Characteristics of a Good Teacher

• One of the most important attribute of a good teacher is to be a good communicator. He should be comfortable explaining things and enjoy doing the same.
• At times, a teacher might feel like yelling or shouting at students, but a good teacher is one who knows how to keep the temper in check and act calmly in such situations.
• A good sense of humor is another great tool that helps a teacher to simplify his task. Wit and humor, when applied in the proper manner, can form an important part of a successful teaching program.
• A good teacher must have good time management skills and always value the importance of time. In fact, wise utilization of time is the hallmark of a good teacher.
• A teacher should always adopt a fair attitude, when it comes to making any form of evaluations. He should be fair to his profession and assess students on their performance, instead of personal rapports and likings.
• A good teacher should have the necessary command over the subject matter he teaches. This way, he can be comfortable while explaining things. Besides, he will be equipped with answers of any possible questions that might crop up during the lecture sessions.
• A teacher should be dedicated towards his work. He should not kill his time in the classroom and wait for the school bell to ring. Instead, taking out time and engaging in after-school meetings and activities is what suits him.
• A good teacher should be meticulous and have an eye for detail. In fact, a disorganized person would find the vocation unsuitable and unfulfilling. Well thought-out plans and programs for teaching will assist the productivity of a teacher.
• A good teacher should be a good leader and a good friend. He should also be a disciplinarian and the students must look up to him. However, this should not stop him from acting like an ally under certain situations.

The characteristics of a good teacher

by Alex Landis

Created on: February 06, 2008   Last Updated: September 27, 2011

In a lifetime, we as people will be graced with the presence of one great teacher. If we are lucky, it'll be two. These people end up shaping our lives for the better because of their greatness, and we deeply admire them for that.

A great teacher has many faces. They may typically be a professor or teacher in the classroom, but often they can be our family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors. It makes no difference who they are really, or what their profession, but great teachers all have one thing in common. They instill inside us values, knowledge, hopes and dreams. Once they've been taught to us, we are changed for the rest of our lives.

Teachers who teach for a profession have high expectations to meet. They hold our young children's minds in their hands and mold them like pieces of fine clay. Greatness is expected form these teachers as they are responsible for helping bring our children into their adult lives. This is partly why it is important to find the characteristics that these great teachers share. If teachers are to be taught themselves, they must be taught the excellent traits of their peers before them.

Let's take a look at the qualities that define a great teacher.

1. Love What They Do

There is no question, that awesome teachers love to teach. Not doing it for the money, prestige, or glory, they teach because it brings them an incredible feeling of satisfaction knowing they are contributing positively to the futures of others. If a teacher doesn't have this inner satisfaction, and does not enjoy what they do, they'll never be able to make lasting impressions in their students minds. Passion has great impact, and this is something that all great teachers have.

2. Good Communicators

A teacher has the responsibility of bridging the gap between themselves and their students, so good communication skills are a must. It's difficult sometimes to relate to people, especially children, so that learning can happen in their minds, but excellent teachers are masters of this. Relating to students on the student's level, these teachers have developed many ways to reach their students, and communicate using terrific speaking skills, visual aids, and even in their body language.

3. Admirable

In order for a teacher to be great, they must be admirable. These teachers lead lives of high moral ground, and they set an example to their students because of it. Really though, admirable teachers are more credible than others. We as people are much more likely to listen to those we admire, because we wish to be like them. Models of who we would like to someday be, great teachers help show us the way.

4. Positive Reinforcement
Instead of using strict punishment to discipline students, great teachers know how to use positive reinforcement to discipline instead. These teachers understand that negatively hinders how their students learn, creates resentment in the students minds, and ends up breaking the ties of the student-teacher relationship. Often these teachers reward their students for doing a good job, so they are more apt to doing it in the future.
5. Fair & Just
Equality is an ideal that great teachers hold dear to themselves. They treat their students equally, yet giving them the individual attention they need. No child is left out in the mind of a wonderful teacher, and they make it a mission to teach them all the same. In doing so, they end up teaching their students the importance of equality and fair treatment, even if the teacher hadn't intended to do so.
6. Leadership
Great teachers are leaders. In the classroom, they own the spotlight, and have the responsibility of being strong instructors so that students listen to them with determination. They have to lead their students on the right path through the learning experience, and help by showing the obstacles that may stand in the student's way.
7. Committed.
There is no doubt that a great teacher is committed. They go above and beyond the time requirements of a typical teacher, and are willing to help students whenever they need it. Great teachers are very committed to the curriculum they teach, and like their students, are always continuing to learn in the hopes of becoming even better teachers.
8. Understanding
Great teachers understand their students better than most people. They understand where their students came from, who they are, and know the best avenue to take them to who they will become. Great teachers have an uncanny understanding of what they teach, because they are experts in their fields of knowledge.
9. Compassion & Caring
There is suffering in the world, and a great teacher recognizes this and has the inner desire to help. Great teachers help by teaching, because they know that by giving knowledge to the next generation, they are creating individuals who will have the skills, compassion, and dedication to ending suffering. Great teachers care about the world and what they do and wouldn't have things any other way.
10. Confidence

A teacher can't teach without confidence. Students won't believe in a teacher that first doesn't believe in there-self. Great teachers are confident that they know how to teach, and in what they are teaching. Nothing stands in the way of this confidence, and the teacher does their best not to become arrogant about the job they do.

11. Prepared

Excellent teachers are prepared. They know they steps necessary in their curriculum to teach students, and follow them well. These teachers are always ready to go when the time calls for it and they never leave their students lost and not knowing the direction they are headed. Great teachers stick to the plans they've prepared, in order to teach the beat way possible

12. Professionalism

Professionalism is the sign of a great teacher. They know that as someone who is responsible for helping people learn, they must take their work seriously. Terrific teachers dress well, have good hygiene, and treat their students with respect. They believe in timeliness, and are never late and rarely miss days they are assigned to work. In do so, their students respect them, and are more willing to learn from them.

There are many qualities that make up a great teacher, and these are some of the most important ones. The next time you think about that awesome teacher you had, whomever it may be, think about these qualities and what it takes to be a person who lives a life of admiration. If we truly learn from these people that have shaped our lives, then maybe we can become teachers too.