7 Characteristics of an Amazing Teacher That All Students Will Look up to ...

1. Love

Believe it or not, there are plenty of teachers in schools that don’t like children. Those teachers may be good at the act of teaching, but it takes more than standing up in front of a classroom and presenting material to be a great teacher. One of the characteristics of an amazing teacher is their love for children. Each of my favorite teachers had a fondness for all their students that made them amazing at their jobs. If a teacher doesn’t love kids, it’ll be extremely difficult to make a child feel loved and emotionally secure, which aids in the child’s intellectual and emotional development. When a teacher has love for children, that teacher is able to reach their students in numerous ways, and in doing so they become one of the child’s most favorite and amazing teachers!

2. Tenderness

Effective teachers exhibit tenderness and compassion. They observe their students' emotions, accept them, and respond sensitively with those emotions in mind. Unfortunately there are teachers who act in ways that make their students feel worthless and unintelligent, but great teachers avoid this. They make sure to compliment and encourage the children, especially when the child works hard! Was your favorite teacher tender and compassionate?

3. Patience

Patience is a must when working with students, especially young children. The younger the children, the more time it takes for them to complete tasks and comprehend directions. Great teachers are patient. That’s not to say that they don’t ever get a little frustrated or restless, but for the most part, they are willing to take the extra time their students need to help them excel to their highest potential.

4. Confidence

Amazing teachers are confident in their abilities and the decisions they make even when the children don’t understand. Children feed off of the teacher’s emotions, and if the teacher is frazzled, the students will definitely notice. Relaxed and confident teachers tend to be the more effective in the classroom. When teachers are confident, the students feel secure and more likely to accept their instructions.

5. Commitment

Being a teacher is both difficult and time consuming. Great teachers are committed to their jobs and the students. There are so many demands and expectation for teachers, and the best teachers are prepared to deal with them and do the best they can for the children. If your favorite teacher gave up on you when the going got tough, that person probably wouldn’t be your favorite teacher.

6. Sense of Humor

I can honestly say that every good teacher I've ever had, had a great sense of humor! They made me laugh at least 3 times a day. A sense of humor is useful for both the teacher and the student. Laughing makes the job much more enjoyable, and the children absolutely love adults who can laugh and make them laugh. I’ve had a few stick in the mud teachers, and not only were they boring, they weren’t great at teaching either!

7. Desire

Lastly, amazing teachers actually want to be teachers! Students can always tell when a teacher doesn’t want to be there. Not every day will be the greatest, but successful teachers have more good days than bad. Teaching can be taxing and demanding, which is why it’s important to actually want to teach. If teachers don’t have that personal desire to work with children, it’ll be hard for the students and the teachers to endure school altogether.

It takes a special kind of person to become an amazing teacher. If you’re on the path to becoming a teacher, keep these characteristics in mind and I’m sure your students will love you! Did your teachers have these 7 characteristics? Share your experiences working with children or when you were in you favorite teacher’s classroom!

Sources:
Herr, J. (1998). Working with young children. Tinley Park, IL: The Goodheart-Willcox Company, Inc.