4 Qualities for a Good Teacher

            The beginning of a new school year makes students consider many things. Will I have friends in any of my classes?  What will we play in gym?  Will I be able to remember my locker combination?  Will my teachers be any good?  I propose that the last question is one of the most important asked by every student at all levels of academia.  This question makes one wonder what qualities are necessary in a good teacher.  This being said, it is my opinion that the four qualities a teacher must possess are: approachability, trustworthiness, passion, and the ability to inspire.

            When meeting new people, human beings tend to gravitate toward those who are friendly and respectful.  Being approachable makes it possible to form lasting relationships that can stand up to stressors produced by the outside world.  This trait is doubly important for teachers to possess.  Students who feel connections to their teachers are more likely to be engaged in class.  If they are given the chance to see that their teachers are actual people (yes, they do exist outside of school), students will understand that their teachers are not lofty, smarter-than-thou people whose job it is to make them feel inferior.  They will see other human beings who deserve respect and will give it because they have received it. 

            Trustworthiness is another important quality for teachers to possess.  Students will be skeptical, to say the least, if they feel as if their teachers are not trustworthy.  Trust can be established through the simplest actions.  For instance, teachers should realize that they do not always have to be right.  If they do not know the answer to a question, they should admit it and seek an answer.  This genuine approach to students will help them see their teachers as flawed human beings who are still learning.  Through this, solidarity can be established.  Furthermore, if a teacher makes a commitment, they must keep it.  Teachers are pillars in the lives of their students.  If these pillars appear to be faulty, students will not feel safe.  Trust must be established and maintained in order for students to learn.  Also, it is important to understand that trust should be earned, not just expected. 

            Although knowledgeability is important in any profession, teachers would be remiss if they lacked passion for the content they teach.  It does not matter if you have Toni Morrison or Stephen Hawking teaching your classes—if they are not passionate about what they do, students will not be either.  The best teachers are those who get excited about Shakespeare or theoretical cosmology.  These subjects truly interest them and that interest is realized in the palpable, excited atmospheres of their classrooms. 

            The final quality required for a good teacher is the ability to inspire students.  In some ways, this quality is synonymous with being passionate.  A teacher can inspire their students by being a living example.  Being passionate is not enough, though.  Inspirational teachers tell their students that: their best is good enough; they are good enough; it is good to make mistakes; and they are worth the effort of teaching.  If students feel like any of these statements are true, they will not be afraid to take risks.  They will be able to pass that encouragement on to others someday.  Maybe, if we are lucky enough, our students will actually be able to see themselves as we see them.  Wouldn’t that be amazing?  Things teachers say can last for a lifetime—inspirational teachers make sure what they say should be remembered.