What Makes a Teacher Great?

First of all, teachers are people who impart more than knowledge. Good teachers inspire and instill a love of learning.

I’ve met both good and bad teachers. The good ones made me want to learn more, to put more effort into learning and to excel in what I was doing. The bad ones did just the opposite. “It takes a big heart to shape little minds,” and this is so true. “A good teacher is like a candle – it consumes itself to light the way for others.” (Mustafa Kemal Ataturk)

Patience, tolerance, respect and a joy in teaching is needed to light the way for others. Some are sorely lacking in some of those aspects while others excel. I’ve met both good and bad ones. Teachers act as “educators, mentors and role models, fostering critical thinking, creativity, and a love of learning.” That’s what good teachers do. Here’s the difference between the two.

“A teacher may be the lone sliver of light, for a child, on any given day or may be the shadow that silences a child’s hope. Teachers possess a true super power, to lift up or cast down. A teacher makes a difference, one way or another.” Angela Adams

I’ve met both.