learn this concept, they will then be able to fully grasp the need to start saving for their first car.

Saving should be based on a percentage of their pocket money, and I would suggest that it should be at least 10% of each pocket money payment.  A percentage works best as it can then also be used when they receive money for birthdays or at Christmas time.

Set a goal.  Identify what it is that they are saving for;  smaller items for younger children and bigger items such as an ipod or cellphone for older children.

http://www.corewealth.co.za/

Use your money cleverly!

Written by: Kirsty Scully

You can’t go on teaching like this!

Teachers:

• Are you standing in front of the class most of the times sharing your knowledge?
• Do you still think knowledge is power?
• Do you think the South African CAPS curriculum approach, material and textbooks are workable, good or even great?

Then the content of this is aimed at you, whether you believe it or not. Why?

Because you are teaching for the previous age or epoch. Your methods are outdated and you don’t use new approaches to teaching. Let’s hope in the meantime your manger or your manager’s manager does not find out they remunerate you for skills that reached it’s ‘sell by date’. 

Traditional teaching defines as teaching as ‘transferring knowledge’ to learners. This definition exceeded its ‘best before’ date because the realities of the future call for a fresh definition of learning.

We need innovative teaching approached to prepare college and school leavers who can study further and get exceptional jobs.

Some more questions:

• Is it because college and school leavers are prepared for mediocre traditional jobs that universities and broadminded employers are not impressed with the learning standards? 
• Is it because school managers live in the past that schools cannot prepare learners for the future? 

What happens currently?

Two issues are currently addressed to solve the problem.

First they review the curriculum. Despite reviewing the school curriculum three times in 20 years and putting learners through 12 years of schooling, school leavers are not prepared for society in general and for the workplace in particular.

The problem is not about the curriculum i.e. subject content, it is about teaching better.

Secondly, they focus on school management. This seems to bear fruit, but the education standards are still appalling.

Decision makers need to realize that teachers should become teachers for the conceptual age and subsequently start driving the process. This places a specific responsibility on institutions training teachers as this implies that they train teachers for the industrial/information age. Or where else do teachers obtain their current skills? 

What led to the end of the ‘shelf life’ of traditional teaching?

The world outside teaching moved from the agriculture age through the industrial age to the information age and now into the conceptual age. Teaching is still focused on empowering learners for the industrial and information age. 

How can I say this?

The information age is amongst other, recognized by education systems which aims to equip learners with knowledge. Teachers believe learning is about assimilation of information and subsequently tell learners: ‘Knowledge is power’. This age was steered by workplaces which remunerated workers according to what they knew and can do in a set environment.

Traditionalists teach workers to be bound to acquire pre-set insight and problem-solving skills needed for predicable and re-occurring workplace problems. This, while the world of work is ever changing.

In countries with good education systems, knowledge workers became readily available commodities. Countries with less good education systems still lack skilled workers. Where does South Africa fit into? What are our needs?

The conceptual age

This age call for workers who can add value to the workplace by seeking solutions for future challenges.

Such workers must have drill down inquiring minds, be strong on ideation, have strategic imaginations and skilled to continuously de-learn and re-learn concepts.

Their conceptualization of problems, challenges ideas and solutions should be swift and flexible to survive in a world where change is the only constant factor. 

The characteristics of teaching in the information age

When people design curricula they think in terms of information. They ask questions like: What information is most important for learners to know?

When teachers design lessons they think in terms of information. They ask questions like: What are the best ways to transmit that information to the learners? How can the content be simplified and digested best to make it understandable and learnable? This focus is limiting and distorting the purpose education. 

The system impairs people to become better thinkers and problem-solvers in new contexts. The system needs to move beyond the information-centric approach.

Reasons why institutions stick to old habits?

Teaching is still focused on empowering learners
for the industrial and information age.

Schools are deeply rooted in 19^th and 20^th century practices based on old-fashioned and outmoded industrial-oriented teaching approaches.

Transformation is hampered by pedagogical traditions, administrative stubbornness and academic politics.

These serious failure to evolve results in rejection anything new. Yes, they play it “safe”.

Another reason is probably pure conservatism by decision-makers who was promoted through the ranks having the view that nothing is wrong, so nothing need to be fixed.

