"Merely speaking a language does not a good teacher make."

Teaching is more of a passion than a profession, and great teachers have certain traits and abilities that make them special.

Here is a list of characterisics that I feel a good teacher should have:

• A sense of Purpose and Responsibility

A great teacher should be aware of the PURPOSE of being a teacher, and the role a teacher plays in their students' lives. A teacher has enormous influence on their students, and can make or break their interst in a subject. With this power and influence comes the RESPONSIBILITY to carry out our duty effectively.

• A Positive Attitude

Teaching is full of trials and tribulations but, as teachers, we cannot let these issue affect how we teach and interact with our students. Teachers are role models for students, and having a positive attitude both in and outside the classroom will make you a more successful, happier teacher.

• Creative and Resourceful

Teachers need all the help they can get to keep their students motivated and interested in the class. A great teacher will compliment the books they are using with interesting, fun, and effective methods of making what is being taught, applicable and meaningful for their students. Presenting new ideas to students in creative ways is an important part of the teaching process. Great teachers are always thinking of new ways to get the point across to their students. They find inspiration for their teaching methods in their everyday enviroment. Using the things at their disposal, to get the job done.

• Empathy for your Students

A great teacher can put themselves in their students' shoes, and look at the content of the lesson from their students' point of view. They understand the difficulties and problems their students may have in learning the new material, and find ways to help their students overcome these difficulties.

• Be Prepared and Flexible

A large part of a teacher's job is the preparation process. Being well prepared for a class is a basic requirement for every teacher and is a responsibility a teacher owes to their students. Being prepared for a class enables a teacher to focus all their attention on their students and the teaching/learning process in the classroom. Preparedness also enables the teacher to be more flexible in dealing with unforseen circumstances, that may arise in the classroom. A teacher with a well planned lesson is much better equipped to deal with any disruptions to the class. They will also be more confident to explore and elaborate on any particular point that the students are having a problem with, or which they find interesting. Being prepared and flexible are thus complementary concepts.

• High Expectations
  

A great teacher has high expectations of their students and themselves. They set goals for their students and themselves, and then plan strategies to attain these goals. They not only set the goals for their students, but they help students to attain the goals.

• A Love of Students

A great teacher treats each student in their class as a child of their own. After each class a great teacher asks themselves the question: "If my child was in the class today, would I be saticefied with the teacher's performance?" The honest answer to this question will determine how good a teacher you are.