What qualities or traits make a great teacher?

Question

I am doing a senior project on about my future as a teacher. You can just list them, or say a few and explain them. Think of your favorite and best teachers, why were they that for you?
If you're a parent you can think of what teachers have done that works well for your kids. Heck ask your kids, who is their favorite teacher and why?

I need response from all ages and levels of education, so if you answer this question i would request you say your age (or age range) and your level of education.

If your are a teacher or have been a teacher, do you think there are qualities or traits a teacher need to be a good teacher? What lessons did you have to learn as a new teacher?

If you answer this question as a teacher i would ask you to please state what grade and subject you teach. Maybe even how long you have been teaching too.

Thank you!!!

Answer 1

I am a high school teacher for 6 1/2 years. I teach music classes, orchestra, gen. theory, AP theory and a fine arts class (general music/art/theater/architecture).

I need to be enthusiastic about what I teach. If I'm not interested, how can I expect my students to be interested.

Knowledgable about the subject.

I will always admit when I cannot answer a question, and tell the kids I will look it up for them and let them know the next day.

I'm not afraid to admit I make a mistake, I may dread doing it, but my kids respect me (I hope, and so they tell me) because I know I'm not perfect. In one class it is a quest to find my goof - I'm a little scatterbrained sometimes.

I will ALWAYS say I'm sorry if I need to. Teachers need to be forgiving. Every day is a new day, even at the end of the year and the kid has bugged you all year, it might be the day he/she actually gets your point.

They need to persevere. I have a student who is failing everything...I do mean everything...and has been told he needs to repeat the entire year, even though he has a D in my class. I have finally convinced him (one week from the end) that if gets the D in my class he doesn't need to repeat it because he has passed so far this year. He finally believes me and is doing all the make up work he didn't do because he wants to pass something. He even thanked me for not giving up, and is proud of the work he is doing for me.

Answer 2

When I was a young learner I knew which teachers didn't really like the students - or the job. If you don't like students, no matter what their age, perhaps teaching isn't an ideal career path.

I wholeheartedly agree with patience, sense of humor, willingness to listen and help, ability to approach a concept from a variety of perspectives, and curiosity as essential components of a successful teaching skill set.

When my son was in the second grade, his math teacher asked him the following:
What is half of the number eight?
Son replied:
zero.
teacher:
No, you're wrong. Try again. What is half of the number eight?
Son replied:
three
teacher:
You're not paying attention. Time out for you.

And how excited was Son about answering aloud in class from that point on in his school career?

At home, Son told me he knew good and well what half of eight was, but the teacher asked him what half of the NUMBER eight was. So I asked him to show me how he had come up with his answers, and he had literally divided the NUMBER 8 in half - horizontally first to get 0, and then vertically to get 3. I was impressed with how quickly he had arrived at these answers, and discouraged that he had been given time out for his efforts without an opportunity to explain his thinking processes.

My point? Always ask how the student came up with the answer he's given. You may gain a lot of insight into their problem solving strategies, as well as what you are really asking the student to respond to. What a great opportunity to revise or reframe in a positive way, reducing misunderstanding in the process. We all know what happens when we assume as Son's teacher did.

I never forgot that lesson. I have taught all grades from pre-primary through graduate school, and will always be very respectful a student's efforts. As a teacher, I must be more of a learner than my students if I want to help THEM be aware of their strengths and skills and how to use them productively, both in school, and in the "real world" as life long learners.

Answer 3

I am a high school senior who's going off to college in the fall.

My most favorite teachers had a number of the following qualities:
- Thorough knowledge of the material being taught
- Ability to explain the material clearly and in different ways
- Willingness to always answer questions, even from a student who's a slacker and comes to class once a year
- An interest in the subject being taught that goes beyond the level at which the subject is being taught
- Ability to pose questions that are both interesting and challenging
- Ability to be consistent with their rubric/policy
- Openness to suggestions from students, but the wisdom to not bend to students' will
- Ability to keep everything in perspective and not go into a panic attack every time a student copies homework/calls out/comes late to class
- Love for the profession

Answer 4

Well I'm a senior in High School, and I found my best teachers were patient, attentive to students individually and as a whole, and were dedicated enough to stay an hour or so after school to help students in need. I don't think I would have ever passed Chem without the needed extra help after school. These qualities are in the teachers I won't forget, and to whom I'm very grateful to. That is what makes a great teacher.

Answer 5

I am 30 years old, and have completed up to12th grade. The best teachers are the ones that have patience and understanding with a childs needs. Understanding that all kids are not the same and learn differently, a teacher that can adjust to that. My funnest teachers were ones that had special days for us...like Fun Friday where we did something special, that other classes didn't do. I also liked a teacher I wasn't afraid to ask a question to, one that didn't make me feel stupid for asking.

My son is 12 and going into 6th grade, this is what he has to say about it: one that is organized, funny and nice. They are helpful to the kids and stuff. (I agree with the organized thing. I hated his first grade room at one school he attended, it made me stressed out being in there, it was so cluttered.)

My daughter is 6 and is going into the 1st grade, this is what she had to say: being nice, bringing Mr. Bear for us to take home. (Mr. Bear is a bear put into a vintage suitcase that the kids take turns bringing home. The bear goes everywhere with them. Then mom or dad have to write in a journal what the kids said about Mr. Bear, word for word. Mr. Bear even has a toothbrush for his teeth. We got him over halloween and dressed him as a pirate and took him trick-or-treating)

One teacher gave my son a checklist and they had to rate their teacher on things, rate them a one, two or three. That's a good idea, cuz kids are honest about that stuff.

Answer 6

My favorite teacher was my 1st-3rd elementary teacher at a Montessori School. i think the reason I liked her so much was that she actually taught and didn't let the students run her classroom for her. And also the extra attention she paid her students by actually knowing a little something about their personal lives made her very approachable both as a teacher and a general mentor.

Answer 7

I'm a para and I believe that the qualities of a good teacher is having the respect of the students, to be creative with your lessons and to let the students know they matter. Watch what you say to the students because they remember negative comments for years.

Answer 8

You've go me! I taught Kinders for 5 yrs and learned more from them than they probably learned from me!! Group Interaction, for instance! That's what it's all about in classroom ed!! Later, I got an MA in Guidance and Counseling and an Ed Spec degree, individual and group dynamics were so fascinating! I think that if a teacher is generally INTERESTED in the individual student; can figure out HOW they learn and can relate to them, present everything in a way that THEY get involed in solving--in using their own creative intelligence in solving!! It's a GREAT experience to see children grow intellectually and in confidence!!!

Answer 9

Always remember that children will always be children, and you can't expect them to act as adults. Keep in mind that some children will learn no matter what you do, but some will NEVER learn no matter what you do. You have to be open-minded, but never forget that you are ultimately in charge of the situation. Let them see you laugh. That old saying that teachers shouldn't smile until after Christmas is bull. Children respond to kindness, but again, you are ultimately in charge. Also, don't take it personally if ALL of your students and ALL of their parents don't particularly like you. Your goal is not to win a personality contest.

Answer 10

I'm not going to give you any personal information, but I can list several qualities: a teacher needs a sense of humor to counteract all the nonsense she has to take from students; she needs infinite patience; she needs a lot of energy; she must be a well-organized person. Of course, she needs to have a thorough knowledge of her subject matter and the willingness to upgrade that knowledge throughout her teaching career.