What makes a good teacher? | 9 qualities of a good teacher

A Young student might say that a good teacher or best tutor is someone who provides pupils with fun activities, entertainment and gives very little homework.  Nevertheless, after gaining experience and a sense of responsibility with the passage of time, their perspective may change. 

Teaching is a very essential and noble profession. It is one of the most important jobs in the world; the core is that it is not actually a business like any other profession. However, there are some characteristics that help you become even more effective teacher. It seems great teaching has less to do with knowledge and abilities than the attitude towards the students. Here we, home tutors in Lahore, have tried to narrow down the list of qualities of a great teacher that I feel are the most essential.  Of course, this list is not full, and there will certainly be many more traits that can make a good teacher great.

A good teacher motivates the student. 

Life as a teacher is not a bed of roses. We as Quran teachers online have experienced that you cannot have every student of yours truly learn or like the subject you teach. A great teacher or needs to deliver motivational speeches and success stories to inspire students and to make them understand the importance of learning. You might not see the results of it right away, but after some time when you will meet some of your students, they would tell you that the motivational lessons you gave them helped them a lot in the course of their life.

 A great teacher can relate to the students.

Students might not take interest in lessons if they feel a lack of a sense of community and belonging in the classroom. Young students have their own language. They have their own way of thinking, and they want their teacher to think like them and understand what is inside of their head. Therefore, teachers need to create a safe, positive, and collaborative learning environment to build trusting relationships with students. Teachers have to get down to their level in order to understand them and get them to learn. Students will give more respect to the teacher and each student will be aware that he or she is an important part of the group. There will be less disruption in class and the students will get the opportunity to be taught.

 A great teacher teaches the skills of life.

Most of you may have been told many times in class “to concentrate”, but a few would have been really taught ‘how’.  So, it is crucial to teach students skills that help increase attention and focus on the tasks at hand, by practically showing them ‘how’. Having said that, teachers should also pay attention in class. Students are familiar with the phrase “Pay attention to the teacher”, but a teacher should also be a person to pay attention in class, it does not mean that the teacher has to keep his or her phone turned off at all times but it is that he has to ensure the students’ learning, make a relationship with them which should be more than a teacher-student relationship and not to make school a nightmare for them that they want to end it at any time.

 A great teacher has a flexible approach.

For a teacher, no two days are the same. Lesson plans are important to map each class’s curriculum, but it is not uncommon for a carefully mapped lesson not to work well – sometimes it is even necessary to discard the plan entirely. Teachers should evaluate their teaching lessons and find new ways to present them to make sure that each student understands the key concepts.

 A great teacher keeps on learning.

He or she encourages students with his or her craving for learning. He or she constantly renews him/herself as a professional in his/her pursuit to provide students with the highest quality education possible. Furthermore, teachers showing vulnerability can have a huge, positive impact on students and encourage their own risk-taking and creativity. The more teachers ‘’lift the veil’’ on their own learning, struggle, and progress, the more teacher-student connection can be established.

A great teacher smiles and is caring & kind.

One of the greatest quotes is “kindness makes the world go around.” kindness fosters a friendly education environment. It is at the core of ethos. If you are kind as a teacher, the students around you will be willing to take risks and stop being cautious about potential trouble. They will be more open to learning or sharing what they know, and will likely accelerate the whole learning process. What’s more, a smile can do the magic and it is the thing a teacher can do to keep his or her students at comfort and welcome them to class. With the simple power of a smile, they know they are in a safe and caring environment. Once this is clear, there can be and will be a place to learn. One of the reasons to teach people is to create a pleasant and nurturing environment where learning can be fun.

 A great teacher listens to students.

If schools employ teachers not to have an intense understanding of a subject, but with a deep understanding of students, schools would change and transform drastically. Listening is one of the key skills in life. Listening to students is important in building connections based upon trust and mutual respect. Teachers who do listen, influence the lives of their students in a positive way. There are higher chances of students to ask for additional support when struggling with studies if they are in a setting where they are aware that they are taken seriously.

 A great teacher doesn’t focus on grades.

Sometimes teachers care too much about grades. We can not ignore the fact that perfect grades are important to get into a good university, but they do not reflect your personality and they are not everything. Embracing that marks you achieved and moving forward are more important in education. Aiming for perfect grades can also have a bad effect on students’ mental health and, in consequence, can actually slow down their performance. Be realistic about what your students can achieve. While it would be nice to see all students accomplish well above the norm, some simply cannot.

A great teacher doesn’t compare one student with another.

Albert Einstein once said, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” Your students have their own unique sets of strengths, aptitudes, and desires. All students are unique in their own individual ways. They all have special abilities that others lack and vice versa.

This is how we should accept them instead of comparing themselves with others, and do not treat them as an indistinguishable group. Setting different goals for your students, and encourage them to focus on achieving those goals. By letting them move at their own pace and focus on what they like and how they can become a better learner and a better person, you may not overlook your students’ unique qualities. Praise them and recognize where their strengths are, and inspire them to use them to their advantage. Students don’t have to be perfect in their work, but their passion can make their drive and strength of mind successful.

All in all, when a teacher can maintain the relationship with students, the feeling of trust in each other rises at the same time. As long as students trust the teacher, they feel that they need to involve themselves in the learning process. Teachers do have such a big impact on students’ life that they help shape their future. Having said that, there are two sides to every story, so students also need to show understanding for their teachers and look up to them. The next article might be about that so stay tuned.

Feel free to leave below what quality of your teacher you think made him or her a great teacher.