The characteristics of teaching for the conceptual age

Educationists realized learning is not about transmission of information. They understand they cannot simply pour information into the heads of learners. Teachers teaching for the conceptual age understand learning is an active process where learners have to construct their own understandings of the world around them through active exploration, experimentation, discussions and reflection. In short: learners should not get ideas; they should devise them.

Employers expect workers to demonstrate ‘thinking skills’. Teachers who understand the concept of constructive learning see thinking skills as mental muscles which can be exercised to become fit. For them mental muscles refer to is the human capacity to think in conscious ways to achieve certain purposes. 

Thinking skills include abilities such as remembering, communication, questioning, creating new concepts, planning, reasoning, imagining, solving problems, making decisions and judgments, translating thoughts into words, etc.

The definitions of learning to take cognizance of

The inappropriate definition of a successful learner within the information age is a person who could swiftly understand what is being explained by a teacher or described in books. Then being able to apply the information, analyze it, then synthesize it and when needed evaluate it. (Bloom)

A successful learner within the conceptual age is a person who can employ the ‘knowledge’ as per Bloom’s taxonomy using mind tools to create fresh concepts which are fit for new contexts.

Instead of defining teaching as internalizing information/solutions/etc. from the external world, the conceptual age the definitions of learning for the conceptual age is: constructing internal concepts and providing them to the external world as solutions.

Learning is about concept creation, developing procedures, adaptive reasoning with the view to reposition from a disposition.

People’s thinking tools manifest in insight, alternative ways of solving problems, working with probabilities, new visions, creativity, inventiveness, ingenuity, originality and imagination.

Instead of being pattern sniffers, learners should be pattern creators. 

The nutshell solution (PLEASE NOTE: THERE IS MUCH MORE TO IT)

1.       As background look at the following YouTube clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U)

2.       Refrain from translating the curriculum into lessons i.e. simplify textbook content and offer it to learners. Rather develop challenging learning activities which enable them to derive to answers themselves.

3.       Do not ask a question to the class and move from one learner to the nest to get the correct answer (no learning will take place). Rather ask a question to an individual, follow the answer up with another learner and bounce it back to the first learner (learning will take place).

4.       Organize learners in discussion and work groups give them assignments (be in close proximity to guide – do not provide answers and solutions) and expect feedback. Use the feedback as platform for further deliberations.

5.       Let learners explain how they arrived at answers. Discuss their thinking not their answers. They will eventually arrive at the correct answer themselves.

Written by: Dr Cas Olivier

Bullying in Schools

Bullying in schools is sadly a common problem and there is no school who does not struggle with it on some level at some point.

Children need to understand that bullying is only a “pretty” word for abuse and the South African Laws are changing regarding rights of the abused.  Bullying comes in many forms and we see less physical bullying and more cyber and social bullying happening in our schools.  With children all having cellphones, and having access to all types of social media it has become a playground for bullies to say what they want, as they feel protected behind a screen, and feel they can say things they would not normally have the guts to say to someone’s face.

Social bullying, excluding someone from a group or targeting someone as a group, has also been a new trend. Children feel “stronger” as group, supporting each other. 

We need to first understand why bullies bully. The bully is someone who has VERY low self esteem but wears a mask to show the world he/she is untouchable. It is this insecurity which allows the bully to feel more powerful when a group supports him/her.  Anger and frustration about something happening at home, or being bullied themselves before, might also be the reason for now targeting others and feeling a false sense of power.  This feeling often fades within seconds, while the victim could be scarred for life.

The seriousness of bullying does not seem to be understood within some schools.  More children cut, and even consider suicide, than ever before due to feeling a sense of hopelessness, being a constant victim of bullies. 

How do we stop this vicious cycle? 

Bullies need to be challenged on a regular basis to find the source of their anger and why they want to victimise others.  A zero tolerance to bullying should be implemented at all schools and at home. Almost 50% of children complain to us that they are the victims of sibling bullying. 

With so many divorced parents and step-siblings having to share homes, there are often battles having to be fought at home and the frustration is carried to school, where they want to take their power back by victimising someone else. Children feeling their parent are not standing up for them against a step brother or sister develops anger and frustration, and so the cycle begins.

Liesl is a motivational and inspirational speaker and
also visit schools to show that we are not alone in this
world and we are all having a difficult time with this
thing called "life."

What can one do to stop bullying? 

