What Makes A Good Teacher? Essay, Research Paper

Many people, even students attending a teacher training college, think that being a teacher is an easy task. Moreover, our society believes that any person can become a teacher; But experience has shown that not anybody is capable of being a teacher. There are a lot of personality traits that are required to be a good one.

First of all, a good teacher must have the necessary knowledge to teach his subject. Perhaps this item sounds as an obvious one, but there are cases in which students realise that their teacher is incapable of answering their questions. Consequently, a good teacher must brush up his knowledge to be prepared to clarify his student’s doubts.

Secondly, it is important that a teacher has a well – balanced personality. It is not easy to be in contact with students who differ greatly one from another. A good teacher should respect the different points of view of his students and not dismiss them. If so, the teacher will encourage his students to play an important part in the class, creating the necessary feedback.

Thirdly, the sense of justice, especially while dealing with adolescents, is of prime importance. When a teacher takes a decision, it has to be applied to all the students in the course. Preferences should be avoided, due to the fact that injustice creates a feeling of resentment in the other students in the class. Accordingly, a good teacher has to have recourse to common sense to give all his students an egalitarian treatment no matter what their colour, thoughts or religious beliefs are.

Another feature a teacher should have is to be helpful with his students. Sometimes students go through difficult situations, such as a relative death or their parents divorce, and need some help. A good teacher should listen to his students trying to be caring and supportive with them and advice them if necessary. This will show that the teacher is not a callous person and will help to improve the relationship between the teacher and his students.

Finally, a good teacher must be demanding with his students. It has been shown that lenient teachers do not gain students’ respect. On the contrary, students respect demanding teachers and remember them ever after finishing their studies. If a teacher is demanding, students do not have time on their hands to be unruly, because they have to work the whole class. This is the best way to be respected as a teacher.

It is clear that not anyone can be a teacher. Although there are many who work as teachers without being prepared, it is high time the Government took measures to give priority to those teachers who are well – prepared to guide a group of students in life and lead them to a successful career.