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What makes an effective teacher

Dubai - The survey respondents focused on the disposition of teachers

Education company Pearson has announced the results of a global teacher effectiveness survey conducted across 23 countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

The survey participants, which included students, teachers, parents, and school administrators, were asked, "what do you think are the most important qualities of an effective teacher?"

The survey respondents focused on the disposition of teachers, rather than teaching methods or how knowledgeable they were. The most common response in the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia was that it is the relationships between teachers and students that matter the most.

Across all participating countries, the ability of the teacher to develop trust and compassionate relationships with students was valued most. This is true regardless of the respondent's gender, public or private school affiliation, or whether he or she meant a primary or secondary teacher.

The next most valued quality was having patience and being a caring and kind person. Responses show that stakeholders most strongly value a teacher's ability to connect with students and the personality characteristics that facilitate those connections.

"The evidence is clear - the single most important determinant of a learner's school-based success is the effectiveness of their teacher. We therefore need to look at ways we can make teachers more effective, and this newly released research provides unique insights into what makes an effective educator," Sue Mainey, marketing director for Pearson in the Middle East, said. "We can start to build the findings of this research into policies and programmes in this region, ensuring that this survey has a meaningful impact on promoting outcomes for teachers, and learners".

reporters@khaleejtimes.com
Top 10 qualities of UAE teachers
> Ability to develop trust, productive relationships
> Subject, matter, knowledge
> Patient, caring, kind
> Teaching skills/pedagogical practices
> Professionalism
> Engaging students in learning
> Ability to make ideas and content clear
> Knowledge of learners
> Dedication to teaching
> Emphasis on developing students' non-cognitive skills