by Mary Kuebler

Created on: April 18, 2010

A teacher is someone who sees what can be accomplished, not what cannot be accomplished. Teachers know that to expect their students to become lifelong learners they must be willing to do the same. Thus, they invest themselves in learning new research based methodologies to help students to achieve optimally. They are good communicators and team players and realize the importance of establishing strong home-school connections. They let parents know how much they appreciate them sharing their children with them. A teacher understands the special relationship the parent has with the child, along with their hopes and dreams for the child, and relates that they share the same great expectations for that child. Educators follow up to do their best to capture the essence of their students to understand their hopes, dreams and strengths. A teacher recognizes that vulnerabilities appear in many forms and sees beyond the exteriors that children sometimes hide behind and seeks innovative ways to help children shine. A teacher expresses how much she values uniqueness and helps children to develop tolerance, kindness and to embrace differences.

Teachers show that they too have vulnerabilities and show how they trust their students to see such weaknesses in order that they students can have the same trust in their teacher. They have the courage to admit that they do not to know all of the answers and they openly show that they enjoy learning from their students as well as having their students learn from them. Teachers appear tireless even when they are quite weary as they desire to help keep their students excited about learning. Teachers create an environment where children feel safe to explore and learn. They help children to accept that they will never be perfect and willingly make mistakes helping them to realize it is a necessary path for learning.

Teachers walk a tight rope to be humorous but turn it around to be serious as needed for learning to occur. They are always seeking to teach in ways that address all learning styles. Teachers tell stories that make children want to be better people. Teachers are not afraid to try things or do things that may make them look a little odd in order to help their students to learn. They admit when they make a mistake and apologize if necessary. They make rules and bend rules as is appropriate.  Teachers have morals and standards and live as such in order to be a good role model. Teachers are loving but firm as needed. As one student shared one day, “teachers are the strictest, nicest people in the world.”

Educators help children to see things in different ways. Teachers show children how to seek knowledge independently. They are not the “sage of the stage.” Teachers are facilitators who know how to model, model, model and when to fade away to let their students soar.

A teacher does not give themselves permission to not love a child. They go home each day thinking of ways to make connections with the challenging children of the world. Any good teacher knows they too will falter with a child but will pursue ways to do better the next time.

Teachers teach, they do not tell. Teachers know the difference in order to be able to make a difference.

Teachers adopt all their students as their own and know that when they see that child in the future they will exchange a glance that says I care about you always and the child knows just what the glance means. Teachers know that even if they do not see that child again, their hopes and dreams will yet forever be carried with them none-the-less.

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