What Makes a Good Teacher

Whether you are training your dog or training a human to train their dog, you have to take on the role of a teacher. Which is a lot easier said than done.

You have to be confident, you have to have a game plan, and you have to have SO much patience.

You have to see the big picture. You have to understand that proficiency in the small stuff now will come together into something much bigger later on.

You have to empower your student to see the hard things as a fun challenge rather than an overwhelming feat.

You have to convince them that mistakes in the process are learning experiences, not total disasters.

You have to give them enough structure to guide them towards success, but enough freedom for them to think it was their own idea.

You have to be able to understand their perspective and how it differs from yours or others perspectives. You have to be malleable enough in your game plan that it can be modified depending on your students unique perspective and needs.

You have to know when it’s your turn to teach and when you should shut up and listen to what the student needs. You have to accept that to be a good teacher you also have to be a good student.

What are some qualities of a good teacher that you wish to develop in yourself? I personally struggle with my anxiety a lot. When I cannot find the right way to communicate something to a client or a dog I get really hard on myself and my anxiety convinces me I am a crappy teacher. In reality, letting my anxiety run the show stops me from being creative and problem solving when I need to.