Rule one is stand up for others.  Never watch someone being bullied without making an attempt to stop it.  Some day someone might have to stand up for you.

Bullying is a symptom and we need to treat the cause. The cause can be treated with more positive than negative input. By each person giving compliments instead of breaking someone down.  We live in a very negative world and only when we make an effort to change it with small steps will we see the problem of abuse filtering out.

To those who are being bullied. ALWAYS understand that the bullying is not about you. It is about the bully who has issues. Never take it personal.  It does not always take the pain away but the pain might be less as we tend to take things so personal. 

A very simple story I use in talks is the following.  A few days ago a huge pink pig started chasing me down the road and it traumatised me.  I decided never to deal with it, just pretend it never happened.  Yesterday I found myself telling a child in our school with a pink top she looks SO ugly and why would she even think she is beautiful wearing pink? Well the thing is, there is nothing wrong with the girl, or her pink top, I am the one who still has issues about pink and haven’t dealt with it.  Now I am trying to make it other people’s problem and I have just turned myself into a bully in the process.

Moral of the story, deal with your own stuff, focus on your own life and be the best you can be! If we all did that, this world would be a much better place.

Written by: Liesl Schoonraad

What makes a great teacher?

Teaching is hard work and some teachers never grow to be anything better than mediocre. They do the bare minimum required and very little more. The great teachers, however, work tirelessly to create a challenging, nurturing environment for their students. Great teaching seems to have less to do with our knowledge and skills than with our attitude toward our students, our subject, and our work. Although this list is certainly not all-inclusive, I have narrowed down the many characteristics of a great teacher to those I have found to be the most essential, regardless of the age of the learner:

1. A great teacher respects students. In a great teacher’s classroom, each person’s ideas and opinions are valued. Students feel safe to express their feelings and learn to respect and listen to others. This teacher creates a welcoming learning environment for all students.

2. A great teacher creates a sense of community and belonging in the classroom. The mutual respect in this teacher’s classroom provides a supportive, collaborative environment. In this small community, there are rules to follow and jobs to be done and each student is aware that he or she is an important, integral part of the group. A great teacher lets students know that they can depend not only on her, but also on the entire class.

3. A great teacher is warm, accessible, enthusiastic and caring. This person is approachable, not only to students, but to everyone on campus. This is the teacher to whom students know they can go with any problems or concerns or even to share a funny story. Great teachers possess good listening skills and take time out of their way-too-busy schedules for anyone who needs them. If this teacher is having a bad day, no one ever knows—the teacher leaves personal baggage outside the school doors.

4. A great teacher sets high expectations for all students. This teacher realizes that the expectations she has for her students greatly affect their achievement; she knows that students generally give to teachers as much or as little as is expected of them.

5. A great teacher has his own love of learning and inspires students with his passion for education and for the course material. He constantly renews himself as a professional on his quest to provide students with the highest quality of education possible. This teacher has no fear of learning new teaching strategies or incorporating new technologies into lessons, and always seems to be the one who is willing to share what he’s learned with colleagues.

6. A great teacher is a skilled leader. Different from administrative leaders, effective teachers focus on shared decision-making and teamwork, as well as on community building. This great teacher conveys this sense of leadership to students by providing opportunities for each of them to assume leadership roles.

7. A great teacher can “shift-gears” and is flexible when a lesson isn’t working. This teacher assesses his teaching throughout the lessons and finds new ways to present material to make sure that every student understands the key concepts.

8. A great teacher collaborates with colleagues on an ongoing basis. Rather than thinking of herself as weak because she asks for suggestions or help, this teacher views collaboration as a way to learn from a fellow professional. A great teacher uses constructive criticism and advice as an opportunity to grow as an educator.

9. A great teacher maintains professionalism in all areas—from personal appearance to organizational skills and preparedness for each day. Her communication skills are exemplary, whether she is speaking with an administrator, one of her students or a colleague. The respect that the great teacher receives because of her professional manner is obvious to those around her.

While teaching is a gift that comes quite naturally for some, others have to work overtime to achieve great teacher status. Yet the payoff is enormous — for both you and your students. Imagine students thinking of you when they remember that great teacher they had.

Written by: Maria Orlando, EdD

There are many other points than one could add, the main point to focus on is this:Are you a great teacher?