by Michael Hall

Is a teacher simply an individual whose job it is to educate children?  Yes, but it is far from simple.  In fact, educating children is a very complex and sophisticated process that is constantly being perfected.  Not just anyone can effectively fill this position.  It requires an individual who has acquired a number of unique characteristics that facilitate them in the learning process.  Teachers are “people who have some sort of connective capacity, who connect themselves to their students, their students to each other, and everyone to the subject being studied” (Palmer; qtd in Hassett).   A good teacher sets achievable goals, communicates well with others, and is passionate and inventive when creating a fun, learning environment.

A good teacher is one who is motivated, focused, and committed to achieving his goals.  Careers in education are much different than jobs in other fields; just being there to complete your shift does not suffice.   If you walk into a classroom unmotivated and without any expectation of what you wish to achieve, then your instruction is doomed to failure.  Classes may drift into areas that may easier suit the teacher, but would be unbeneficial to the student.  However, this can be avoided by adhering to two of the key attributes of success—choosing your attitude and agreeing on a common goal (“Fish”; “Team”).  First of all, the way in which you view your career should change.  No longer should you merely think of it as a job, but as a role that comes with the unique privilege of instructing students in a field you love. We must remember that “good teaching often has less to do with our knowledge and skills than with our attitude towards our students, our subject, and our work” (Hassett).  Once your attitude begins to change, then you will have gained a mindset that is conducive to creating your teaching goals.  For example, instead of just reading a novel to take up time, an English teacher’s goal might be to use literature to provide students with an opportunity to learn about, appreciate, and experience other cultures and eras through the author’s eyes.  Having this goal in mind, the teacher would then be able to focus their instruction in such a way that the goal could be achieved with maximum benefit to the student.  So, a good attitude and achievable goals are instrumental in effective teaching.

A teacher is also proficient in communicating well with others.  We all have our own views and opinions, and generally like to have our own way.  Unfortunately, this natural human characteristic often leads to conflict between those with different perspectives.  As educators, we will encounter an array of opposing views through our relationships with students, parents, and faculty.  So to avoid conflict while still get our message across, we need to become experts in communicating with others (“Team”).  We need to be constantly ready to adapt our communication style to a variety of unique scenarios.  Also, through good faculty relations, teachers are collectively able to share goals and abilities to better work as a team (“Team”; “Fish”).  So by making that extra little effort to think before you speak, you would also be creating the best possible learning environment for you and your students.

A teacher is passionate about learning.  One of the traps teachers can fall into is repeating the same lessons over and over, year by year.  Sure, it is easier this way, but then it becomes routine.  Not only that, but you will gradually begin to lose that drive that made you want to become a teacher in the first place.  So teachers need to perfect their craft (“Team”).  Just because you’ve reached the stage of being a teacher doesn’t mean that you know everything your field entails.  There is always more to learn and explore, and this exploration can be shared in class with your students.  Try something new.  Not only will your students still benefit from the instruction, but they will also benefit by seeing first hand the passion the field brings to you.  This brings up another important key to success–be present (“Fish”).  This doesn’t mean just mentally and physically showing up to class, but spiritually as well.  That passion that drives you is a powerful tool to invigorate a great learning environment.

A teacher is inventive and challenging and is continually working to create a fun, learning environment.  The last thing a teacher should want his class to be is boring.  Unfortunately, many classes fall into this category. For example, my high school English class was absolutely dreadful.  I cannot remember a single activity that I would define as fun.  All we did was memorize grammatical rules and summarize stories.  We never had a chance to discuss what we were reading.  Instead, the teacher just stood at the front of the room telling us what we were supposed to get from the reading while the rest of us were taking notes.  It should not be this way.  “Real learning happens only when students become actively involved and can internalize knowledge or understanding by arriving at the realization themselves” (Johannessen 29).  You should want your students to be actively involved in the learning process, not just absorbing the information passively.  So how can you remedy a situation such as this?  Well, be inventive and realize the benefits of fun interactive activities that the students will enjoy (“Fish”).  So, what could have been done in my English class?  Well first of all, Literature is supposed to stimulate discussion and bring up controversial issues.  The teacher, instead of spouting off all of her acquired knowledge, could have identified a question the novel raised and then asked us students for our thoughts.  Not only would we be more engaged, but also we would be learning along the way.  So, it is important for teachers to develop methods that most benefit the student in the acquisition of knowledge.

Overall, we have looked at the many important qualities that define a good teacher.  We have seen how important it is for a teacher to be motivated in pursuing his goals.  Also, we have looked at how beneficial effective communication can be when dealing with the various groups teachers encounter.  In addition, a good teacher has a passion for the subject she is teaching and shares that drive with her students.  And finally we examined the paramount importance of a teacher creating a fun and engaging learning environment.  A good teacher sets achievable goals, communicates well with others, and is passionate and inventive when creating a fun, learning environment.

“Fish! Catch the Energy.”
Hassett, Marie F. “What Makes a Good Teacher?” SABES.org. Winter 2000. 19 Sep. 2006. .
Johannessen, Larry R. “An Interactive Literature-Writing Class”.  What is English? Ed. Peter Elbow. New York: MLA, 1990. 28-30.
“Team of Eagles.”