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in a manner that will best be absorbed and retained by their charges, the teacher should know his or her audience, both as a group and individually. Much study and research has been done on the effects of environment on learning and a good teacher should be well aware of these effects. Are the students from tough, impoverished, high-crime neighborhoods, blue collar, working class families or highly competitive, driven environments? While some elements of teaching are consistent across the board, a teacher should be able to relate to her students on their level regardless of their backgrounds. Even individual circumstances might come into consideration when a teacher is working to reach a particular student. A good teacher understands what her students feel, inside and outside of the classroom.

PERSPECTIVE

Having developed some amount of empathy, a good teacher now needs a good dose of perspective to temper their empathy. They understand where their students are coming from, but must maintain a perspective on the importance of what she does to where the students are going. What goes on in the classroom has a lot to do with changing what goes on outside of the classroom. A good teacher thinks, "I can feel empathy for where you are coming from, I understand you are poor or from a broken home, or even driven to succeed by overbearing parents you can't relate to now, but we have to get beyond that because the world I have to prepare you for is not going to care. It is your results and achievements that will make the difference."

A good teacher keeps their perspective on what importance their jobs have in the lives of their students. Dealing with the rules, the politics, the administration or even the classroom environment cannot make them forget the big picture of why they became a teacher: to make a difference in the lives of their students.

DISCIPLINE

Learning cannot take place where chaos rules. A good teacher must establish rules that apply to classroom interactions, respect for others and their property, and participation in class. Effective teachers establish from the beginning at least a few basic rules that remain consistent throughout the year with clear-cut consequences for any infractions. Being balanced, the teacher doesn't make the list of rules over-bearing such that they become a distraction or get in the way of classroom dynamics. Discipline should be designed to improve the learning environment but not create one that is restrictive and constricts

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