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Teachers come in all shapes and sizes, but those we remember are the ones who impressed us the most. We all have a "favorite" teacher from our childhood. We might find the characteristics of a great teacher from examining one. I still remember several good teachers who really influenced my life. Perhaps your favorite was your first grade teacher or even your high school English teacher. His/her characteristics are those of a good teacher. A good teacher is loved and respected by his/her students and remembered for years later. I'm sure you will find this list includes many of your favorite teacher's attributes:

Attributes of a GREAT Teacher

1. A good teacher never embarrasses students in front of their peers. 2. A good teacher listens to students and then responds. 3. A good teacher loves teaching, and the students know this. 4. A good teacher introduces students to new, exciting ideas in a fun manner. 5. A good teacher notices when a student is having a bad day and helps him/her cope. 6. A good teacher loves each student regardless of sex, color, or looks. 7. A good teacher brings in surprises for his/her students. 8. A good teacher inspires students to want to learn and do their best. 9. A good teacher is admired by co-workers as well as students. 10. A good teacher is hard to replace and hard to forget.

My Favorite Teacher

You'll never forget your favorite teacher who made you want to become just like him/her. Even at the age of 64, I vividly remember Miss Minifee, my first and second grade teacher. I loved her very much. She introduced me to classical music and my imagination. At rest time, she would put on Bach or Beethoven; she would then ask us to close our eyes and think about the music; then we were told to dance in our heads or make up a story to go with the music. I loved those times best.

My Role Model

I recently retired from teaching; my last five years seemed to emulate Miss Minifee's love of music as I introduced my high school students to Bach and Beethoven. The music seemed to relax them and allowed them to do their work more efficiently. I taught writing, but what I taught the most was creativity. That, too, came from Miss Minifee. I had other favorite teachers along the way: Miss Smith, my tenth grade English teacher; Mrs. Bradford, my fifth grade teacher who had a piano in our classroom (music, music, music); and Miss Turbyville, a college professor who showed me love and friendship far after college was over.

My Inspiration

How many of you were inspired to become a teacher by a teacher? Our world would be in a bad way if we didn't have these tireless heroes of every-day life. I often think about these special teachers and wish I could tell them how much they meant to me, but like others, we never realize that influence until late in life; then we ponder on such things and remember those who had a lot to do with who we are today. My wish is that someday someone will remember me and the positive impact I had on his/her life.

Learn more about this author, Ann Palmieri.
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