by Patrick Tay

Created on: August 15, 2008

Every good teacher is unique in his or her own ways. Therefore, it is not really possible for us to list the characteristics of a good teacher. So, is that it? Is my article going to end here? At around 35 words? Of course not. While the characteristics of every good teacher are different, the qualities in teachers that students are drawn to are somewhat similar. So, it will be good to consider the qualities of good teachers from the students' perspectives. So, let's look at the some of the common qualities that students take to:

It will be good to start off with the quality of being caring. Students have a good impression of teachers who will make every effort to guide them in their studies. I am not implying that teachers spoon-feed students but rather, teachers should be a pillar of support when it comes to enabling students to excel in their education. Therefore, teachers who exhibit this quality consistently usually win the hearts of the students. It is almost impossible to dislike a teacher who is dedicated in her or effort to guide a student towards excellence, right?

Then there is the use of the nurturing approach. During the years when I was a student, most of my teachers are authoritarian and they place class behavioural control over teaching. As a result, few students in class ever consider them to be good teachers. On the other hand, when a teacher uses the nurturing approach (which includes talking politely to the students, making the effort to understand their reasons for doing things, giving them encouragement whenever possible, not getting angry too quickly etc.), they often win the hearts of all if not most of the students. It is not difficult to understand why. All of us want to be appreciated and understood. A teacher who can do this is usually an outstanding teacher with very good standing in the teaching community. Bringing in the example as mentioned above, I will say that a teacher who uses the nurturing approach to enable a student to excel will often beat an authoritative teacher with similar intentions. Therefore, when it comes to being a good teacher, it's not only the intentions that matter but a teacher's teaching approach as well.

Another quality that students take to is patience. A teacher who often takes the time to guide his or her students despite the fact that they have made recurring mistakes is often a desired quality that students look for in teachers. Even as adults, we do not like to be put down by others for mistakes that

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