Did you ever think of empathy as an important teaching skill? Did you ever feel that being an empathetic online English teacher could be your biggest USP? Well, the world is changing at a rampant pace and empathy is in high demand. Not only is empathy highly desirable in the contemporary corporate world but also in online education.
Having said that, if you can deliver on that as an online English teacher, you can fast-track your success in a worthwhile way. Still wondering how is that possible? Let’s find out in this thoughtful and intelligible blog. This blog will tell you how you can be a more successful online English teacher with empathy. So, let us get started without further ado.
5 ways empathy can lead to teaching success
1. Empathy can be a competitive advantage
We would all agree that the environment for freelance online teaching is enormously competitive. You are not the only one trying to make a place for yourself in the online tutoring market. So, clearly, you need to look for ways with which you can create firm competitive advantages.
Well, empathy could very well be that competitive advantage. If you can offer personalized learning in the digital space to students, you are surely going to make a mark. However, to be able to offer effective personalized learning to students with varied learning needs, you need a great understanding of your students’ needs and emotions. This is where empathy will make such a difference.
When you look at things from an empathetic purview, you will realize that students have different learning capabilities and requirements. For instance, some students may face issues with grammar while others may face repetitive challenges in understanding contextual meanings of English words. Along similar lines, some students may face issues dealing with homophones.
Hence, as a teacher, you need great flexibility in your teaching approaches to help students with different learning needs excel. If you can do that successfully, it would be no surprise even if you rise to be the most sought-after online English teacher.
2. Empathy leads to greater learning engagement
Empathy and engagement have a deep connection whether it is in the workplace or in a classroom. When mentors are empathetic, mentees respond with greater enthusiasm and indulgence.
If you look at it from students’ perspectives, sincere students would always want to learn actively. However, if they feel their teachers do not understand them, they may not want to express themselves much or seek answers to their doubts. On the other hand, when you give them the assurance of empathy, they will not hesitate to approach you with their doubts. Hence, this assurance among them will translate into greater learning engagement.
Even otherwise, if we talk about classes, the engagement remains low because of a lack of personal connections between the educators and learners. However, with empathy, you can fill that gap effectively and work out positive relationships with your students that will aid better learning outcomes.
Eventually, more and more students would want to connect with an English teacher who can make learning so much more engaging. Empathy can help you solve the complex challenge of indulgence in online classes and this is where you can outperform as an online English teacher. As an empathetic teacher, you can effectively assist your students in attaining their SMART Goals.
3. Empathy can make English seem less dreadful
Non-native English students might find the very idea of learning English quite scary. In fact, that happens to most of us while we explore a new language and try to master it. We often say that a majority of students feel dreaded by mathematics given the complex formulas and functions. However, some students may find English equally scary especially if they are not from a native English-speaking family. You will face this issue while teaching English abroad.
This is where you will face quite a few challenges in teaching such students. Besides, the challenges will be much greater in a virtual classroom. So, if you are trying to establish yourself as a reliable freelance English teacher, empathy will help you a great deal. Empathy will ensure that you understand students’ fear of English and help them get over that fear.
If you can effectively assist them in overcoming their reluctance to learn English, they will learn in a more confident way. Having said that, as a teacher, you will be able to create a stronger impact among your students.
Besides, being an empathetic teacher will also enhance the possibility of your students recommending you to their peers looking for online English mentoring. Your students will undoubtedly be in the awe of your empathy and the patience you get from it.
4. Empathy can help you create a brand
When you are trying to make your mark in the online tutoring market for English, you need to create a brand around your name. Besides, you need to ensure that you have the right approach to marketing your online English learning brand. The stronger the brand you are able to create the greater the market penetration.
Wouldn’t you love the idea of being known as a teacher who is adored by his or her students? Would you not embrace the thought of being an ideal mentor for beginners wanting to learn English? With empathy, you can build and manage your reputation in the digital landscape.
A teacher who can collaborate with students effectively to help them achieve learning outcomes is bound to be in high demand. However, for that, you need to market yourself in a way that attracts maximum leads.
5. Empathy makes you a wholesome teacher
Teaching English is never solely about your knowledge and command of the language and its grammar. To be a successful teacher, you also need some non-teaching skills and traits that are essential for success in teaching careers.
While there is a wide range of non-teaching skills you need, emotional intelligence has to be a cornerstone of success. With emotional intelligence, you can make your skillset far more comprehensive and that will certainly add value to your career.
To explain, EQ or emotional intelligence is a measure of your ability to manage and control emotions in a positive way. When you are able to do that, it will assist you in driving positive outcomes and taking well-informed decisions. Besides, with high EQ, you will also be able to manage your students’ emotions in a positive way.
But the question is, what does it take to have a strong sense of emotional intelligence? Well, there are five major elements of emotional intelligence that include the following
- Self-awareness
- Self-regulation
- Empathy
- Social skills
- Motivation
Having said that, empathy is one of the most vital elements of EQ that makes you a complete teacher. It is a soft skill that you must look to build and revel for greater career success. Hence, via empathy, you can incorporate the crucial skill of emotional intelligence that can lead to greater career success.
Moreover, with emotional intelligence, you can also cater to students with special educational needs. To validate, as per research conducted by the Global Institute for Research and Education, EQ is apparently very high (97 percent) in teachers that teach students with learning disabilities or special needs. Hence, EQ is the very basis of excelling as a special educator. To reiterate, this is how empathy can help you become a wholesome English teacher.
To conclude, in the contemporary world, there is a high regard for empathy. Especially when it comes to teachers, empathy and compassion have become a cornerstone of success for online teachers. When you make way for empathy in your personality, you will definitely feel great momentum in your progress as an online teacher.
