Teaching is one of the things in my life I am most passionate about.  In fact, only two things supersede it:  God and my husband/family (in that order).  I've wanted to teach ever since I was a little bitty girl, though over the years my focus changed.  For example, when I first realized I wanted to be a teacher, I was -absolutely- certain I wanted to teach elementary school.  I loved working with younger kids, loved being a role model for them, and enjoyed the excitement they held at learning new things.  I held this belief throughout middle school, but when I was in high school, I then decided that high school was the place I wanted to be.  Furthermore, I wanted to teach the first -years- of high school, and for a very specific reason.

You see, I've always done well with school.  I'm a fast learner, I love to learn, and achieving high marks has never been something I had to work for.  I have a fraternal twin, and on the other hand, my twin struggled with school to the point of frustrated tears.  She was often on the verge of failing her classes and her confidence was at an all time low.  I even remember certain teachers pulling her out into the hall way and chiding her for her grades, asking her "Why can't you be more like your sister?"  It was horrifying then just as it is horrifying now, and I think even to this day, my sister holds it against me.

Because I did a lot of tutoring even in high school, I realized that God had given me a talent:  it was very easy for me to see -why- a student was struggling.  With my twin, it was easy for me to see that she could not make it through school because she had a terrible foundation. Her beginning math teachers were old, ready to retire, and not very good at what they did.  This screwed it all up.  My sister could have had a great education, but that rocky foundation only set her up for failure.  I remember how much it bothered me to see that and recognize it.  In fact, if I hadn't wanted to teach, seeing my twin's struggles would have been enough to push me in that direction.

So I guess I'm kind of interested in seeing what everyone's view of the 'it factor'.  You know....what makes a teacher a great teacher?

For me, I do NOT believe a teacher that simply hands out A's is a good teacher.  Just because a student is happy and is earning good grades does not mean that they've learned a thing, or that they are prepared for their next class.  Therefore, I believe first and foremost that a teacher should CHALLENGE. So many students come to me and say that they can't do math, and I tell them that they CAN do math. The problem is that they lack the confidence.  Though I challenge my students, I fully believe they are -completely- capable of doing the work I set before them.

You know what I've found over the years, also?  Students LIKE to be challenged. They might not realize it at first, but each year without fail, I have students return to me to thank me for what I put them through.  You see, I try and view it this way:  if I hold out my hand knee high, and tell my students to jump that far, most of them will attempt to jump...JUST that far.  They will believe that is what they can accomplish because you as their teacher told them....to jump that high.  On the other hand, if I hold my hand at the height of my hip, and I tell them to jump THAT high?  Well, I'm going to get a VERY different response.  Some students might look at me like I'm crazy, some might try to jump that high, and some might laugh and ask me if I was serious.  If I encourage them however, they WILL try, and they may not make it, but that's not what's important.  What's important is that by holding my hand that high, I implied to my students that I believed they are capable enough to make that leap.

The same is true with classroom standards.  If I set low standards, I am letting my students know that my level of confidence in them is THAT low.  I am insinuating that I do not have faith in their ability to succeed.  When I set high standards, I am telling them that I believe in them.  They may whine and complain about it at first, but that's because most of them aren't accustomed to having to work really hard for something.  I think it's a good thing for the experience: the satisfaction that comes from working on something that hard.

On the same token, students have to realize that you will be THERE for them.  I can't tell my students to jump knee high and then just....leave them to it.  I have to show them that I am willing to give them a helping hand.  For example, if I hold out my arm during the physical jump and then tell them to try, they will be more willing to try their best because they know they will not fall.

Students are afraid of failing.  They can't fathom through the idea that we learn -through- failure. I'm not saying students SHOULD fail, but merely that this is the way we learn.  If I'm perfect, and I never do anything wrong, I will not learn anything because I have nothing to learn.

I offer my students tons of opportunities.  Unfortunately, many other teachers think that anything above and beyond is not a part of their job description, and I disagree completely.  As a teacher, we should do everything in our power to ensure that our students succeed.  If I come to work from 8 am to 3 pm to teach math, and my students never hear or see from me outside of those hours, my students will not succeed, and I will have failed at doing my job.  So I make sure that I offer my students ample opportunities. I have hours before school, after school, and during school. I advise them to see me during lunch, during session room, or even during my planning periods if they have an elective.

If they can't make it to any of my tutoring sessions, I have a website which is especially designed for them to seek help and get help.  It's a forum board like this one in which they can ask questions from their homework.  Since I am usually at my computer grading papers, I keep the website up and answer their questions fairly quickly (usually within 30 minutes).  What's really great about the site, too, is that every time students ask for help or give it, they get points like the vizzed here, and they can use those points to buy candy, school supplies, and maybe even bonus points.

Finally, I believe that effort should be rewarded. I offer my students 'extra activities'.  They don't operate like bonus points.  Instead, I call these 'cushion grades'.  To help explain this, imagine a student takes a quiz worth five points, but they miss a point.  Their grade would then be an 80%.  However, imagine that another student had a 100 point quiz and missed one.  This child would walk away with a 99%.  In other words, the more points a student has possible, the less costly their mistakes will be.

If students are willing to put forth that effort, why should I discourage it?  These assignments don't hurt students who choose not to do them because they are optional. For the students that make the time, they simply can afford to make a few more mistakes than the students putting in an average amount of effort.

Okay, I hold many more beliefs about teaching, but the final one I will discuss for now is -respect-.  Though the kids I teach are certainly not superior to me, I -must- show them respect.  I can not speak to them in a condescending manner, insult them, or belittle them.  Although they are not (by age, professionalism, and life experience) my equals, I must in essence treat them intellectually as though they are. They have rules to follow which I MUST enforce and be consistent with, and they must recognize the fact that I am an adult.  They may not speak to me like they would speak to their friends, and that is where the line is drawn.  It's a fine line to walk on, but it's not hard to maintain once it's in place.

I know I blabbed a bit, but I just find more and more that teacher are...well for lack of a better word, lazy.  It's upsetting to me since our jobs are in securing future generations.

What qualities did you find in a teacher which were unique and exemplary?