ALT-10 The Characteristics of a Good Teacher
To be a good teacher one must first believe that he/she is capable of handling the world's most precious cargo-our children. It is imperative that self-test takes place to weigh your personal attributes that would be an asset to your community, the student, and the school. A good teacher should be patient, honest, humorous, a self- motivator, strong, humble, and educated.
Patience is a virtue. To have a slow tongue to blame and an open ear to understand will allow students to bond with the teacher and build a trust. You must not be in a haste to teach a lesson or to receive feedback from students. All students do not learn the same, so therefore you must deliver and patiently wait. To be honest will cover the bounds of confidentiality when it comes to personal records and/or students areas for growth. Students trust that teachers will take care of them and this is a needed characteristic.
To laugh is the key to the soul. Students are often burdened with the trials of life and school is the only safe haven they have. Creating an environment that helps students escape will work hand-in-hand with laughter. Self-motivation is a tool that we try to instill in students; so therefore, we must possess it as well. Teachers have to be creative in the delivery of a lesson and it is a unique talent that only the best can display. This is a part of that environment. Make your classroom come alive, students will embrace it and appreciate it.
Strength to stand for what is right and to be a voice for your students is a strong characteristic. Students will be more apt to open up to you if they know that you are there for them, you will handle situations for them. To be humble, allows teachers to be the friend, mother, father, or confidant students often need in the classroom. Being that teachers have the students for long periods of time, relationships are built and humility is often needed to understand what the students deal with before arriving to school.
The best of us are born with the ability to teach, but there is still a respect for the need to be educated. Teachers must seek a program of study that will best suit the area of concentration they desire. You must research your state and district laws to determine your area for certification in which to teach.
