strengths and weaknesses of a teacher essay

15 Strengths & Qualities of a Teacher & Examples of Weaknesses

• By HIGH5 Content & Review Team
• February 27, 2024
• Strengths in the workplace

There exists a plethora of strengths of a teacher. Teachers require a specific list of character traits and experiences to educate the future generation. So much depends on the teacher – they must be able to bring out the best in their students, day in and day out.

Positive learning experiences can only occur as a result of effective teaching. However, while some teachers are naturally talented at maintaining a positive relationship with their students, others struggle.

They may lack key skills, which becomes a detriment to all of the students they come across. However, even the biggest weakness a teacher has can be addressed, and teacher strengths could be fostered.

In this article, we will explore essential traits for school teachers and introduce how the HIGH5 strengths assessment can help educators discover their top personal strengths. Understanding these can empower teachers to harness their unique qualities to enhance their teaching effectiveness.

Pro Tip From HIGH5 Before applying new teaching strategies, consider taking the HIGH5 strengths assessment to identify your unique strengths. This understanding can guide you to tailor your teaching methods based on what naturally works best for you, enhancing your effectiveness in the classroom.

List of 15 Strengths & Qualities of a Good Teacher

Strong communication skills and interpersonal skills, active listening, collaborative, adaptability, engaging and exciting, real-world learning is prioritized, great teachers share their best practices, never stop learning, organizational abilities, passion for teaching, problem-solving, ability to simplify concepts.

What do you think?

Teachers must be able to communicate information effectively and engagingly to keep their student’s attention. The best way to understand your student’s needs is by speaking to them one-on-one .

Additionally, handling bad students requires consistent speaking to parents and outlining rules clearly. Both learning and teaching require strong communication.

Communication goes beyond simply talking. It continues once the teacher stops speaking and begins to listen. The classroom teacher must be able to quickly read students’ trait expressions.

They must listen to students about their concerns, fears, and struggles. This is key to developing confidence in the students. Listening also helps teachers better understand their students’ educational needs so that lessons can be tailored to the students.

In a school setting, you are never working alone. There is a teaching assistant, technology coordinator, paraprofessional, and so on who are there to support the teacher. These individuals must work together to best serve students.

You must be willing to learn from your colleagues and understand perspectives different from yours. If someone struggles, be collaborative and help that person out for the team’s and student’s sake.

They must listen to students about their concerns, fears, and struggles. This is key to developing confidence in the students. Listening also helps teachers better understand their student’s educational needs so that lessons can be tailored to the students.

You can engage students in a vast number of ways. Utilize humor, creativity in your lessons, and charisma when you are speaking. Public speaking skills can strongly contribute to your ability to engage individuals.

Depending on the classroom level and student’s age, engagement will look different. Usually, these teachers think outside the box and aren’t afraid to make their kids scratch their heads or burst out laughing.

You can never truly understand a student’s at-home life. Sometimes, they just need someone to talk to and understand that they cannot be perfect, especially during a time when they are struggling. Be observant and attentive to your student’s needs.

If their situation is especially dire, consider being more lenient and understanding. Recognizing that what is easy for one student may not be simple for others is one of the key aspects of teaching. Keep track of all your students, and help those who struggle.

Whether you are working with kindergarten kids or college students, teachers constantly have their patience tested. Classroom behavior may be abhorrent at times, or you may have to speak with individuals with a radically different value system.

You must have the patience to successfully address these issues and many others. Some teachers believe that even more patience is needed to speak with parents than with students.

Great teachers take engagement to the next level by incorporating real-world elements into the classroom. This is true for both the students and the teachers themselves.

Real-world experiences can help students experience new things and learn quickly. There is also a higher chance they will retain the knowledge. The practical benefit of learning becomes evident through real-world experience.

The best teachers are excited to teach others everything they know. They love sharing their secrets to success, knowledge, and major insights. Education involves experimenting with many teaching methods and communication styles.

Once you find which strategies work for you, share them with other teachers to benefit the students. Transparency and observance are both needed to succeed in this career path.

A love of learning unites all teachers, and the best educators enjoy learning inside and outside of their careers. It does not matter whether you are learning about your specific lecture topic, exploring new leadership or communication styles, experimenting with new technologies, seeking adventure in new ways, or simply talking to someone with a unique perspective.

You should never feel satisfied with how much you know. Openness to experience new things and explore new ideas can benefit you in the long run.

The organization consists of several tasks. For instance, you can sort your files, organize your desk, create a digital binder, and so on. Doing so will keep you productive as a teacher. It saves you time, which you can later spend with your students.

Plus, it eliminates some stress and frustration associated with not being able to find files. An organized classroom also benefits student productivity and keeps them on a consistent schedule.

This is especially necessary when dealing with young children. Superintendents and principals enjoy hiring individuals who truly care about students and the learning process.

Teachers spend hours at a time on their feet, which taxes them mentally and physically. With the intensity of this profession, one must truly be passionate to continue teaching each day.

You can be an amazing teacher, but even the best educators are met with problems during their careers. It could be dealing with unruly students or dropping school grades across your class. Being able to quickly solve problems creatively and effectively can make dealing with such issues less painful. It saves you time and energy.

Some notions are easy to comprehend. Others, however, are just extremely difficult to understand. Many individuals struggle with abstract ideas, but some students may not understand ideas that you may find ‘simple.’

Teachers should be willing to explain anything, no matter how challenging they perceive it to be. They should be able to describe these hard concepts with simple language that resonates with students.

Creative problem-solving and teaching methods benefit both students and teachers. Creativity can be very beneficial when trying to reduce stress levels and burnout rates. Sometimes, trying a new approach is exactly what is needed to reenergize you and revitalize your communication abilities.

What are the Qualities and Strengths of a Great Teacher

To maintain positive, consistent relationships with students, parents, and colleagues, teachers must have a unique skill set. Being able to communicate efficiently and effectively is one of the keys to teacher strength.

Teachers constantly communicate with parents and their students, so being able to engage others and share their opinions efficiently is crucial. Additionally, empathy is another key trait that teachers must maintain.

At times, students will go through periods of pain in their lives. Teachers should be willing to put themselves in their student’s shoes to best serve their educational needs. Sometimes, deadlines may need to be altered.

Empathy also results in a more tailored educational approach. Patience, adaptability, and organization all help a teacher succeed in their career. Patience can contribute to more positive teacher/student relationships.

It encourages educators to step back, listen to the student, and formulate a plan together instead of getting frustrated. Adaptability is a necessity for the modern teacher. Each year, new technologies are updated, and the curriculum changes.

Also, students’ needs and the teaching environment may change, which requires the teacher to adapt. The organization keeps teachers’ stress levels low and reduces burnout . Instead of figuring out paperwork, a good teacher is organized and focused on the students.

What are the Weaknesses of a Teacher?

As an educator, working on your weaknesses is especially important. Your ability to inspire students, communicate, stay organized, and so on all have a tangible impact on your students. Therefore, you should have a strong motivation to find your biggest weakness and tackle it head-on.

Every educator has their own teacher weakness. Some may be disorganized, while others struggle to connect with their students. Regardless, all of these weak points should be addressed as soon as possible so they do not negatively impact your career and the future generation.

Potential teacher weaknesses could be:

• Lack of experience in handling children.
• Poor communication, interpersonal, or public speaking skills.
• Difficulty comprehending complex student relationships and empathizing with others.
• Over-planning.
• Inability to adapt.

How to Identify and Improve the Strengths of a Teacher?

The first step in identifying your teaching strengths is to take the HIGH5 strengths test. This tool not only helps you pinpoint your top strengths but also provides insights into how these can be optimally utilized in educational settings, fostering personal and professional growth.

Pro Tip From HIGH5 Utilize the detailed personalized report from your HIGH5 strengths assessment to target areas for professional development. Focus on strengths that align with educational competencies and explore resources or training programs that can help you build on these areas.

The second great way to identify your strengths as a teacher is to look at the data. Whenever your students take a test, take note of the median score. Notice any patterns between how they score over time and whenever you change your teaching style, communication method, tone, or delegation style.

If one median score is significantly better than others, identify which strategy you used to garner that high score and consider it your strength. You can always ask your colleagues, students, or students’ parents directly for some feedback.

Simply ask the students to rate how engaged your lecture or lesson delivery is. Take note of any compliments you get after teaching, too. Of many students thank you for being understanding, consider empathy a strength. If you notice lots of kids complimenting you on your humor, you are likely engaging.

How to Improve Weaknesses Into Strengths of a Teacher?

