A Good Teacher...

I believe a great teacher is one who creates a classroom environment that makes their students 1.) 'curious', 2.) want to 'explore' ('investigate') and 3.) allows them to 'discover'. I think instilling and encouraging these three elements in students makes a great teacher. Is 'curiosity' valued in your classroom? A great teacher creates a classroom environment that makes the students 'wonder' about the things they're teaching? You can tell if they are asking questions. Or are they just 'consuming' information? Do the students want to explore and investigate the topics being taught? A great teacher creates an atmosphere and motivates their students to want to explore and investigate, for example, through experimentation. A great teacher encourages and guides their students to 'discover' answers, information, solutions. 'Discovery' makes students happy. Happy students think they have a great teacher. And they learn better and retain more when they 'discover' by their own efforts, rather than just being 'given' information. And yes, teachers can learn to make their students 'wonder', want to 'explore', and 'discover', and thus be 'great' teachers. Scott Gannon, Bangkok, Thailand

Sense of humour, organization, professional knowledge, local language knowledge and versatility.

To be a great teacher you need:

1. patience 2. a loud voice 3. commitment 4. understanding 5. knowledge of your subject Kerry Lambourne

A GOOD TEACHER

• PLANNING Manage your time wisely. Understand that teaching is hard work. Plan effective lessons. Be organized and prepared.
• INSTRUCTION Learn to recover quickly. Teach students at their level. Observe other teachers. Refrain from lecturing. Focus on Student's Strengths. Allow and encourage students to work cooperatively. Make learning fun. Encourage active student participation. Challenge students to think critically. Use authentic means of assessment. Vary your teaching strategies. Make decisions on what's best for students.
• PROFESSIONALISM Maintain a positive reputation. Choose your reactions. Be the best you can be. Dress like a professional. Be a role model for your students. Do not allow your personal problems to spill over into the classroom.
• MOTIVATION AND RAPPORT Celebrate the uniqueness of your students. Light a spark in your students. Smile. Give your students more credit than they deserve. Make every student your "favourite". Set the stage for success. Provide positive feedback. Have positive expectations for ALL students. Encourage improvement, not perfection. Remember that little things make a big difference. MA. Eshter Linares, Spain

What do you think of these ideas?