How to Be a Good Teacher

In order to be a good teacher, do you have to be the teacher who teaches the most content? Is good teaching the ability to enable your students to get good standardized test scores? Is good teaching the ability to have a neat and orderly classroom? Obviously these things all are important aspects of teaching. If you can accomplish these things you are an efficient, productive teacher but are you a good teacher?

Thinking back on school, which teacher stands out? Was your favorite teacher really the one who was most efficient? I doubt it. The teacher most important to me is not the teacher who kept the best records or even the one who helped me get the best grades. My favorite teacher was the one who left a cup of tea on my desk when he knew I was upset about something serious. He was an amazing teacher. Not only did he illuminate Shakespeare and make literature come to life but he cared about his students. He wasn't afraid to take a moment to let you know that he was pleased with something you wrote or an answer you gave. Instinctively, you knew you didn't want to let him down. He told jokes and made himself available at lunch to answer questions or calm a panicked student who was afraid her essay stunk. His ability to be a real person, in his students eyes, went beyond his teaching ability. His ability to remember how hard it is to be in high school made him the teacher that students adored. His classes were hard. His expectations were high. He wasn't known for giving out easy grades. He challenged you to think. He gave so much of himself in class that it was impossible to not be interested in what he was saying. It a sadder world for me knowing that Mr. Hallenbeck died far too young. His vibrancy and joy of life made a diference in so many lives. I know he taught me what it meant to be a good teacher.

It has almost been forgotten. It isn't much of a secret yet it is seldom encouraged. Working with the students who have had the most trouble in school it has become apparent to me what is a huge problem in our schools. There are far too many teachers who for one reason or another only see the students behaviors not the cause of their behaviors. I once had a student who had been suspended for telling the teacher "I'm not doing this stupid homework". I guess the teacher forgot he had learning difficulties and was identified as having emotional problems. Why shouldn't he have had a bad atitude about homework? Certainly suspending him didn't help improve his attitude about school work. I know this is radical but maybe she should have checked to make sure the work wasn't too hard for him or if he needed extra help in order to understand the work. One time a young man with Asperger's Syndrome was placed in my class after his teacher put up a stink about having him in her room. She had the nerve to tell me that he was rude and stared at her when she told him to do something. She went on to complain that he also always said no when he was asked to stop doing something so a new activity could begin. She was so outraged by his behavior I was simply stunned. Let's see, he had a 20 second processing delay that was the cause of his "staring". It literally took him 20 seconds to understand what you asked of him and if you spoke to him before those 20 seconds were up you only reset the clock. He also had extreme trouble transitioning and he always said no when it was time to transition. If you gave him cues that a transition was coming up soon his anxiety was eased. That enabled him to transition with less fuss. All the behaviors that she attributed to him doing to annoy her were just a part of who he was. He needed accomodation and instruction; not to be labeled as a rude kid. It was no secret to me that his problems in her classroom were an indication of her lack of caring and lack of understanding. That teacher obviously didn't know the secret to being a good teacher.

Here it is...the big secret. It's earth shattering so hold on to your seats. Don't teach unless you really like kids. I'm always surprised when I meet a teacher who is completely miserable doing their job and yet they keep teaching. Care about them and let them know you do. Always look for the reasons behind a students behavior. Talk to your students. You'll be surprised at how much you can learn about them. Last but not least, remember you can't help every student but it is your responsibility to try to help even if they don't want it. If your not the person, a kid in trouble, is connecting with, find someone else who can help that student. Love what you do, even on the hard days. It all really boils down to caring. When you care the kids know it. They respond to that. Students will only remember a portion of what teachers teach them but they never forget the lesson of kindness and genuine caring.