Improving your weaknesses starts with first identifying them. As with strength identification, it is best to reach out to students directly and ask what they believe is lacking in your execution. Test scores can also indicate if your students are disengaged in a particular subject.

Once you figure out your weaknesses, make sure you have the right personal development mindset. Ensure you have a positive attitude to teaching and are truly energized by your work. Helping your students should always be your number one priority.

After that is established, you can begin experimenting with different strategies to overcome your weaknesses. These strategies will vary depending on the weakness you have. If you need help, try asking more experienced colleagues for advice.

They have likely had to deal with a similar struggle at some point in their career. In general, keep in mind that there is usually no harm in trying out a new approach to teaching. Just keep track of how long each strategy works. When one produces results you are thrilled with, stick with it and consider your weakness addressed.

How to Highlight the Strengths of a Teacher in a Resume?

After identifying your key teaching strengths through the HIGH5 strengths test , strategically showcase these on your resume. Highlight how each strength has been effectively applied in your teaching practice to demonstrate your unique capabilities to prospective employers. Doing so will make you a more appealing candidate to recruiters. To do this, start by creating a skills section. The section is solely dedicated to highlighting your abilities as a teacher.

Pro Tip From HIGH5 Incorporate specific examples of how your strengths identified through the HIGH5 test have led to positive outcomes in your teaching. This approach not only personalizes your resume but also provides tangible evidence of your effectiveness as an educator.

Use bullet points to make the list more visually appealing and manageable. Be sure to do more than just list your skills. You should also provide examples of how you utilized your abilities to benefit your students.

For instance, consider listing the impact testing a new communication strategy had on your relationship with kids. You could tell a story of kids being inspired by your teaching or engaged with your humor. Potentially, you could discuss how being up to date with the newest technology helped your students achieve high test scores.

FAQ About the Strengths of a Teacher

What are the strengths of a teacher assistant.

A teaching assistant has a similar strength profile to a school teacher. Being organized, empathetic, comfortable with adapting quickly, creative, a problem solver, good at building relationships, maintaining strong communication skills, having passion and energy, being a team-oriented person, being able to manage behavior, and having strong numeracy as well as literacy skills will benefit the teaching assistant in their career.

What Skills Does a Dance Teacher Need?

Dance teachers have a few strengths that differentiate them from other types of educators. Individuals must be professional, dedicated, flexible, understanding, patient, passionate, experienced in the art of dance, sensitive, have a good reputation, up, lifting, and technically skilled to be an elite dance teacher.

What are the Strengths of a Preschool Teacher?

Wince preschool teachers will work with extremely young children, the job requires a fairly unique strength profile. Such strengths include compassion, patience, flexibility, creativity, humor, understanding/empathy, dedication, open-mindedness, enthusiasm for children, and organization.

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Teaching Performance: Strengths and Weaknesses Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Making subject matter comprehensible to students, assessing student learning, engaging and supporting students in learning, planning instruction and designing learning experiences for students, creating and maintaining an effective environment for students’ learning, developing as a professional educator, works cited.

It is important for beginning teachers to focus on the Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs) associated with six specific Domains because these TPEs can be discussed as criteria and measurements of developing professional skills and knowledge. In this context, it is significant to conduct the self-assessment of personal success in achieving the TPEs and to analyze the results in order to formulate specific goals for further professional growth and progress.

Having assessed acquired pedagogical skills in providing instruction related to the specific subject matter, I have found that I am good at demonstrating the knowledge of the subject matter because I carefully work on all topics. Furthermore, I have rather developed skills in using the appropriate materials in order to make the subject matter and instruction accessible and understandable.

Thus, I can propose effective instructions to students while utilizing suitable instructional strategies. I focus on developing my skills in teaching students with disabilities because of the necessity to provide effective directives and activities to them. However, I am not sure about my successes regarding the organization of the curriculum depending on the needs of the class because it is one of the most important tasks of a proficient teacher (Churchill, Mulholland, and Capello 22).

Goal: To demonstrate success in organizing the curriculum after planning and conducting at least two lessons that are focused on the interrelation of ideas and topics within certain subject matter areas.

Monitoring, assessment, and interpretation of students’ results in learning are extremely important procedures. However, in spite of the fact that I demonstrate developed skills in following the principle of confidentiality, formulating and communicating learning goals, and selecting different types of tests for students with disabilities, I am not sure regarding the development of my skills in using multiple sources of information for the continuous monitoring of students’ learning.

I work to develop my skills in understanding all the measurement principles and using multiple sources of information for formulating instructions for a certain group of students, but I cannot state that I act as a professional in the field. At the current stage, I work to involve students in the process of assessing their learning and to refer to all the information in order to decide on the effectiveness of assessments and instructions.

Goal: To provide an effective assessment of students’ progress in learning while collecting the extensive database of different assessment tools.

I am oriented to supporting students in their learning activities, that is why I demonstrate developed skills in connecting students’ prior knowledge and experience with the topics and specific class activities and instructions. Furthermore, I choose to promote reflective learning that is important for students to analyze their strengths and weaknesses (Lemov and Atkins 54). I also try to address the diverse needs of students coming from different backgrounds and English learners who often experience difficulties in understanding the material. I also support the opinion regarding the necessity of promoting critical thinking and problem-solving skills in students in spite of the fact that there are situations when the process of developing instructions is rather challenging.

Goal: To improve the choice of instructional strategies while increasing the use of various strategies, multiple tools to explain the material, and approaches to address the needs of the diverse group of students by 50%.

Planning is one of the most challenging areas in teaching because this stage determines the success of further ones. The self-assessment demonstrates rather low scores in the Domain because I try to avoid designing plans independently, refer to resources in order to evaluate the effectiveness of plans and instruction and refer to the assistance and consultation of experts in the field. That is why, I have difficulties in working with core standards and in evaluating the approaches to instruction, evaluating the whole effectiveness of instruction, and its appropriateness to address the specific IEP objectives.

In spite of the fact that I try to use equipment and technology for planning and formulating goals efficiently, there are problems with managing the time necessary for completing the activities because I need to research the appropriateness of the plan for the set goals. However, I have developed strong skills in creating comfortable learning environments for students with diverse needs and in modifying the prepared plans to adjust them to the specific needs of students.

Goal: To improve skills in formulating effective goals for learning and in designing appropriate plans while preparing at least one approved plan for the student.

I assess my abilities in creating an effective environment for students as good because I not only provide the appropriate physical environments but also work to motivate students and give feedback to support their activities and encourage them in learning. Furthermore, I manage the learning environment while avoiding conflicts and promoting respect for different cultures and religions in students.

In addition, I understand the importance of addressing the students’ diverse and special needs and provide them with the necessary social support. As a result, I can describe the learning environment in the classroom as safe. Still, I am only learning how to make transitions between activities meaningful and interesting, and I have the limited experience in designing behavior plans. I understand the importance of monitoring the students’ behavior and plan to work in this area.

Goal: To demonstrate efficiency in addressing students’ differences in behaviors and characters while designing two behavior plans appropriate to work with students.

Having assessed my successes in developing as a professional educator, I should state that my strengths are in focusing on criticism, reflection, and continuous work with supervisors. I pay much attention to setting effective goals for further professional growth in order to achieve higher results as a professional. However, although I effectively work with other paraprofessionals and students with disabilities, I need to change my approach to working with parents in order to improve collaboration. In addition, I need to focus more on researching and applying the approaches to addressing legal and ethical issues within the learning environment to practice.

Goal: To demonstrate the understanding of ethical and legal issues in the area while developing the plan for the promotion of principles of tolerance and mutual respect in the classroom.

The results of the self-assessment are important to present what strengths are characteristic for the person and what skills and areas of knowledge need to be developed.

Churchill, Lisa, Rita Mulholland, and Michelle Cepello. A Practical Guide for Special Education Professionals. New York: Pearson/Merrill/Prentice Hall, 2008. Print.

Lemov, Doug, and Norman Atkins. Teach Like a Champion: 49 Techniques that Put Students on the Path to College . New York: Jossey-Bass, 2010. Print.

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Bibliography

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The Most Important Qualities That Make a Good Teacher

July 30, 2023

Teachers significantly impact the lives of their learners. They challenge their students to confidently think outside the box and counter new challenges. 

A good teacher will also support their learners when they take in new challenges and fail. They build their confidence to try again, inspire creativity, and encourage exploration and competition. 

Teaching is not a job but a calling. It is, therefore, crucial to acquire and perfect the required skills to efficiently inspire and grow students in their classrooms. 

Good teachers model behaviors of patience, empathy, communication, and understanding. Qualities that they can help grow in their learners. 

