What Makes a Good Secondary School Teacher?

Categories: Education and Teacher Training, Undergradute

21/08/2020

Studying your PGCE to become a secondary school teacher is an exciting prospect at the University of Bolton. There's no better time to apply than now, as we are offering a 2020 master's bursary of up to £3,000 to support your studies. And our Employability Team will work with you upon graduation, and hopefully help you secure a job. But becoming a secondary school teacher isn't for everyone. Passion and drive are important if you want to inspire young minds. Here are some of the traits that every secondary school educator should have.

Excellent people skills

Secondary school teachers must have great communication skills in order to build trust with pupils. Empathy and compassion are vital when dealing with teenagers, so being able to understand others is an important trait to have.

In-depth knowledge

Not only should secondary school educators know their subject inside out, but they should have the desire for continued learning. Our PGCE course will give you the tools required to teach your specialist subject, and you will graduate with a nationally-recognised master's level qualification.

Ability to model

It's important for educators to be able to demonstrate how things work, and how things should be done. Teachers often learn how to teach more effectively by doing things themselves, so a hands-on approach is vital. Modelling is an invaluable skill, benefiting both teachers and their students.

Ability to demonstrate relevance

To engage students aged 14 and over, it's important to help them connect projects and skills with the real world. By relating what you're teaching in the classroom to something they can understand, you're much more likely to inspire and motivate them.

A good sense of humour

As well as having the right teaching methods in place, you'll also need to be relatable and likeable. It helps to have a sense of humour around teenagers and young adults, and being able to laugh with them is key to building positive associations in class.

Does this sound like the type of teaching career you could excel in? To find out more about how to become a secondary school teacher, visit the PGCE M in Education 14+ course page for details.

We provide a supportive and friendly learning environment for teachers in training, and will help you find suitable placements to put pedagogy theory into practice. Our course leaders will give you one-to-one mentorship, and will get to know you and your career goals. Come and join us at the University of Bolton, where students experience #UniAsItShouldBe.