For anyone interested in becoming a teacher, it is essential for them to enquire what qualities that make a good teacher. A good teacher is characterized by numerous qualities which make it possible for them to do the job well. Without a doubt, every teacher comes with his own unique blend of such qualities. Every teacher is different, but every good teacher must possess the following qualities: passion for teaching, an in-depth content knowledge, a respect for students and an effective classroom management style.
The first quality essential to an effective teacher is a passion for teaching. There are many ways through which this quality can grow itself. It is easy to know when a teacher is passionate about teaching. While some teachers may portray it in the way they teach in class, some teachers show this quality in not so clear ways - students have to be observant and quiet to be able to notice it. Robert Fried states in his book "The Passionate Teacher: A Practical Guide", "to be passionate teacher is to be someone in love with a field of knowledge, deeply stirred by issues and ideas that challenged our world, drawn to the dilemmas and potentials of the young people who come into class each day or captivated by all of these" (Fried, page 1). Speaking to all the teachers, he says: "The passion that accompanies our attention to subjects, issues, and children is not just something we offer our students. It is also a gift we grant ourselves: a way of honoring our life's work, our profession. It says: 'I know why I am devoting this life I've got to these children'" (Fried, page 19). Adding stories from instructors he has met in his career, Fried brings passionate teaching to life by demonstrating ways that specific teachers establish relationships with their students, create classroom environments that promote integrity and respect, and provide students with opportunities to take ownership of their learning. Students referred to one passionate teacher who developed close relationships with her students as "not only a teacher, but a kind of mother to us" (Fried, page 11). With this example, Fried emphasizes that students felt so close to this teacher that they used familial language to describe their relationship with her. With these and other examples, Fried hopes to demonstrate practical ways that passionate teaching can take place in real classrooms. Also, their passion is not only for the activity of teaching, but also for the ends it serves. From seeing a student's face light up with understanding after finally working through a complex math problem, to watching students immerse themselves into new worlds through classical literature, teachers derive great joy from seeing their students grow and learn. Unfortunately, while many teachers enter their jobs with this passion and drive, some feel this spark dim as their careers progress. Some teachers struggle to manage classrooms, meet national educational standards, and communicate w...