In this article, we discuss ten qualities of good teachers that should serve as motivation if you hope to impact the lives of your learners positively. 

The Value of a Teacher’s Role

A teacher’s role is essential not only in the education system but also later on in the lives of their students. 

You can make a difference in your student’s life by influencing everything, from educational goals to after-school success. 

Good teachers help their students reach more success, understand themselves better, and make well-thought decisions that will help them make the right choices to propel them to greater heights in life. 

To be good at your job as a teacher, you must love it. Passion is infectious; your students will feel passionate about the subject if you are passionate about it. 

Also, you can cultivate self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-worth in your learners in your daily interactions. 

Your interactions with your students also guide them into laying the foundation for meaningful relationships, understanding their feelings, and navigating challenging situations. 

10 Qualities of a Good Teacher

Outstanding teachers have certain qualities that make them rise above the rest of their student’s lives. Such teachers have a way of remaining in our memories no matter how far removed from our school years. 

Studies from the Economic Policy Institute show that good teachers contribute more to student achievement than learning facilities and school leadership. 

Here are our top ten qualities that make a good teacher:

1. Great communicators

When you possess excellent communication skills, you will know how to teach your subject in a learner-friendly and engaging way. 

This will, in turn, improve their understanding and achievement as it will bring you closer to them and help them present any concerns they may have regarding any learned content. 

For instance, a finance class will be easier to understand if the teacher uses everyday examples with which the students are familiar. 

2. Experts in their field

Your students will be motivated to learn if you are an expert in your field. If you love your teaching area, you will show that expertise in the classroom. 

Once you have mastered the content in your subject area, you can use different angles to explain the subject matter; hence be very resourceful when teaching. 

For instance, a math teacher can use the rows and columns in the class to enhance understanding of matrices. 

3. Collaboration

Collaboration in teaching creates a growth-based learning environment that increases student learning processes.

You should work closely with other teachers and your students if you aim for great results. 

Collaborating with other teachers helps you learn from each other, allowing you to brainstorm new ideas. This is significant in improving learner outcomes. 

A good teacher is also interested in learning from parents about their students. This equips you with an understanding of how to help your students better.

Empathy is how you understand your learner’s emotional, social, and intellectual situations. A good teacher can respond empathetically to a learner’s admirable and ugly emotions without losing focus on student learning. 

For instance, if your best student failed a test. Your first instinct might be to reprimand them and for an explanation for their poor performance. On the other hand, consider putting yourself in their situation, imagine how they are feeling, and empathize with them. 

Seek to understand how they feel about the dismal performance, what they think they did wrong, and then suggest ways to improve the result. Assure them that they have a chance to turn things around. 

When your learners feel physically, mentally, and emotionally safe, they will engage better in your subject as they feel loved and understood. 

You can grow your empathetic touch by reading books on such, taking courses on empathy, and attending seminars that build on this. 

5. Loving challenges

A great teacher loves challenges. A classroom environment is full of varied challenges; therefore, embracing them is a sure way to manage them. 

Once you love your challenges, you will teach your learners more effectively. This is because a teacher who loves challenges will grow to challenge students. Students love challenges, provided they are presented in a kind spirit. 

You can draw your students to love challenges by asking thought-provoking questions that get learners to think about sequencing and predictions. 

Challenging them will push them to work harder, improve, and achieve beyond their imagination. 

6. Creativity

Although not all subject areas promote creativity, they can all be taught creatively. 

For instance, a biology teacher teaching about different kinds of plants would take students to the natural habitat to exploit the topic practically. Also, a literature teacher would more creatively use film to enhance the mental correlation of a play the learners are reading as a literary text. 

A science teacher would use real solutions more creatively when teaching learners to test for bases and acids. Learners always appreciate the extra mile. 

When you creatively motivate your learners, they are motivated to do this in education and their lives after school. 

7. Constant growth 

Teachers need a growth mindset that prepares them for the classroom environment. Continuous learning will equip you with invaluable knowledge to progressively inspire your students. The growth mindset is essential because it will enable you to collaborate with your learners with the understanding that they can learn it to a higher level. 

A view that continuous growth is essential will create a love of learning and resilience in just one area. It empowers your learners to believe they can develop their abilities with brains and talents as starting points. 

The need for growth will motivate you to focus on creativity and intelligence, the two factors that result in success in both your academic and professional lives. 

8. Patience

When managing learners, your patience is constantly tested. You will also deal with learners, parents, and colleagues with differing perspectives, backgrounds, and characters. This requires patience. 

For instance, with your learners and their parents, you must be patient in repeatedly dealing with the same questions and issues.

Also, some of your learners will have difficulties understanding various concepts; it’s essential that you keep going but should continuously try out new ways of helping them succeed. 

9. Adaptability

Your environment as a teacher is constantly evolving. This demands that you continually adapt to the constant changes and adjust your teaching methods to suit the age and intellect of your learners. 

Also, with the continuously changing educational frameworks, being able to adopt those changes makes you a good teacher. 

Adaptability is also one of the essential skills that you will require if you are educating learners of varying grade levels or those with different learning styles. 

10. Respect

Many educators imply respect, but few understand how to use it in the classroom. 

As a good teacher, you must be mindful of any imbalance in respect and ensure that your students feel respected and heard. 

In stories from American Teacher Week , Maggie remembers her seventh-grade language teacher for the respect she fostered and reflected on her students. The feeling that her teacher valued and respected each of them taught her a valuable lesson about the significance of fostering the respect you demand.

Desired Classroom Skills

Besides the teaching and communication skills you should possess as a good teacher, excellent class management skills are critical.  

Some of the desired class management skills include:

• Setting high but achievable expectations for your students – You can do this by teaching them about growth mindsets. They should believe that success is within their control. Reinforce in them daily that they can succeed if they put in the effort. 
• Good planning skills – With good planning skills, you will help students identify their goals and guide them in deciding what their priority is. Teach them how to plan their learning by breaking their tasks into steps to make them more manageable. Teaching learners how to plan will also eliminate uncertainty in the mind, which in most learners results in procrastination. 
• Creating a sense of community- A sense of community will create a social connection and a sense of belonging among your learners. You can establish this community within your students by consistently holding class meetings every morning to focus on building social and emotional skills and establishing relationships among them. 

Common Weaknesses of Teachers

Teachers, even the most experienced, are helpful with some weaknesses. Every teacher would like to see themselves as being perfect, but admitting that we are all flawed in different ways is the first step to becoming better teachers tomorrow. 

Here are some common weaknesses in teachers: 

Perfectionism

Making mistakes is a normal part of human life. Perfectionism is a fear-based pattern whose short-term rewards are getting the job done and exceeding expectations. Its long-term effects, however, include burnout, compromised quality of work, and missed deadlines. 

Being afraid to make mistakes primes us for burnout and overwhelms us with fear, factors that distort our functioning as teachers. 

Dealing with others as a perfectionist is challenging since you will always want them to do things your way, allowing little room for the ideas and imperfections of others. 

Perfectionism also prevents you from taking constructive criticism from colleagues who may want to share relevant observations on your interaction. 

Though no one is perfect, some teachers seem to have it together, and this may be the basis for our comparison. Comparison can hinder your success as a teacher if you are constantly comparing yourself with colleagues you view as perfect. 

Learning helpful hints and new ideas from teachers with the strengths we would like to possess would help you overcome comparison.

For instance, if a colleague is better at relating with learners and they look up to her more for guidance, instead of getting all jealous and bitter at her, seek to know what she does differently to get the students to open up to her. 

Spontaneous

If you are a spontaneous teacher, you act without planning but will rely on previous experience teaching diverse classes and using different approaches to teaching. 

Spontaneity in learning is not all bad, as it helps adjust the power imbalances in a typical classroom. Spontaneous teaching, however, can have some adverse effects on learning. This can result in a lack of structure to your lesson and poor lesson organization. It may also limit your degree of learner assessment of learner progress and achievement. 

To avoid the adverse effects of spontaneity, find a balance between flexibility and structure in the lesson. Consider the individual learner’s needs and learning abilities when deciding on the instructional method. 

Becoming a Good Teacher

A chosen path can guide you into becoming a better teacher. Many specialties are available, so knowing what grade you want to teach and what subject area you are passionate about is essential. 

Here are some steps to take toward becoming a good teacher. 

Bachelor’s Degree 

A bachelor’s degree is crucial to becoming a good teacher. Though most states will require a bachelor’s degree in education, alternative routes to licensure are also available. 

