What makes an outstanding teacher?

What makes an outstanding teacher? When looking for an international school in Ho Chi Minh City how do you ensure your child will be taught by not just high-quality teachers, but outstanding ones? Here are some attributes to look out for.

“We have people coming into this school every day and each one of them is trying to be their best. There’s a culture of innovation, a culture of vision and a culture of connection. A school is just a series of human connections, and that is the most important part of being a great teacher.” – Sean O’Neill, Deputy Head Teacher – BIS HCMC

When you’re searching for an international school in Ho Chi Minh City, you’ll notice that most schools will claim to have high-quality teaching staff, and we have no doubt that the best schools certainly do. But how do you ensure your child will be taught by not just high-quality teachers, but outstanding ones? Here are some attributes to look out for:

They care

Outstanding teachers are warm, accessible, enthusiastic and caring. Teachers with these qualities are known to make themselves available to students and parents who need them. You will often find them running co-curricular clubs in subjects that aren’t always linked to their specialist area. They are involved in committees and activities around the school, and they demonstrate an unwavering commitment to their students.

In an outstanding school, this sort of dedication comes from beyond simply teachers, it comes from the support staff too. At BIS HCMC, we have a dedicated team of pastoral staff that contribute to the all-round development of your child. Between the academic team and the support staff, our students are encouraged to ask questions, demonstrate intellectual curiosity and a willingness to respectfully question what they are being taught. Only the best schools will be cultivating these vital skills for success.

They are inspired

Ambition. Drive. Understanding. Inspiration. These qualities define the best teachers, and in turn, ensure that students love going to school every day. However, to continually present material in an enthusiastic manner and inspire their students to learn independently, our teachers need to be inspired themselves. This requires innovation.

Outstanding teachers don’t follow education trends; they are forward-thinkers, leaders, developing meaningful and sustainable approaches to educating young people. This includes partnerships with organisations that can offer genuine value to your child’s education. At BIS HCMC our unique collaborations with pioneering institutions such as: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), The Juilliard School and UNICEF, provide your child with the skills, qualities and outlook to create their own exciting future.

They don’t pretend to have all of the answers

Effective teachers use facts as an entry point, not an exit point; they ask “why” questions, look at all sides and encourage students to predict what will happen next. They personalise the learning in order to engage the entire class. Outstanding teachers keep students motivated with varied, lively approaches to learning. Sometimes this can mean exploring unfamiliar surroundings outside of the classroom setting.

School expeditions are designed to build confidence and independence, broaden students’ perspective and expose them to different cultures, people and ideas. Through our comprehensive expedition programme here at the British International School Ho Chi Minh City, our teachers offer your child unique experiences that are specifically designed to provide continuity with classroom learning. Each one is carefully planned to provide a range of age-appropriate but challenging opportunities for the development of personal qualities such as leadership, independence, collaboration and physical endeavour.

They love learning

Schools are like any other organisation: they need to nurture their staff if they truly want to bring the best out of them. Don’t be afraid to ask what programmes a school has in place to help the teachers to refine and improve their own teaching practice.

At the British International School Ho Chi Minh City, our programme of continued professional development (CPD) ensures that our teachers are kept up to date with the latest teaching methodologies and ideas. It is expected that teachers will proactively continue to develop their professional knowledge whilst they are employed at the school. They are offered a wide range of learning pathways including an online professional development resource called Nord Anglia University, which offers access to some of the finest minds and most innovative approaches in the industry. We offer the chance for experienced, passionate teachers to advance their knowledge in an exciting new environment.

They are transparent

Your involvement in your child’s schooling helps to reinforce the learning delivered by the teachers. Strong communication between parents and teachers is essential, and can actively influence your child’s success. Great teachers reach out to parents through conferences and regular written reports home. They don’t hesitate to make direct contact with a parent if they are concerned about a student.

At BIS HCMC our teachers go even further. We open up our classrooms so that you can experience your child’s learning as it happens. Further still, parents are involved in the design and decisions made with regards to developing facilities so that they meet the needs of our diverse community.

Your child’s teachers will have a lasting impact on their world. The right person can uncover new interests, and give your child the confidence to chase a bright future. Our teachers come from all around the world, but they all share a belief that an inspired student can achieve amazing things.

There is, of course, no definitive checklist for ‘what makes an outstanding teacher’, but we hope these attributes can help you on your quest to finding the right school for your child.

If you would like to find out more about our world-leading teachers, please click here to organise your personal school tour.