What makes a good teacher? (High school)?

Question

I have to write a speech about how to be a good teacher (high school teacher).

Please tell me what makes a good high school teacher and what doesn't! Thanks :)

Answer 1

as a soon to be senior, i know what i look for in a teacher. i like a teacher with a sense of humor, and one that wont give much homwork. basically go to the classroom, teach,and make sure students learned everything they were supposed to. my teacher used to say that u dont understand sometthing, until you can teach it to someone else.

Answer 2

In a word...passion.

Passion for finding a way to reach every student

Passion for inspiring, nurturing, and helping every student to grow and to maximize their potential (note...which will not make you an 'easy' teacher!)

Passion for learning and improving--a good teacher is constantly learning and refining their practice

Passion for the subject you teach--enthusiasm is contagious!

One comment I would like to add in regard to other people's comments...Teachers shouldn't be your friends...they can be friendly..they can be a mentor, confidante, someone you trust and respect...someone who you can go to if you need them, but they're not your friend.  The word friend connotates a peer or an equal...which they are not.  Kids don't need teachers to be their friends...they have peers for that.  I have lots of kids come to me, confide in me, ask my advice, etc.  I do lots of extra things outside of school like go to their recitals, plays, sports they're involved in, etc.  This is both while and AFTER they're in my class...years later even!  But the bottom line is that friendship is a reciprocal relationship. Wouldn't it be kinda creepy if my students were MY friends, who I went to with my problems, etc?  A good teacher can differentiate between these these roles.   Kids have enough friends...what they tend to lack are good role models and mentors--that's what a good teacher should be!

Answer 3

Exactly the opposite of everything Philly 20 described.  Sounds like a great pal or older brother, but a lousy, unprofessional teacher.

We are not their friends.  Not everything in life can be "entertaining."  If all teachers do is entertain the children like circus bears, then we won't be preparing them for college or the professions.

Fairness, meaningful assignments, well prepared lessons with clear objectives, respect, firmness, CONSISTENCY, and most importantly passion and subject matter knowledge.

Answer 4

BE NICE!

to make a good teacher you got to be nice.