 It will allow you to learn essential skills that will help you become a better teacher. Such include:

• Cognitive skills : A degree program grows your ability to recall, integrate, and analyze information. You will be able to foster critical and creative thinking skills that guide fluency, originality, flexibility, and adaptability in developing and adjusting to learner programs. 
• Communication skills: Acquiring communication skills enables you to interact and collaborate effectively with your learners in delivering and assessing knowledge acquisition. Efficient communication is necessary when also engaging with students’ families and colleagues. 
• Research skills: The skills to initiate and complete data collection concerning learner performance and curricula are essential in effective instruction. A bachelor’s degree program will guide you into effectively demonstrating, considering consequences, information presentation, and record keeping. 
• Social skills: A good teacher is sensitive to ethical and integral processes of establishing functional relationships with all the school community members. The program will develop compassion, empathy, interpersonal skills, and internal motivation, skills you will require to impact your learners and effectively relate with your colleagues positively. 

Here is a list of some bachelor’s degrees that would guide you into initial certification as a teacher:

• Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education
• Bachelor of Special Ed. and Elementary Education
• Bachelor of Special Education (mild to moderate)
• Bachelor of Science in Mathematics Education (middle grades)
• Bachelor of Science in Science Education (Secondary Biological Science)
• Bachelor of Arts in Music Education
• Bachelor of Science in STEM Education

Master’s Degree

Besides attaining a bachelor’s degree, aspiring teachers should also think about acquiring a master’s degree. A master’s degree will upgrade your knowledge and help you learn more about your subject area. You will also acquire more effective ways of curriculum instruction. 

Teaching Certification

To get hired after completing your degree program, getting certified to teach in the state where you are interested in teaching is essential. 

Getting certified gives you credibility as a teacher and is one of the states’ quality measures for hiring teachers. 

Most states will therefore require teachers to have certificates to teach. 

Teachers are crucial in changing lives, inspiring dreams, and pushing individuals to realize their potential. Teachers educate the next generation, promoting positive attitudes that shape society. 

Middle School Teacher Salary in Texas in 2023

July 30, 2023 by bryan

Texas Teachers Certification Areas

Texas teachers currently offers 50+ certification areas:.

• Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources 6–12 (272)
• American Sign Language (ASL) (184)
• Art EC–12 (178)
• Bilingual Education Supplemental (164)
• Bilingual Target Language Proficiency Test (BTLPT) Spanish (190)
• Business and Finance 6–12 (276)
• Chemistry 7–12 (240)
• Computer Science 8–12 (241)
• Core Subjects EC-6 (291)
• Core Subjects 4–8 (211)
• Dance 6–12 (279)
• English as a Second Language Supplemental (154)
• English Language Arts and Reading 4–8 (117)
• English Language Arts and Reading 7–12 (231)
• English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113)
• Family and Consumer Sciences EC-12 (200)
• Health EC–12 (157)
• Health Science 6–12 (273)
• History 7–12 (233)
• Journalism 7–12 (256)
• Languages Other Than English (LOTE) Arabic EC–12 (600 & 605)
• Languages Other Than English (LOTE) French EC–12 (610)
• Languages Other Than English (LOTE) German EC–12 (611)
• Languages Other Than English (LOTE) Latin EC–12 (612)
• Languages Other Than English (LOTE) Japanese EC–12 (602 & 607)
• Languages Other Than English (LOTE) Mandarin Chinese EC–12 (601 & 606)
• Languages Other Than English (LOTE) Russian EC–12 (603 & 608)
• Languages Other Than English (LOTE) Spanish EC–12 (613)
• Languages Other Than English (LOTE) Vietnamese EC–12 (604 & 609)
• Life Science 7–12 (238)
• Marketing 6–12 (275)
• Mathematics 4–8 (115)
• Mathematics 7–12 (235)
• Mathematics/Physical Science/Engineering 6–12 (274)
• Mathematics/Science 4–8 (114)
• Music EC–12 (177)
• Physical Education EC–12 (158)
• Physical Science 6–12 (237)
• Physics/Mathematics 7–12 (243)
• Science 4–8 (116)
• Science 7–12 (236)
• Social Studies 4–8 (118)
• Social Studies 7–12 (232)
• Special Education EC–12 (161)
• Speech 7–12 (129)
• Technology Applications EC–12 (242)
• Technology Education 6–12 (171)
• Texas Assessment of Sign Communication–American Sign Language™ (TASC–ASL™) (073)
• Theatre EC–12 (180)
• Trade and Industrial (T&I)

• InterviewPenguin.com – Your best job interview coach since 2011

Teacher job interview – What are you strengths and weaknesses?

Teaching belongs to the most popular careers around the world . No doubt about the impact you can have as a teacher . Spending long hours with your students, you can easily become their role model , or perhaps their first platonic love… What’s more, giving them some food for thought, and asking the right questions in your lessons, you can help them to form a healthy opinion of the world, and of their position in it. And of course you can teach them to read, write, speak a foreign language –all these skills are vital for their success in life.

Before it can happen, however, you have to get the job in an interview . And one of the most common questions the school principal (or a head department, or a small hiring committee) will ask you is the dreaded one: What are your strengths and weaknesses as a teacher? They may also split it to two questions, first inquiring about your strong points, and just then about your weak points. But it really doesn’t matter whether it’s one question or two. You will have to talk about both. You may also face this issue before your job interview, when writing your essay (on why you want to teach for example), or when working on your resume .

Let’s have a look at 7 sample answers to the question. Below the answers you will find some additional hints and explanations that should help you pick the very best answer for your teaching job interview & resume.

7 sample answers to: “What are you strengths and weaknesses as a teacher?” interview question

• The passion for my profession is undoubtedly my greatest strengths. I believe it reflects in each lesson , in each talk I have with the students. They can feel that I really want the best for them, and try my best in each lesson, which of course motivates them to also try hard , or at least to stay disciplined. And to be honest, the same attitude–or to say it more precisely, the consequences of such an attitude to teaching , is also my biggest weakness. Because I care so much that I struggle to maintain professional distance . I often take the problems from classroom home, and cannot get them out of my head. This is definitely a problem I am aware of, and try to eliminate.
• My communication skills , and understanding for the emotional world of children –especially at elementary level, is my strong point as a teacher. I do not find it hard to gain trust of the students, because I understand how they feel in different situations and can choose the right words in my lessons. My biggest weakness is definitely lack of experience . I taught as a part of my studies, but that was only six months and always in the same classes–students were not disruptive at all in these classes. I am aware that I lack experience with some tricky situations . And they will happen, sooner or later. I will have to adapt , and hopefully I can learn from my more experienced colleagues how to deal with the tricky situation in the classroom.
• In my view, nothing can beat the twenty years of teaching experience . That’s my greatest strength. I’ve seen it all–good students, bad students, violence in school, chicane, but also strong friendships and students who excelled on a national level in various competitions. I’ve tried both conventional and unorthodox teaching methods. My experience is vast, and hardly anything can catch me off guard in the classes… During these long years I also understood my weaknesses, and eventually got rid of some. But there is still something I’d like to improve on. Sometimes I talk too much in the lessons , and do not involve the students as much as I’d like to. That’s not the way to help them improve on their communication and interpersonal skills, something we have to work on in the 21st century.

* Do not forget to check also : Why do you want to become a teacher? 7 sample answers.

• To be honest, I cannot tell. This is my first job application . I’ve never taught anywhere before, and though I have some expectations and good understanding of the job, I cannot really tell how I’d do in a real classroom setting . I believe that I have to do the job first, at least for a few weeks, to understand in which areas of teaching I excel, and which areas I have to improve on. Certainly I won’t excel in everything and it’s a process –one does not become an excellent teacher by earning their degree. We need practice, and a desire to constantly improve on our skills… (this one will work great on an essay for a fresher, trying to get their first teaching job)
• I’d say that my greatest strength is an ability to build respect in the eyes of the students . I know that your school faces a lot of problems with discipline, that it is your biggest challenge. Under my leadership, however, even the most disruptive students eventually started to behave , or at least they did not disturb other students anymore. As it often happens, however, this strength sometimes turns into a weakness … Because I like to have strong rules of discipline in classes, not tolerating any misbehavior. This is good in some cases, but in some classes it can “scare” some students , and eventually they will not express their opinion, or feedback on my teaching, for example when they do not understand something. So it’s about finding the right balance, something I still struggle to do effectively, lesson after lesson.
• If I should point out one thing, I will go with creativity . Students definitely won’t get bored in my lessons. I do not stick to lecturing, at least not all the time. Learning by playing, using interactive technology in the classes, changing roles of teacher and students–are just some of the teaching methods I use. So far the feedback has been great. The children pay attention in the classes , because they enjoy them.  My biggest weakness is probably being impatient . I am sometimes concerned about staying on schedule with the lessons , and progress to quickly for the students. I definitely have to work on this, asking for their feedback, avoid rushing things.
• As we speak about University teaching here, my greatest strength is definitely my expertise with the subjects I teach . I’ve published dozens of research papers, and continuously work on keeping my knowledge up to date. If the students really want to learn something from the subject, to rise above the rest of university students, I am the right person to lead the lessons . On the other hand, and that’s my biggest weakness as a teacher , I sometimes overestimate the abilities of my students . Sometimes my lectures are just difficult, at least for the majority of the people in the audience. Not sure how you look at such an issue, but I try to find a good balance between teaching something extra, and at the same time ensuring that students are getting it.

