What characteristics are needed to become a teacher?

The fact that you're even asking the question makes me think that you are right for the job! Teachers need patience, understanding and should be willing to be wrong. I found this article that you may find helpful: http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/philosophy-of-teaching/nine-characteristics-of-a-great-teacher/. I think someone who asks the question if they are doing the right thing would make a wonderful teacher as I think a key ability of a teacher is to first be a great student. And students ask many questions!

I hope others weigh in. And I hope this helps!

What a wonderful question. Always wanted to be a teacher , got my degrees and certification, and loved every day of teaching and still miss it, since Ive retired. Just the fact that you feel a desire to be a teacher is a wonderful beginning. In order to be a good teacher, you have to have a passion for it, love the idea that you can make a difference n the world through the students you touch. It can be a bit overwhelming and scary but if you have the heart and love for it, you will always work om becoming better and better. You need to want to help children, not only with the curriculum, but to become the best person they can. You have to see each child as needing the same thing, your caring, patience, love, understanding and ability to teach. That means if you try one method of teaching a skill and it doesn't get through, you will try another way of teaching it to reach the children who need to learn a different way. Teaching was a job so much fun, so important, and so rewarding! I learned a lesson early in my teaching.... you have to work hard with the children, and then play hard. That means that you give the children a chance to be themselves, to relax and breathe, and that is the time that is fun,, but when they are supposed to be leaning, that is when they need to pay attention to learning. If they know you respect their need to let loose a bit and just enjoy being with them, they will learn to respond to your need to have them play serious when you are teaching curriculum. I taught kindergarten most of my years and even my children learned this. When you start the year, you need to not worry about teaching any important curriculum, but relate to the children, get to know them and have them know you, learn the rues of your classroom and what you expect rom them, and spend the first week of school essentially doing this... then teaching for you and learning for them will be much more productive. Try to spend a few moments with each child ever day. Thats easier in elementary school. What I did was when the children arrived, I had them write a journal of anything they wanted ... write, scribble, draw... whatever. And when they finished they had to read it to me. It was wonderful. Before the bell even rang,I had a few moments to spend with each child, have he/she tell me what they wrote, and I could ask them questions about what they wrote. I got to know them, and they felt liked I cared about them as a person. You won't learn everything in your education class, that is just a foundation, and then from your observation and experience each year,and from the children, you will become a better and better teacher. The ones that you remember as not caring are the ones that photocopied their lesson plans each year, not respecting the fact that each year brought different children with different needs who had to be taught perhaps at a different pace or in different order. Respect the children, love them, help them find peace and safety in your classroom, have them leave at the end of the year feeling a sense of accomplishment and achievement, Find a discipline plan that works for you, and lets the children know boundaries, but in no way makes them feel diminished. If you have any more questions, please ask. Teaching is such a passion for me cause there is nothing more important to our future than the education of our children. stimulating their creative thought and helping they believe they can reach any goal they work hard enough for. Good luck.

Any career you choose is something you have to take a chance at doing. You really never know how great you can be at something unless you take the "jump" to find out. If you have the desire to do something, take the "jump". It could be the greatest decision or not, but at least you will learn from it.

The fact that you are questioning whether or not you have the "qualifications" shows you do! You are showing you have patience, compassion and understanding in your statement alone. I think taking the time to really look at a career and debating if it is right for you is a great starting point. Look into different classes your school might offer to see if you can explore it even further. I was able to take a class (while in high school) where I was a teachers aide. I was able to see if I could actually be a teacher. It was there, where I decided I wanted to work more one on one instead of a group setting.

My advice to you is don't be afraid to look outside the box and see what is out there. Do additional research and see if this is really what you want to do. You never know, it could be what you are looking for, but it could lead you to something else. Good luck!