What Makes a Good Teacher?

What Makes a Good Teacher?

                Whether you are a teacher, parent, student, or some other helpful, contributing member of society, I’m sure that you are aware of the fact that there is no guidebook or set of tasks exist for people to follow which will in turn give them the attributes of a good teacher. It comes from within. So who better to ask the opinion of what makes a good teacher than the students who are directly benefiting from the teachings of these noble individuals? Here is the combined answer of two groups of grade ten students when asked exactly that:

Are your students mistaken for an army of sleeping beauties? Is a ravenous shark eating all of the enthusiasm out of your classroom, leaving nothing but a prison-like environment? There are some teachers who are passionate about their work, and really attempt to make each of their lessons interactive, original, and fun. Sadly, this isn’t the case with all of our educators. If it were up to us, the students, this would be the first prerequisite on the list of qualifications when selecting teachers. They need to be able to know their students, and set up their lessons in accordance with the class dynamics. These teachers are faced with the enormous challenge of trying to make their subject matter interesting and enjoyable, while fixing it into the brains of their pupils so that it won’t be washed away by a wave of video games and television in these technological times.

Teachers affect students learning if they have a good personality. When teachers use humour, they create a more interesting class and engage their students more. For example, those who capture the attention of students by making jokes and connections about things in their personal lives are easier to relate to. It makes the students more interested in the subject while keeping them entertained and ensuring that they understand the lesson. It is also important for the teacher to be approachable, enabling their students to feel comfortable asking for help, which is an important part of the learning process.

                To positively affect a student’s learning experience, a good environment is essential. This could include an organized and well maintained classroom, or being mentally and physically active by doing warm ups for the brain and stretches. Studies have shown that the average human brain can only retain a certain amount of information in one sitting, and that it can only work to its full potential for twenty minutes at a time. A solution to this is being able to get out of your seat occasionally to stretch or participate in a physical learning activity. Following this, a classroom that is decorated in an enthusiastic manner results in a positive learning environment. People relax when they are in a setting in which they feel comfortable, which helps them learn better. A good learning atmosphere includes a variety of different activities. For instance, not only taking notes off of an overhead, but also being able to work in groups, with everyone contributing. Finally, if the teacher posts up examples of previous students’ work, it can help other to grasp the idea and know what to do. The environment impacts a student’s ability to learn well, but that’s also where a teacher’s swag kicks in.

                And finally, swag; like the cherry on top of a chocolate sundae, swag (or swagger, for you folk of an older vintage) is what completes the teacher. One who knows the subject they are teaching, while keeping their students engaged and interested in learning it is truly a rare combination. It’s that x-factor, that indefinable quality that nobody can quite put their finger on, but is easy to detect if it is there.

                We believe that a zippy personality, a laid back environment, and a confident swag add up to make a great teacher. Don’t be the punishing, super-strict teacher, be the funny, easy-going one that all the students love. You don’t want your classroom to be nicknamed, ‘The Dungeon’, so ensure that it is a healthy environment that people enjoy coming to. And a teacher without swag is like a PB+J without peanut butter, it’s too plain. So is your classroom the sleeping quarters for an army of well-trained and mindless drones? Or is it a creativity-filled place where learning is fun?

Ms. Dolha’s Grade 10 English Class