Your biggest strength can be your greatest weakness, or a reason for it

You do not necessarily have to look for opposites in your interview answer, some yin and yang . What makes you an excellent teacher in general, can make your life difficult sometimes.  For example your passion and commitment to your teaching mission (definitely a strength) can make you feeling miserable, when you do not achieve the desired results with your students. See sample answer no. 1 as an example.

Or you have an ability to maintain discipline in the classes –perhaps with an iron fist, which is indeed needed in some instances, when students won’t obey you otherwise. In some school settings this can be the most important strength. However, it can turn against you. Afraid of your reaction, students may struggle to express their opinion on your teaching, and you lack feedback. Check answer no. 5 as a good example.

* Read also 7 sample answers to other tricky teacher interview question: Where do you see yourself in 5 years as a teacher?

Lack of experience or vast experience –  your safe bet when you aren’t sure, and a great choice for your resume

Just like with everything else in life , experience helps. If you have ten or twenty years of teaching experience under your belt, you can definitely point it out as your greatest strength. It is a safe bet when you aren’t sure, and you can elaborate on it, explaining how the experience helps you in the classes. See sample answer no. 3 as a great example.

You can also turn this around, and, when you are just starting out your teaching journey , say that lack of experience (and everything it means for you in the lessons) is your biggest weakness . Or you can add another twist, saying that due to the lack of real teaching experience, you cannot really point out your strengths and weaknesses as a teacher. This works especially well once you are just starting your career , writing essays and preparing your resume. On your resume you typically cannot afford to write litanies about your weaknesses. The space is limited and doesn’t allow for elaborate thoughts . Hence simply writing “lack of experience” in the column for weaknesses is a great choice. Of course once they invite you for an interview you should always elaborate on it, just as you can see on my list of sample answers.

Show your desire to improve on your weaknesses

Perfect teachers do not exist, and each of us has some weaknesses. It is completely fine for the hiring committee, and they won’t send you hope empty-handed just because you reveal some significant weakness.

What matters for them is your attitude . As long as you can admit having a weakness , and show an honest desire to improve on it (perhaps even describing how you want to do it), they will be satisfied with your answer, and your weakness certainly won’t be a showstopper…

Ready to answer this one? Great. But it won’t be the only difficult question you will face in your teaching interview … If you want to get ready for every challenge you may face, impress the hiring committee, and sign the coveted employment contract, have a look at my eBook , the Teacher Interview Guide . Multiple great answers to all questions you may face in your interview will make your life much easier on the big day. Thank you for checking it out, and I wish you best of luck!

Alternatively, you can check 7 sample answers to some other tricky interview questions for teachers that we analyze on InterviewPenguin.com:

• Why do you want to be a teacher?
• Teacher interview – Tell me about yourself .
• Why do you want to be a preschool teacher?
• Where do you see yourself in five years as a teacher?
• Teacher interview – Tell us more about your teaching experience.
• Recent Posts

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Strengths and Weaknesses of a Teacher for Interview

Appearing in a teacher interview can be a nerve-wracking experience. The anticipation of being asked about your strengths and weaknesses adds an extra layer of pressure. Understanding why employers inquire about these aspects is crucial to effectively respond to this question.

When interviewers ask about your strengths and weaknesses, they aim to gain insight into your character and professional integrity. They want to know what makes you an exceptional educator and how you acknowledge your areas for growth. By divulging your weaknesses, you demonstrate honesty and self-awareness, which can greatly influence the interviewer’s perception of you.

As a prospective teacher, it is vital to prepare in advance for this question. Create a comprehensive list of your strengths and weaknesses to ensure you are ready to provide thoughtful and authentic responses during your interview.

To assist you in this process, here is a compilation of 10 strengths and 10 weaknesses commonly associated with teachers. Use these as a reference to help you customize your own answers based on your personal experiences and attributes.

Remember, embracing your strengths will emphasize your qualifications while acknowledging your weaknesses displays your commitment to professional growth.

10 Teacher Interview Strengths Examples

1. Passion for Education : I am deeply passionate about teaching and fostering a love for learning in my students. This passion drives me to continuously improve and innovate in the classroom.

2. Adaptability : I possess the ability to adapt my teaching style and materials to meet the diverse needs of my students, ensuring that each individual has the best opportunity to succeed.

3. Strong Communication Skills : My clear and effective communication skills allow me to connect with students, parents, and colleagues, creating a supportive and collaborative learning environment.

4. Organizational Skills : I am adept at managing classroom resources, planning lessons, and maintaining accurate records, ensuring a well-structured and efficient learning environment.

5. Empathy and Patience : I approach teaching with empathy and patience, understanding that each student has unique challenges and strengths, and I am dedicated to helping them grow and thrive.

6. Tech-Savvy : I am proficient in integrating technology into the classroom to enhance learning experiences and prepare students for the digital world.

7. Creativity : I consistently incorporate creative and engaging activities into my lessons, sparking students’ interest and motivation to learn.

8. Collaborative Team Player : I actively seek opportunities to collaborate with fellow educators, sharing ideas and best practices to support the overall success of the school and its students.

9. Commitment to Professional Development : I am dedicated to continually expanding my knowledge and skills through workshops, courses, and staying updated on the latest educational trends and research.

10. Positive Classroom Management : I excel in creating a positive and inclusive classroom environment where all students feel valued and respected, fostering a conducive space for learning and personal growth.

10 Teacher Interview Weaknesses Examples

1. Balancing Individual Needs :  As a teacher, I sometimes find it challenging to balance the needs of individual students with varying learning paces in a larger class setting, but I am actively working on implementing strategies for effective differentiation to address this.

2. Classroom Management with Larger Class Sizes :  Occasionally, I find it challenging to effectively manage larger class sizes while addressing individual student needs, and I am actively seeking professional development opportunities to enhance my classroom management skills and create an inclusive educational environment for all students.

3. Work-Life Balance :  Handling extensive lesson preparation occasionally affects my work-life balance, and I am taking proactive steps to streamline my planning process while ensuring personal well-being and maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

4. Technological Proficiency:  I strive to enhance my proficiency in utilizing diverse technological tools to enrich the learning experience. I am currently undergoing training to address this area of development and improve my classroom’s technological resources.

5. Managing Disruptive Behavior:  Although I am dedicated to maintaining a positive classroom environment, I am working on refining my approach to managing disruptive behavior, seeking guidance from experienced educators to improve in this aspect and ensure a conducive learning environment for all students.

6. Incorporating Cultural Diversity :  I am committed to incorporating more culturally diverse perspectives into the curriculum and actively seeking resources to expand my cultural knowledge and understanding, ensuring that my teaching is inclusive and representative of all backgrounds.

7. Time Management :  While I am generally well-organized, I recognize the need to improve my time management to ensure that administrative tasks do not impact the quality of my lesson planning and delivery. I am implementing new strategies to effectively manage my time and responsibilities.

8. Implementing Hands-On Learning Strategies :  I am striving to be more adept at implementing project-based or hands-on learning strategies to cater to different learning styles and enhance student engagement, and I am actively seeking professional development opportunities to achieve this goal.

9. Maintaining Patience : Occasionally, I struggle with maintaining patience when students face challenges or are not actively engaged, and I am actively seeking professional development opportunities to enhance my skills in this area and ensure a supportive learning environment.

10. Differentiated Instruction :  I aim to improve my ability to provide differentiated instruction to address the varying needs of students by seeking mentorship and adopting new instructional methodologies. This will ensure that I can effectively cater to the diverse learning requirements of all students.

How to Answer Strengths and Weaknesses in a Teacher Interview?

When addressing strengths and weaknesses in a teacher job interview, it’s important to present yourself effectively. Here’s a general approach:

• Highlight your key skills and attributes relevant to the teaching position.
• Provide specific examples of how these strengths have positively impacted your work.
• Emphasize how your strengths align with the school’s needs and values.

