What Makes a Good Teacher?

Have a think about the best teachers you’ve ever had (all your teachers, not necessarily just your music teachers).  What made them good?  Did they make you learn more than other teachers?  How did they make you feel?  What kind of environment did they create in their classroom?  How did they feel about their subject?

For me, my favourite teachers were the ones who got to know me as a person.  They knew how I best learned, and let me get on with it. I am quite an independent learner, especially if I love the subject material - it’s no coincidence that my favourite teachers include music teachers and English teachers!  My teachers encouraged me to extend myself, to choose projects tailored to my interests and gently pointed out where I could do better.  I was very self-conscious as a child, so I didn’t like public praise.  But I did like to know where I stood in relation to the others in my class and was quite competitive.  They were the things that worked for me, but they might not work for other students.  I was lucky that I had teachers who took the time to understand what made me tick, and taught me accordingly.  These teachers also loved what they taught.  My 7^th Form English teacher led a lunchtime writing club, and my high school Music teacher took the choir, orchestra, jazz band and coached chamber music ensembles.  You can tell when a teacher loves their subject, and for me, that translates into my own love for the subject.

You can also learn from the teachers you didn’t like.  One who stands out is my 4^th Form Geography teacher.  He didn’t appear to care about his subject and subsequently, no student really cared for it either.  He didn’t appear to know anything about me as a person as most of his comments bore testament – he told me I should play cricket or netball because I am West Indian.  There’s nothing more likely to make me do the opposite than telling me I should do something, and certainly in such a stereotypical manner.  Particularly when anyone who knows anything about me knows I hate organised sports!  What did I learn from him?  Learn something about your students, and don’t just make assumptions.

What do you think their core principles were/are that made them such good teachers?

What is your philosophy of education?  What are your core principles?

What is more important? Knowledge of a subject?  Or enthusiasm for a subject?