Being a positive role model for your students

As a teacher, you represent an important force in the lives of your pupils. You might well be the adult that they spend the most time with daily. This means you aren’t only in a position to teach a curriculum, you can also be a strong, positive role model for pupils as they develop into young adults.

We've been supporting teaching staff across the UK for more than 20 years and we pride ourselves on knowing how to spot the very best teachers and teaching assistants. Here are five ways we believe you can be a positive role model for your students:

Positive Attitude

Being able to demonstrate a positive outlook, even when everyday hurdles come up, is important for being a role model for your pupils. By positively responding to setbacks, you encourage your pupils to do the same; demonstrating that while things might not go the way that you had planned or hoped for, you can still make the situation a positive one.

That said, there will be some days where being positive isn't so easy. It's important to look after yourself and watch out for signs of teacher burnout.

Honesty

Trust is a hugely important part of personal and professional relationships, by being trustworthy and reliable with your class, you will help to impart those values to them. Try to stick to any agreements you make; if you say that you're going to reward good class behaviour, make sure to follow through on it. Empty promises can steer pupils toward being distrustful, whilst keeping to your word will do exactly the opposite by encouraging pupils' honesty and reliability!  

Be Genuine

Letting some of your personal passions show will encourage pupils to pursue their interests and unleash their creativity. Many children can feel very self-conscious about their interests and this can stifle their creativity. By letting even a small amount of your interests show through, you can encourage pupils to embrace their individuality and pursue their interests.

Show Respect

If you want your students to be respectful towards you, then you need to show them that same level of respect. It might be a cliché, but treat your pupils the way that you would want to be treated. If you are polite, show gratitude and are understanding, then you will encourage the children to behave in the same way.

Accept and admit when you’re wrong

There’s no shame in admitting that you’ve made a mistake. By seeing that even a teacher can be wrong and that you can openly admit to being wrong, your pupils will learn to accept and own up to their own mistakes. It will also encourage them to apologise and make amends rather than pretend that the mistake never happened. 

Find your next teaching job with Tradewind Education

Are you looking to take the next step forward in your teaching career? We pride ourselves on going the extra mile to find the very best match for our teachers, teaching assistants and schools. After all, we believe that for every teacher, there's a perfect role out there. And with offices spread across the UK, our local education recruiters will help you find a teaching role near you.

Browse our current secondary teaching jobs, and primary teaching roles, or see what teaching assistant vacancies match your preferences.