Weaknesses:

• Acknowledge a specific area for improvement, ensuring it’s not a core requirement of the role.
• Discuss the steps you’ve taken or are taking to address this weakness, such as training or seeking mentorship.
• Show your willingness to learn and grow, highlighting any progress or achievements in addressing the weakness.

Final Thought

When preparing for a teacher interview, it’s essential to authentically showcase your strengths and acknowledge your areas for growth. Highlight your passion for education, adaptability, communication skills, and organizational abilities. Emphasize your commitment to professional development and creating a positive and inclusive classroom environment.

While discussing weaknesses, demonstrate self-awareness and a proactive approach to improvement. Address challenges such as differentiating instruction, managing disruptive behavior, and maintaining work-life balance. By showing your dedication to professional growth, you present yourself as a reflective and committed educator.

Recommended:

• What is your biggest weakness as a teacher? 18 Answers
• What to bring and wear in a teacher interview?
• 20 Questions to Ask to Interviewer After a Teacher Interview

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Teacher Strengths and Weaknesses: How to Answer the Best Way

Whether you want to be hired for your first teaching job or simply find a different teaching position outside of your current school, in a different district, or another grade level, it’s essential that you understand the common weaknesses of teachers.

I know this sounds ridiculous, but as you seek employment even as an experienced teacher, you be required to be interviewed . And with that interview you will be forced to answer the two trickiest questions in the world… What is your greatest strength? and What is your biggest weakness?

The truth is…your answers to these two questions could be the deal-makers or the deal-breakers.

And while many articles you read (or podcasts you listen to) focus on how to answer the strength part of the question, I want to dig into the weakness question because I want to help you…

• honestly answer these questions without sounding totally arrogant or completely spineless,
• strengthen some of these weak areas (before you interview),
• know how to prepare exactly what you will say ahead of time (with sample answers), and
• increase your confidence before you step foot into the interview.

Before we start digging into all of this, I want to make sure you understand a vitally important fact.

We are going to be talking about weakness as it relates to your skills and NOT your value or worth as a person.

Let me repeat that…weakness relates only to your skills, not your value or worth as a person.

If you allow yourself to think of weakness as a character flaw or a reason others should devalue you or not hire you, then you will have a hard time during the interview when this question surfaces.

So should you find yourself being triggered by the idea of pointing out your weaknesses, please talk to someone. There is definitely an underlying issue that you need to address and I want to encourage you to find a good counselor who can help you unpack some of the issues.

Now that we’ve clarified the fact that weakness is skill-related and not character-related, let’s look at why employers ask these questions.

The Dreaded Weakness Question

The most difficult part about answering this question is the fact that you have to say something. You can’t simply deflect it hoping to skirt around this one.

Obviously we would like to think of ourselves as having no weaknesses, but if we want to become better teachers (or just better people in general), we have to acknowledge our weaknesses.

Now this question may not be asked outright. You might hear the teacher interview questions about weakness phrased a few different ways.

• What is the biggest challenge you have faced and how did you resolve the issue?
• What is your greatest weakness?
• What would you say is an area with which you struggle?
• What would your co-workers say is your biggest struggle?

The point is that all of these weakness questions are driving to the same outcome.

At the end of the day, employers want to know if you are a total hot mess with poor time management skills and lack of respect for authority (and obviously the person they want to avoid hiring like the plague) or if you are an excellent potential employee who has taken the time to thoroughly reflect on areas that can be strengthened .

Once you realize why employers are asking the question, it becomes so much easier for you to answer it objectively. So let’s look at some of the most common weaknesses of teachers.

Common Weaknesses of Teachers

1. problem-solving.

Typically, this is an area we consider a strength because problem solvers make effective teachers . But this becomes a weakness when we don’t give students space to learn how to become problem solvers themselves.

Because our communication skills are well-honed, we can sometimes be too quick to solve the problem for them, therefore allowing no opportunity for our students to learn and grow.

So take some time to reflect on whether you are a model of appropriate problem solving techniques and a catalyst for helping your students and coworkers learn to solve problems themselves or simply the one everyone comes to as the final decision-maker.

There will always be problems facing children and adults alike, but it isn’t ALWAYS your job to be the problem solver. Sometimes your role is to simply be a listening ear and help facilitate the decision-making process.

Realizing that this “would be” strength isn’t helping your students or co-workers makes it the perfect weakness to share.

Example Answer for Problem-Solving as Your Weakness

“ My biggest weakness is my problem-solving ability. I know that sounds strange, but let me explain. Because I have an innate ability to make decisions and solve problems, I am the go-to person for others who need problems solved.

This becomes my weakness when I don’t have the capacity to facilitate the decision-making of others so I simply make the decision for them. I don’t always give them the space to make their own decision.

I have been actively working toward giving students and coworkers time to externally process the issue and then providing helpful options to solve their problems instead of immediately giving them the solution I think is best. This is the best way for them to flow through the learning process naturally.”

2. Comparison

It is so hard not compare ourselves with others and this becomes an almost insurmountable task if you are part of a grade level (or even team teaching) with those whom you view as perfect teachers.

We know that no one is perfect, but there are always teachers who seem to have everything together. And this comparison can become a slippery slope.

It’s important that we learn helpful hints and new ideas from other teachers who have strengths we would like to possess.

But if we find ourselves becoming bitter towards another teacher because we “just don’t measure up” then we need to take a step back and determine from where these feelings are springing and how to do something about them.

If you think comparison is a weakness of yours, consider how you could use your struggle as a learning opportunity for your students.

Recognizing comparison as a personal weakness of yours while simultaneously using it as a springboard for conversations with your students is the ideal way to showcase your weakness in a positive light.

Example Answer for Comparison as Your Weakness

“I would say my biggest weakness is comparison. I strive each and every day to do my very best, but when I am learning a new skill or deepening my knowledge it can be difficult to be less than expert-level. I always want to showcase my very best and sometimes being in the middle of learning something new can be messy and less than picture-perfect.

But I’ve actually been using this revelation as an opportunity to teach my students about learning from others and how comparison can cause us to lose our joy, friendships, and even our love of learning.

It is important we acknowledge that even those who seem to have everything together struggle, too. There will always be areas where certain people excel and others struggle. It’s what makes us human.

And helping my students make that connection has helped me get to the core of my own struggle as well.”

3. Perfectionism

Mistakes are normal. But being afraid to make a mistake makes us prime targets for burnout and overwhelm while also leading us to become fearful of trying new things.

This is the cliche answer that tops the list of common weaknesses of teachers. However, the difference in this being an answer interviewers tune out versus one that seals the deal for you getting the position is how you explain this weakness in your teaching interview.

Interviewers aren’t interested in your feigned humility or the fact that you use this as a way to prove you are perfect.

…But, that’s what most interviewees are trying to get the interview panel to believe.

So if you choose this as your weakness, the most important thing you can do is follow it up with some specifics.

Example Answer for Perfectionism as Your Weakness

“My biggest weakness is the one many of the other candidates probably said was their weakness as well. In fact, I was hesitant to mention it because I figured you might just tune out my answer.

However, I want to be completely honest and tell you that perfectionism is my biggest weakness and here’s why.

Perfectionism has caused me to avoid setting appropriate work boundaries to the point that I’ve pushed myself directly into burnout simply because I wanted everything to be perfect. It has also kept me from accepting the constructive criticism of a colleague who wanted to share relevant truths with me.

But this realization has made me a better teacher. I’ve used my personal experience to be vulnerable with my students about how debilitating perfectionism can be and how I am embracing a  growth mindset.

It has allowed me to teach from a place of empathy and also of ongoing improvement in my own life as I increase my personal skill set.”

4. Lack of Knowledge or Skill

This is probably the LAST thing you thought you’d find on a list of common weaknesses of teachers, but before you tune me out completely, let me explain what I mean by this one.

Lack of knowledge as your weakness can manifest in two different ways including lack of content knowledge and lack of technical skill.

Lack of Content Knowledge

If you’ve always taught 3rd grade ELA, but you are extremely interested in teaching Science and Social Studies, perhaps your your weakness is your lack of content knowledge in those particular subjects.

Maybe you’re a good teacher in ELA, but you know you’d be an excellent science teacher.

Explaining how you’re excited about learning new content directly aligned with your personal interests and stretching yourself as a teacher overrides the fact that you don’t have much experience with the subject matter.

Your lack of subject specific knowledge is a weakness, but your enthusiasm is your strength for overcoming that weakness.

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Lack of Technical Skill

On the other hand, maybe you have a lack of technical skills.

When I left the classroom the first time , Smartboards were just being introduced at my school. But because I left before actually having one in my own classroom, I missed learning about this vital piece of teaching technology.

