What makes a great teacher?

Question

is it smelly socks and double/extra homework?

:-)

Answer 1

Being able to inspire and motivate the students - in the end, that makes all the difference.

Some kids are unfortunately uninspirable and unmotivated- they will never experience a great teacher.

Answer 2

Teaching is a vocation and not a money making activity. My son
is a Prof.Dr. in maths (has three Phd‘s) and only wants to study
more than others. At this point, however, his only desire is to pass
on to others what he knows. He is well known for his ability to sit
out of the class-room and clear up doubts in a student‘s mind for
which he receives nothing but a genuine thanks. He has the gift
of an incredible patience that is inborn and seems to understand
a students problem before the asking. Does this make the grade
for a good teacher, I think that it is.

Answer 3

Being a friend to the students, not just a teacher. Someone who is understanding, patient, intelligent, and fair but firm. Someone who uses a variety of teaching methods to motivate the class and ensure everyone is learning. Someone who is really committed to their subject(s) and the goal of enriching a child's life.

Answer 4

Being able to relate to the students and passing your knowledge to them in a way they understand. Have a laugh but at the same time keeping the student/teacher barrier. If you can make learning fun lots more will be gained. Any subject can be fun to learn.

Answer 5

well for me I want my teacher to be fun energetic full of info but not boring and take a class outside cause the student are inspired to learn when they see it or have fun outside and a little strict so there is obidience. well thats for me since i am a student

Answer 6

I really liked this article by a friend of mine, Tadzu. His insight is remarkable.

Hi All,

I remember as undergrad in early 70's how frustrated I was that I could not get weekend and other "off schedule" access to pot shop at Monmouth College (now Monmouth University, West Long Branch, New Jersey). Other students had such access, but I was not an Art major (Computer Science and Mathematics '75). Although I received high praise (and grades) for my clay work, I was discouraged from persuing pottery for a living. The
reason given was that a young male with wife and small child needs to put family first. But I did get-in two semesters on wheel and two semesters glaze chemistry.

Okay with me. I can easily see myself exercising this same divertive influence on a youngster. I advise my art talented son to be an electrical contractor so he can build a business, sell it, and then become an artist. The view from middle age is just, well, different.

During the span of my computer career I built two wheels and two very small raku kilns and never had the time to persue clay art. But Life runs its own course, and we are the dancers, not the dance itself.

I came out of massive life trauma in mid 80's with new partner, her children, new name and $20,000 cash. Everything else was ruins. I told my love that I thought I had one more rainbow chase in me and would she like to come along? She said yes without hesitation, this at a time when I was by any measure, a "loser".

In '88 we arrived in New Mexico. I tried a few different things: I
worked a rehab agency, and I taught Mathematics. But these things didn't work out. My bride, meanwhile, was finishing her degree at local university. She and friend were running a raku one night when instructor failed to show-up for finish, and she called me. We finished the firing and I was hooked once again. The smell of burning sawdust and shredded paper!

So, having learned "the hard way" to persue what I love, rather than what is most lucrative, I decided to be a potter. I signed-on as a grad student and lived in that studio. I was still teaching Math there, and so it was somewhat easy to get keys to ceramic facilities as grad student-faculty member. I got the "clay mixer" work-study but did much more. I repaired kilns, washed equipment, kept inventory organized and never missed an opportunity to put Fine Arts Chair on the spot by asking
for more work in exchange for more privilege. I dogged that guy for instruction on firing kilns, and after a year he finally relented and taught me. Six months later I was doing most ^10 reduction firings in the gas kilns and student bisques in the electrics, and still mixing the clay and anything else. I was not "kicked-out" when he did his saggar work, either. I was a real pain in the ***, but it was the only way.

Two and a half years, lots of work, little money, and no regrets. I got what I went-in for; the facility and the opportunity. I would have done it for free. Hell, I would have paid for the opportunity.

So, my hat is off to those who "exploit" upstarts by working them for no pay. Who put up with mismixed glazes, ruined kiln shelf, burned-out mixer motors and the difficult adjustment to not having their own studio to themselves in the wee hours, not to mention vapid tastes in background music. God bless you all.

Tadzu

Answer 7

tweed jackets with patches on elbows, coffee breath, bad nasty attitude, a beard (both male and female), the ability to send people to sleep with a boring monotone, tassles on your shoes, not marking any work that gets handed in, the ability to call everybody the 'wrong' name, blah blah blah....

ok, if you can do the opposite to all of that then your close, but those are my memories of teachers!!!

Answer 8

Someone who is an excellent actor/actress with a good sense of humour, has their very own straight jacket and supply of Valium.

Answer 9

Someone with infintie patience and the ability to separate work from home!

Answer 10

Someone who really likes the kids & can "connect" with them. Make lessons fun. Include games if you can.