Expert: James J. Kovalcin - 7/10/2010

Question
what makes a good teacher?

Answer
That is really a tough question!
Let me start by what I think is required.
1. You must know your subject matter through and through. Research has shown that this is the 1st and most important prerequisite!
2. You must be able to control classroom discipline. Without this very little learning can occur. This is NOT to say that you must be a strict disciplinarian - quite the contrary - the special skill is to get students to do what you want them to do without them knowing that you want them to do it. You might want to look up a book from the 1960's-70's called "Teaching as a Subversive Activity" by Charles Weingartner [Available on Amazon].
3. You must be able to get along with students of the age you will be teaching. I have often encountered other adults who when they find that I teach juniors and seniors in high school are appalled and a little bit frightened. For me high school juniors and seniors were always easy to talk to and get along with [never mind the occasional "in sane" student - they really do exist!]
4. You need to be able to inspire - the students must think that what you are teaching is important. I still remember the "Back to School Night" where my daughter's history teacher stated "We all know history can be boring!" - I knew, correctly, that this was not going to be a good year for my daughter. She never did forget that teacher -  but not in a good way.
5. A good teacher must be patient and persevering. Most students will NOT understand everything the first time you do it! Sometimes it will take many repetitions! Keep trying!
6. You must be open to and constructively critical of new ideas. Select the best from each new idea and discard the rest. This is sometimes very difficult after having invested so much time and effort into a particular idea or approach.

Other important points to ponder.
1. Remember that some of your students may not be coming from the best of homes - sometimes you just need to give them a break. I remember one student whose father and uncle were both in prison and another whose mother chased her out of the house with an ax after having burned all of her books and papers [A psychotic mother who was NOT taking her medications!]
2. A good teacher can expect to invest MANY extra hours beyond the regular school day. I think that over my career I averaged a bit over 50 hours each week when school was in session. And being absent from school for any reason was often more work than being present!
3. Sometimes you will just not be able to do all of the things being expected of you by students, parents, counselors, administrators and your family. Each year more and more is being demanded of a good teacher's time. And the better you are at your job, the more will be asked of you!

Hopefully, some of this information will be useful to you!