However, when I returned to the classroom several years later my lack of experience became glaringly obvious.

Thankfully, I was blessed with amazing colleagues who helped me learn this new skill quickly. Within a short time, I discovered I could be a much more effective teacher with this cool piece of technology.

Yet again, the key here is all about spinning teacher weaknesses into growth opportunities and showcasing your teacher strengths.

So if lack of subject matter knowledge or technical knowledge is your weakness, make sure to focus on how you’re already taking professional development classes at your local library or how you are in an online cohort learning about this specific topic.

Remember, potential employers want to know that you are aware of your weaknesses and that you’re taking the initiative to learn to strengthen that particularly weak skill.

Example Answer for Lack of Knowledge as Your Weakness

“My greatest weakness is my lack of content knowledge. I realize that after teaching ELA for the last 10 years, there will be a learning curve I must overcome as a new science teacher.

However, I’ve been working closely with the 4th grade Science Teacher of the Year in my current district to understand and unpack the 4th grade science standards.

She has given me a wealth of insight into how I can set up my learning environment and structure my time blocks in order to help my students achieve greatness.”

5. Time Management

The last in our list of common weaknesses of teachers is time management. Many potential employers are looking for employees who can take the initiative to manage themselves fairly autonomously.

Therefore, if you choose to use this as your weak skill, be sure to preface it by talking about how focused you become on the project you are tackling or the task you are trying to accomplish.

Make sure you point out that because you are so detail-oriented you want to make sure any task you complete is done to the best of your ability. Then you can discuss how you use timers to help you stay on track for meetings, appointments, and class changes.

Obviously, if you’re a self-contained teacher, this won’t be as problematic as it would be for departmentalized teachers because there are specific times you will have to switch classes.

But whether you’re departmentalized or self-contained, you still have to get to lunch, special classes, and recess on time or many others are negatively affected.

You might be the absolute best teacher in your school, but if you cannot complete tasks on time or if you are consistently late to meetings, classes, etc. you’re going to be viewed as a liability to potential employers.

So let’s look at how you can take your weakness of time management and turn it into something good!

Example Answer for Time Management as Your Weakness

“I believe my greatest weakness is probably time management. I get very focused on a task or project and tend to tune out the rest of the world.

However, I’ve found that using timers is the ideal way for me to stay on task for the appropriate amount of time needed for each task. Alarms also help me know when I need to switch classes, go to special classes, etc.

While I am not naturally wired to be a strict time scheduler, using timers and alarms has allowed me to continue using my strong focus skills to attend to necessary tasks completely while also being considerate of the time constraints of my day.”

Discovering Your Weakness

As we have spent time looking at five of the most common weaknesses of teachers, you may be wondering what to do if you are struggling to determine which teaching skills are your weaknesses.

My first suggestion is to start by asking those who know you best (like a close friend or family member) what they think. They will probably be able to give you a good answer from a variety of different perspectives that you might not have considered without their insight.

Then move on to current faculty members (including your school principal) who have seen you teach or have evaluated you in some capacity. These individuals can probably enlighten you on things you haven’t even considered.

But just remember, what they say might hurt your feelings or make you angry. Therefore, it’s important that you ask them to “gently” share so you don’t become defensive or unwilling to hear what they have to say.

Then try to take a step back and objectively review their assessment.

The best part is that once you know where you struggle, you can start making strides toward strengthening that particular area. This will allow you to adapt the example answers I have provided for you into your own answer that evolves into a carefully crafted masterpiece.

Then by the time you go to your interview , you will be able to confidently share your weakness in light of the positive strides you’ve made in that area.

The key to every single one of the common weaknesses of teachers is mentioning a skill that isn’t a natural area of strength for you while simultaneously focusing on how you are working to strengthen that particular skill.

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Jennifer is a former elementary school teacher (M. Ed.) turned literacy interventionist, blogger, podcaster, TpT author, and homeschooling mom. When she's not with her husband & boys, she's sharing her love for Jesus, designing websites, helping other teachers pursue online businesses, organizing ALL THE THINGS, or watching New Girl. Read More >>

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Teaching Strengths and Weaknesses

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How to Answer “What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?”

• Joel Schwartzberg

Advice and examples to help you craft an authentic answer to this common interview question.

Don’t take common interview questions lightly just because they’re predictable. Underpreparing for them can make the difference between moving ahead and moving on. One question that often comes up: What are your strengths and weaknesses? In this article, the author outlines clear steps for how to describe your strengths and weaknesses along with sample language to use as a guide.

Some questions come up again and again in job interviews . At the top of the list: “ Tell me about yourself ,” “ Why do you want to work here? ” and “What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?”

• JS Joel Schwartzberg oversees executive communications for a major national nonprofit, is a professional presentation coach, and is the author of Get to the Point! Sharpen Your Message and Make Your Words Matter and The Language of Leadership: How to Engage and Inspire Your Team . You can find him on LinkedIn and X. TheJoelTruth

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Strengths and Weaknesses in Writing

By Sarah Oakley

Table of Contents

5 writing strengths you need to have, 4 writing weaknesses to overcome, how prowritingaid can help you become a better writer, conclusion on writing strengths and weaknesses.

Even the best writers have strengths and weaknesses in writing. Being aware of your strengths and weaknesses is vital if you want to be a good writer.

If you develop your writing skills, you’ll be able to ensure all your writing is of high quality. This applies to creative writing, academic writing, and business writing. 

In this article, we’ll explore five strengths you need and four weaknesses to work on. You’ll also learn how ProWritingAid can help you become a better writer.

A writing strength is a characteristic of great writing and it gives your reader the impression you know exactly what you’re doing. You can learn and develop writing skills so you don’t need to worry about being naturally gifted.

You can build your writing strengths before you write so your first draft has solid foundations, or you can gain them over time as you write. Don’t exhaust yourself trying to make the first draft perfect; it’ll need editing later on.

We’ve picked five strengths we think are the most important when writing any document. These skills are imperative for those who want a writing career.

Strength 1: A Rich Vocabulary

One of the best things you can do as a writer is to develop the number of words you know. Therefore, you’ll have a diverse word choice to pick from when you’re writing.

You can achieve this strength through reading. Read everything you can get your hands on. It’s not enough to read within your chosen genre, business area, or subject area.

By learning new things and opening your mind to other writing categories, you’ll develop a vivid imagination, and you’ll have an excellent vocabulary to work with.

Learning new words and concepts can also help you reduce writer’s block, which is a bonus strength that will help you achieve your goal of finishing writing projects more often.

It’s said that only 3% of novel writers actually finish writing their novel. Arming yourself with a rich vocabulary will help you become one of those 3%.

If you don’t have time for reading as widely, or you’re not sure you’ll be able to remember so many words, some writing apps have built-in thesaurus features you can use. 

Strength 2: Use of Literary Devices

There are many literary devices writers can use to keep their readers engaged. You might be familiar with a few of them, but if you develop your knowledge of all of them, you’ll create variety in your writing by having more to choose from.

We can’t go over every single literary device you could use in this article. However, we have picked three important ones you can use to strengthen your writing straight away.

Foreshadowing is the technique of revealing details and clues for your reader to give them an idea of what is coming. You can use this in fiction writing to create suspense, excitement, or apprehension. In business and academic writing, you can mention something briefly that you will go into detail about later.

Metaphors and similes are ways to describe things as though they are something else or compared to something else. They are great devices to use in poetry and fiction writing. You can engage your reader with metaphors and similes by making their mind work harder to imagine the things you’re describing.

The opposite of using metaphors to describe something figuratively is using concrete imagery in your descriptions. This is where the “show, don’t tell” rule comes into play. You need to show your readers what you’re writing about through sensory details.

Strength 3: Varying Sentence Lengths

Sentence lengths are important as they help the flow of your writing and contribute to its pacing. Long sentences take longer to read but can include a lot of information. Shorter sentences can have more impact.

If you want to give the reader a sense of urgency in the pacing of your writing, use shorter, snappier sentences. They can be as short as one word. 

Be careful when writing short sentences for pacing. You don’t want to write an entire scene in short sentences because your reader might rush through without picking up any details.

Longer sentences can comprise several clauses and even feature additional information in brackets or between em dashes. They take a while to read, so do your reader a favor and remember to add punctuation for pauses. 

Strength 4: Target Reader Awareness

When you know who you are writing for and what they expect, you can focus on achieving and exceeding those expectations. This works for creative, business, and academic writing. The ability to tailor your content to the intended audience is a mark of a great writer.