:I

Answer 5

As a mother of 4 with 2 of them being in high school and also being a high school teacher, I think I may be able to help! First of all I know how hard it is to be a teenager! I know that there are so many things that seem really big to a teenager that parents and many teachers think are silly. SO as a teacher, I try really hard to understand that if someone is upset, happy, excited or freaked out about something, no matter how silly it may seem to me, I should respect that persons feelings and try to give comfort, praise, ideas to help, or just lend an ear if needed to that student without tattling or spreading the news unless it is something the student is proud of! A teacher needs to be able to teach his/her students in a way that is fun and has meaning to the students! (If your students don't see why they are learning something, they will not want to learn that material.) A teacher should be there to help in the morning and the afternoons so that even if you have job, play a sport, or just can't stay after school then you can still come a little early! I always give my students my cell phone # so that they can get me anytime. I tell students that if they make a mistake down the road, they can ALWAYS call me and I will help them any way that I can. I tell my students that you can always do something, you just can't take it back. BUT IF you do something and could potentially get into trouble because of it then call me and together we can figure out what to do. I have had students to call me because they have gotten drunk and didn't know what to do and they had to get home before curfew. I have gone to pick them up, helped them find the courage to call their parents and help talk to the parents saying that it took a lot of courage to get some help instead of driving home hhoping that nobody would find out. It has always worked out. We have been through losing friends/studentsteachers, due to car accidents, and illnesses. We have cried together and laughed together. A teacher has to know that they are not always right and sometimes has to say, "My bad, I was wrong"! A teacher HAS to be trustworthy! IF your students cannot trust you, you will never be a good teacher! I love all of my students! Purple hair, tatoos, piercings, and all. I don't jusdge a person on the things that really don't matter. I look at their character and their willingness to try! In my class, if you do what I ask of you and actually put forth effort, you WILL NOT fail my class. I will work with a student until he/she "gets it". I look at it like this, If I don't want to help my students through all of the stresses of being a teenager then I don't need to be with them every day of their high school years. A teacher should not be bugged by the kids that need them and want to jsut sit and talk. Sometimes that kid may not have anyone to talk to at home. Kids need hugs and I am not afraid to give them one! I have had many letters saying that if it were not for me, that student would not have made it, would have given up on school and some even have said given up on life. That is a big deal to me! It makes me feel great!!!! I know that I have a purpose in life and I know that I am good at what I do. It is okay to stop class sometimes to talk about how awesome Prom was or share something with the class about something a student has done that I am proud of! Life is too short to worry about a missed sentence in a textbook if it means that we didn't acknowledge something like someone's dad will be having open heart surgery the next day and that student needs us to show her that we all care and wil be thinking about her and her family. In my class we do not talk about ANYONE in an negative or hurtful way. I remind them that just because we may feel insecure about ourselves, that does not give us an excuse to bash someone else to make us feel better. A teacher who doesn't have tome for her student's and their lives is just not a good teacher. When I was teaching one day, I had another teacher in my room and she took note that I knew all of the kids names. She ask me how I knew their names so well? I told her that I don't only know their names, I know who lives in their house with them, who their friends were and what they liked to do. She said, "You have got to be kidding!" I told her, "No, I want  to know the people that are in my life every day." She asked me about a boy that she also had in her class. She asked me his name. I told her his name and that he loved drawing cartoons. He eventually wanted to draw for computer games. I also showed her the picture of me that he had drawn and I had hanging in my room. She was amazed! If you don't know kids individually, you may never reach them. I am not saying that I am the best teacher, but I do my best. I guage myself by how many positive letters I receive from former students, how many kids hang outin my room in the mornings, afternoons and just come by during the day to say hellp because they do not have me as a teacher anymore and they miss me. I feel successful! Have I ever had a student that did not like me? Yes! But if you really dig down deep into that student, you will find most likely that the student does not like him/herself and is jsut angry with themselves. I can't help every student, but I have never given up on one. I can relate to my kids. I am goofy, immature, and scattered, but I think that is what draws my kids in. I tell them about the mistakes that I have made in the past and some of the great decisions also. I hope this helps!Good luck on your paper!

Answer 6

I'm going to be a high school senior next year and I have found what could be the perfect high school teacher.

He treats his students more like friends than students, but still in a professional manner. He makes it so that people feel like they can go and talk to him if they have something they're dying to tell somebody. He knows how to listen well. He has discussions in class and he tries to involve everybody. If a person says something that may be seen as controversial, he asks them why  they think that, instead of leaving it alone. He grades quickly; on test days he'll go and run the tests so that you'll know what you got on it before you leave the classroom. He's very quick and efficient like that. He'll say hi to you when you pass him in the hall.

I really could go on. He's a great teacher.

Answer 7

- Being fair

- Helping students if they have a problem

- Being reasonable with homework

- Controlling classes

- Fulfilling the curriculum. (sorry my spelling isnt that good)

- Explaining the work they hand out

- Friendly but firm

- Know what they are teaching

- Use their past mistakes and experiences to help others

Don'ts

- Pick favourites

- Be bias

- Let the class run wild

- Don't give work without explanation

- Don't give homework jsut for the sake of it

- Don't give them a huge "homework package" for the holidays

- Don't come across as if you have no personality

- Don't be a textbook teacher

But...if you are doing this for school and you teacher is marking it be careful that you don't say what he or she does is c**p.

Hope it helps and good luck! xoxo

Answer 8

Study after study shows that the best teachers know their subject area and they CARE about how and if students achieve.

Other virtues include (but not limited to) patience, stamina, good sense of humor, firmness and  THICK skin!  (to fend off criticism and mockery)