From a student's perspective - what I like in a teacher (What qualities make an excellent teacher?)

Member Name: jesperado

Product:	What qualities make an excellent teacher?
Date:	26/02/09 (723 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Be authoritative, fair and inspiring

Disadvantages: Don't be condescending or a soft touch

I will always remember my high school English teacher Mr Hackett as the best teacher I have ever had. He was an incredibly intelligent, witty, inspiring and fun-loving man and I think it is because of his influence that I have such a love of literature to this day. It's difficult to capture exacty what it was about him which so changed my experience of learning but in this review I hope to pinpoint a few of the qualities which he and other great teachers had that made such an impact on my education and lead me to continue studying to MA level.

KNOW YOUR STUFF:
There is nothing worse than a teacher who doesn't know their subject and just teach what they are given. I appreciate that teachers have a heavy workload and they may not be experts on everything they teach but spending as much time as possible getting to know what you are teaching really makes a difference. I would imagine it would make controlling a class either as I have seen supply teachers ripped apart by classes of unruly kids who have spotted this weakness

BE AUTHORITATIVE:
Mr Hackett was that rare breed of eccentric English gent that commanded authority without ever shouting. Sometimes you can do more with a look than with volume. If you set a precedent of being too flexible with the rules, you won't keep control of the class so don't make empty threats of detention if you aren't prepared to follow them up. Also, don't try to be the best mate of the kids you teach, they won't respect you for it.

DON'T BE CONDESCENDING:
As well as Mr Hackett, I also had Miss Donnellan for English. She was the opposite of Mr Hackett: snobby, condescending, lacking in knowledge, unable to control a class and a bit apathetic. She acted like she was so much better than us for having been to university and would often make sarcastic comments about our fellow classmates to the whole class. She switched between trying to be one of us and trying to be a strict teacher and it just didn't work. Her attitude towards us made it difficult for us to trust her as a teacher and so no-one would go to her if they had a problem and would speak to another teacher instead which earned her a poor reputation amongst teachers in the department.

BE ORIGINAL:
I think this is one of the most difficult but most important aspects of a good teacher. Try to find new ways of conveying the information demanded by the curriculum. This way, it will stick in your students' minds and they will remember you for a long time. I still remember Mr Hackett throwing imaginary spears at people as we read Lord of the Flies.

Summary: I hope these tips are helpful to aspiring teachers