If you’re working on a creative writing project, such as a novel, you need to be aware of the basic requirements of a novel and any specific elements of your chosen genre. This could include story length, number of characters, and the amount of exposition.

For business writing, such as sales emails and internal company documents, it’s important to use the correct professional tone and vocabulary for your intended reader. You need to ensure your writing is clear and doesn’t use too much business jargon that could make your reader lose interest.

When writing an academic essay or thesis, your reader is likely to be an examiner or a peer in your academic field, so they should understand the subject you’re writing about. This means you can use more technical language and statistics to back up your points. You’ll also need to use formal language.

Strength 5: A Strong Writing Voice

Your writing voice makes anything you write sound uniquely yours. So it’s important to work on achieving a strong, authoritative voice to make readers pay attention to what you’re writing about.

Developing your writing voice is something that takes time and a lot of practice. Most writers start off by emulating other writers to learn how to write things effectively. Once you know how to write well, you can start developing your own way of doing it.

You should adhere to the objective elements of good writing, such as grammar and spelling, to avoid making mistakes. You might even have to follow style guides for business or academic writing. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t break stylistic or optional writing rules, such as using the Oxford comma, to develop your personal writing style.

When you’re writing with confidence, the reader will hear it. You’ll use phrases and details only experts and enthusiasts would know. Your writing will sound natural, like you’re talking to your reader directly. A strong writing voice is one of the most engaging parts of writing.

Producing great writing is tough, and there are several weaknesses you’ll need to overcome if you want to create amazing pieces of writing. Luckily, most weaknesses only require practice and some studying to resolve them.

I’ve highlighted the four most common weaknesses writers should work on.

Weakness 1: Your Writing Lacks Substance

If you are trying to convince your readers you know what you’re talking about, you need to include details that will give them the right impression.

For a fiction writer, it’s not enough to just add extra details to your descriptions. You need to create unique characters and worlds your reader will want to invest their time in. Even genre fiction readers want to see a new spin on tried and tested plot structures.

You can always improve business and academic writing with some facts and statistics. If you’ve got research findings, add them where appropriate.

In essay writing, don’t use vague statements or general ideas. Your reader will believe your points if you can prove there’s weight to what you’re writing. Make strong points and back them up with evidence. Don’t forget to check your references and citations.

Weakness 2: Poor Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation

A sure-fire way to lose a reader’s attention is poor grammar, misspelled words, and punctuation that skews the meaning of your sentence. Mistakes make the reader focus on the quality of the writing rather than what you are writing about.

There are many books and online courses available for improving your knowledge of grammar, spelling, and punctuation. If you’re uncertain about a rule, you can simply Google it to find out more. Writing style guides are also great places to find grammar rules.

Alternatively, you can use an editing software to tighten up your writing after you’ve finished your first draft. ProWritingAid is an editing software that includes helpful tips and information about the rules you need to brush up on. You’ll learn by doing if you edit your writing with ProWritingAid.

Never make another grammar mistake

ProWritingAid's AI-powered spelling and grammar checker will help you sound professional every time.

Weakness 3: Disorganized Writing

There are structures and templates for literally any piece of writing these days. So there’s no excuse for writing that meanders from one point to another with no apparent connection between each one. Organized writing is a must for all writers.

Before you write anything, you need to plan what you’re going to write. This plan doesn’t need to be very detailed, but it needs to have a logical flow from one point to the next. 

For academic writers, you’ll need to include transition words to join points and ideas together. Connecting your points with transition words will keep your reader engaged.

Weakness 4: Lack of Focus on Writing Projects

One of the biggest weaknesses writers face is a lack of focus. If you allow distractions to overwhelm you when you’re trying to write, it will affect your writing.

Writers need to create a suitable environment that will encourage creativity. This is different for each person, but most writers agree that a quiet room with a desk and a comfy chair are the minimum requirements.

Another factor to consider is whether you’re getting enough sleep. Tired writers don’t make amazing literature. First drafts might be safe to complete when you’re sleepy, but editing is something you should do when you’re alert and able to check your work for imperfections.

As I mentioned earlier, ProWritingAid is a piece of editing software that will coach you through your strengths and weaknesses as you make edits to your writing. One of the best things about ProWritingAid is that you can use it at any stage of your writing process.

When you use a ProWritingAid integration, you can check for grammatical errors as you type with the Realtime checker. If you hover your cursor over an underlined word or phrase, you’ll see a pop-up that will tell you what improvement needs to be made, and it’ll give you an option to apply a pre-generated improvement.

The Realtime checker gives you suggestions to improve your grammar, spelling, punctuation, readability, and passive voice. If you want to edit your writing further, you can run any of the 20+ reports that will explore specific things, such as your average sentence length and the use of sensory details.

While there are many strengths that great writers possess, the five strengths and four weaknesses we’ve highlighted in this article are some of the most important ones to focus your efforts on to begin with.

Remember, weaknesses will undermine your hard work to become a better writer. You’ll need to make sure you’re not letting yourself down by making the mistakes we’ve mentioned above.

ProWritingAid is here to help you with strengths and weaknesses in writing so you can ensure your own writing is perfect every time. Though it won’t tell you how much sleep to get or how to rearrange your writing environment. That’s all down to you.

If you want to become a skilled writer, give ProWritingAid a try today.

Sarah Oakley

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Personal Strengths — Exploring Personal Strengths and Weaknesses for Self-Improvement

Exploring Personal Strengths and Weaknesses for Self-improvement

• Categories: Personal Strengths Struggle Weakness

About this sample

Words: 865 |

Published: May 14, 2021

Words: 865 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Table of contents

My strengths, my weaknesses, works cited, fostering organization as a strength, the strength of observation, confronting the weakness of confidence, resisting change: a challenge to overcome, striving for academic excellence despite intelligence challenges.

• Buckingham, M., & Clifton, D. O. (2001). Now, discover your strengths. Simon and Schuster.
• Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ. Bantam Books.
• Grant, A. M., & Dweck, C. S. (2003). Clarifying achievement goals and their impact. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85(3), 541-553.
• Linley, P. A., Willars, J., & Biswas-Diener, R. (2010). The strengths book: Be confident, be successful, and enjoy better relationships by recognizing where you're strong. CAPP Press.
• Lopez, S. J., & Snyder, C. R. (Eds.). (2009). Oxford handbook of positive psychology. Oxford University Press.
• Marsh, H. W., & Yeung, A. S. (1997). Causal effects of academic self-concept on academic achievement : Structural equation models of longitudinal data. Journal of Educational Psychology, 89(1), 41-54.
• Neff, K. D. (2011). Self-compassion: Stop beating yourself up and leave insecurity behind. HarperCollins.
• Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and classification. Oxford University Press.
• Rothwell, W. J. (2015). In mixed company: Communicating in small groups and teams (9th ed.). Cengage Learning.
• Stajkovic, A. D., & Luthans, F. (1998). Self-efficacy and work-related performance: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 124(2), 240-261.

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He Stands Out in a ‘Sea of Elites and Strivers’: Our Writers on What Tim Walz Brings to the Ticket

By New York Times Opinion

On Tuesday, Kamala Harris announced that Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, was her running mate. We asked eight of our columnists and contributors to assess the pick by rating Mr. Walz on two metrics: how much he’ll help Ms. Harris against Donald Trump and how much enthusiasm he’ll generate.

What excites you about the pick?

Josh Barro, author of the newsletter Very Serious Tim Walz is good on television, and his roots as a high school teacher and football coach from the rural Midwest will offer a good contrast to the Republican ticket. And he does no harm — what voter is open to Kamala Harris but finds Walz too off-putting to elect?

Charles M. Blow, Times columnist Walz made “weird” happen. His affable and relatable style on the campaign trail helped him distill the current conservative movement into a single word, “weird,” that has been a surprisingly effective attack line. He brings a plain-talking, labor-friendly, Midwestern appeal to the ticket. He is Joe Biden, 20 years ago.

Jane Coaston, contributing Opinion writer We have never had a defensive coordinator in the White House or on the campaign trail. Excited to hear how the 4-4 will work nationally.

Gail Collins, Times columnist Teacher and football coach!

Michelle Cottle, political writer for Opinion The guy looks natural rocking a camo baseball cap and grubby T-shirt — a big plus for a party that has trouble relating to regular folks. Plus, he clearly knows how to have fun in the attack-dog role without being the least bit nasty.

Liam Donovan, Republican strategist An affable character with an avuncular charm befitting a career teacher and coach. Walz’s background as a senior enlisted National Guardsman and his unique path to the governor’s mansion stand out in a sea of elites and strivers. Odd-couple pairing adds cultural and optical balance to the ticket.

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