Im doing a research paper on what makes a good teacher. What do you think makes a good teacher?
What a good question. I have taught many subjects in many settings for over 30 years and still ask this often. Effective taching is both an art and a science; it is also a way of thinking and feeling. Many volumes have been written on the subject. I’ll try to use my training and experience in a manageable form. The most important aspect isn’t a skill; it’s a state of mind and heart. To teach well, one needs to want to teach, to impart knowledge and wisdom and to positively affect his students. (I use the masculine pronoun for the third person singular because it is proper English; the following applies equally to men and women.) A good teacher thinks of the student first. It isn’t about satisfying himself but about enriching the audience. The saying is true: Nobody cares what you know until he knows that you care. A great teacher WANTS to teach. All the skill in the world won’t be enough to overcome a lack of caring. This desire to help will move the teacher to constantly improve both
