25 Qualities of A Good Teacher
What are the most valuable
qualities of a good teacher? Good teachers are likely made up of a combination
of hundreds of qualities that allow them do their job effectively. There is no
denying that all teachers have their own unique blend of these qualities. Each
teacher is different, but virtually every good teacher has the following
twenty-five qualities.
A good teacher is accountable.
Accountable - Holding yourself to the same expectations and standards as you
hold your students.
A teacher cannot have double standards. For example, if you do
not allow your students to chew gum in your class, then you should not chew gum
either.
A good teacher is adaptable.
Adaptable - Changes to lessons or activities
on the fly because of an unforeseen situation or problem.
A teacher must be willing to
change. If half the class does not understand a particular concept, then you
cannot move on and must quickly come up with a better way to teach that
concept.
A good teacher is caring.
Caring – Going the extra mile to ensure
that every student is successful no matter what.
A teacher must figure out the personalities
and interest of each student and incorporate components that
connect with each individual.
A good teacher is
compassionate.
Compassionate – Recognizing that your students
have problems outside of school, and making the necessary adjustment to help
them through those issues.
A teacher must take outside
factors into consideration. For example, if a student has just lost a loved
one, the teacher should be sensitive to that and adjust accordingly.
A good teacher is
cooperative.
Cooperative – The ability to work effectively
with administrators, other teachers, and parents for the good of your
students.
A teacher must be able to build
cooperative relationships with others around them even if they do not
necessarily like them.
A good teacher is creative.
Creative – Taking a concept and shaping a
lesson that is unique, engaging, and dynamic.
A teacher must be able to create
lessons that grab their students’ attention and make them want to keep coming
back for more.
A good teacher is dedicated.
Dedicated – Showing up everyday and
spending the necessary time to provide your students with the best education.
Teachers often arrive early and
stay late. They work parts of weekends and summer to ensure that they are
prepared.
A good teacher is determined.
Determined – Finding any means necessary to
reach all students no matter the challenge.
Teachers must be willing to do
anything to ensure that all students receive the education they need.
A good teacher is empathetic.
Empathetic– Being sensitive to a student’s struggles even though you may
not personally be able to relate to them.
A teacher must put themselves in
the student’s shoes and see it from their perspective. This approach is often
transcending in how to help the child succeed.
A good teacher is engaging.
Engaging – The ability to grab the
attention of a classroom full of students and to maintain their attention
throughout the entirety of class.
A teacher must create lessons
that are fun, fresh, and energetic. You want your student to walk out of your
class each day looking forward to the next.
A good teacher is evolving.
Evolving – A continuous process of year
over year improvement and growth.
A teacher must continuously look
for ways to improve themselves as well as individual lessons or components of
lessons.
A good teacher is fearless.
Fearless – Trying a new approach that may
be outside the norm and may receive criticism or scrutiny.
A teacher must be willing to try anything within the parameters
of school policy to reach their students. They must also be ready to defend their
approach to criticism.
A good teacher is forgiving.
Forgiving – Quickly putting incidents with
student, parents, or other teachers behind you so that it does not impact your
teaching.
Teachers must be able to get past
hurtful actions or accusations quickly. They must not hold it against any
student or let it impact how they teach in the classroom.
A good teacher is generous.
Generous – Volunteering for extra
assignments and/or giving money out of your own pocket for classroom needs or
individual student needs.
Teachers do not make enough
money, but most teachers are willing to donate time and/or money to help out in
areas where a need is recognized.
A good teacher has grit.
Grit – The determination to overcome
any obstacle in the way of obtaining a long term goal.
A teacher must possess the grit
necessary to make the personal sacrifices necessary to ensure that every goal
is reached every year.
A good teacher is inspirational.
Inspirational – The ability of a teacher to get
their students to buy into, believe in, and to be motivated to become life long
learners.
A teacher should make a lasting
inspirational impact that follows a student throughout their life.
A good teacher is joyful.
Joyful – Coming to class each day in a
good mood, excited, and enthusiastic about doing your job.
If the teacher has a lousy
attitude, the students are going to have lousy attitudes. If the teacher is
joyful, the students are going to be joyful.
A good teacher is kind.
Kindness
should be innate in all teachers. A mean spirit will turn students off, but a kind spirit is
invaluable.
A good teacher is organized.
Organized – The ability to keep things neat
and in order allowing teachers to access materials quickly and to make
efficient transitions.
Organization
is a necessary quality for every teacher. Teaching
encompasses so much that those who are unorganized will be overwhelmed and
swallowed up.
A good teacher is passionate.
Passionate – Teaching with enthusiasm and
exuberance on a daily basis because you love the content and your students.
A passionate teacher connects
with their curriculum and their students which maximizes learning.
A good teacher is patient.
Patient – The ability to see the whole
picture and to understand that the
school year is a marathon,
not a sprint.
A teacher must never give up on a student.
They should continuously try new strategiesunderstanding
that eventually something will work.
A good teacher is resilient.
Resilient – Not allowing adversity to stop
you from accomplishing your goals.
A teacher must be resilient in
overcoming the many obstacles that will present themselves over the course of a
year.
A good teacher is resourceful.
Resourceful – Finding a way to make things
happen.
A teacher must be able to figure
out how to get supplies and materials for their classroom when the funding is
not available and to reach a student who has no interest in learning.
A good teacher is trustworthy.
Trustworthy – The ability to get others
around you to believe in you and what you are doing.
A teacher must gain the trust of
both their students and parents. Any distrust will negatively impact the
classroom.
A good teacher is vulnerable.
Vulnerable – Allowing your students to gain
insight into your life without revealing a lot.
Vulnerability allows students to relate to their teachers as
they share in common interests such as sports, television, etc.
