ALT-13 The Characteristics of a Good Teacher
We have all experienced at least one "great" teacher in our lives. His or her name is still remembered. You often wonder where he or she is today. From that memory, you can make a list describing a great teacher.
Attributes of a GREAT Teacher
1. A good teacher never embarrasses students in front of their peers. 2. A good teacher listens to students and then responds. 3. A good teacher loves teaching, and the students know this. 4. A good teacher introduces students to new, exciting ideas in a fun manner. 5. A good teacher notices when a student is having a bad day and helps him/her cope. 6. A good teacher loves each student regardless of sex, color, or looks. 7. A good teacher brings in surprises for his/her students. 8. A good teacher inspires students to want to learn and do their best. 9. A good teacher is admired by co-workers as well as students. 10. A good teacher is hard to replace and hard to forget.
My Favorite Teacher
You'll never forget your favorite teacher who made you want to become just like him/her. Even at the age of 64, I vividly remember Miss Menifee, my first and second grade teacher. I loved her very much. She introduced me to classical music and my imagination. At rest time, she would put on Bach or Beethoven; she would then ask us to close our eyes and think about the music; then we were told to dance in our heads or make up a story to go with the music. I loved those times best.
My Role Model
I recently retired from teaching; my last five years seemed to emulate Miss Menifee's love of music as I introduced my high school students to Bach and Beethoven. The music seemed to relax them and allowed them to do their work more efficiently. I taught writing, but what I taught the most was creativity. That, too, came from Miss Menifee. I had other favorite teachers along the way: Miss Smith, my tenth grade English teacher; Mrs. Bradford, my fifth grade teacher who had a piano in our classroom (music, music, music); and Miss Turbyville, a college professor who showed me love and friendship far after college was over.
My Inspiration
How many of you were inspired to become a teacher by a teacher? Our world would be in a bad way if we didn't have these tireless heroes of every-day life. I often think about these special teachers and wish I could tell them how much they meant to me, but like others, we never realize that influence until late in life; then we ponder on such things and remember those who had a lot to do with who we are today. My wish is that someday someone will remember me and the positive impact I had on his/her life.
