Characteristics of an Excellent Teacher

A teacher is the most important job in the world. In short, they are the people who educate the leaders of tomorrow the theories behind everything and how to apply these theories. However, in order to teach students effectively, there are certain characteristics to enhance the short amount of time each teacher has with the multitude of students. After observing my teachers this past week, observing Dr. Bilaniuk in my mentorship classroom, reflecting on all the teachers I have had in the past and researching what others have found to be characteristics of excellent classroom teachers, I have found 5 common characteristics. The characteristics include understanding, resiliency, passionate, patience and determination. By having these characteristics teachers are able to efficiently educate students. 



The first characteristic of an excellent teacher is to be understanding. Google describes understanding as being sympathetically aware of other people’s feelings. This definition is the perfect application for teachers, as they only see a fraction of a student’s day or life and must be aware that their actions could be due to multiple causes. When a teacher understands this, they become willing to help students succeed in any way possible, thus creating more an excellent classroom. The teachers who have been the most understanding towards me are the ones who have caused me to succeed. However, it wasn’t only towards me that their understanding was directed. These teachers understood each individual student they have dealt with and caused them to be the amazing teachers that they are. In Dr. Bilaniuk’s classroom, her understanding of each students needs in order to learn are evident daily. On Friday during the class’ first unit test, she willingly signed students up for resource herself and allowed them to choose whether or not they went. She also rewarded them after the test with timbits. Dr. Bilaniuk understood how stressful tests are for them and gave them incentive to try their hardest. Thus, understanding is an important trait for teachers to have in order to have an effective classroom.

The second characteristic of a superb teacher is to be resilient. Along with being understanding, teachers must also be resilient in order to have successful classrooms. Psychology Today describes resiliency as the ability to withstand difficult situations or personalities and recover from them. In most classrooms, the amount of students to the teacher is 25 to 1, meaning teachers must be able to adapt the different personalities. Each student is an individual with their own set of personal strengths, weaknesses and problems. When a teacher receives a new class each year or semester, they generally do not have any idea who the students are or how they work. By being resilient to the sometimes difficult students each teacher is inevitably going to have, they are able to help everyone succeed. Throughout my experience in school, I have gone through every different personality of a student. I have been the trouble maker, the good student, the slacker, the persistent student, but with the help of different teachers I have made it to where I am today. I’ve made it due to the resilient teachers who did not give up on me just because I was difficult. Similarly, in my mentorship class, Dr. Bilaniuk works with each individual to help them succeed. She does not give up on the difficult students and instead pushes them to reach their full potential. Even in the classes I do not have with her do I see the work she does to help other students. This past week she translated a test into three different languages so that students who did not speak the english could pass and not have the language barrier. Some teachers would just give them a dictionary, but Dr. Bilaniuk took the time out of her day to help these students because she is resilient to these difficulties. Therefore, by being a resilient teacher, it enables a classroom to be successful.

The third characteristic of a magnificent teacher is to be passionate. Any person can be knowledgeable about a certain topic. However, the people who are passionate succeed in their field of choice. An excellent teacher is passionate about their job and will do anything to make it work. From taking on an extracurricular to lending extra help to the student who needs it, a great teacher will do anything in their power to make sure students succeed. Teachers who are passionate about their job do not only teach to make a living but to inform others on why their subject is resourceful or fun. The excellent teacher is the teacher who enjoys sharing with others their passion. In my experience some of my favourite teachers are the ones who not only have fun with their class, but also have a love for their subject. With Dr. Bilaniuk, she genuinely enjoys science and you can see it when she is teaching a lesson. Not only does she give the essentials during a lesson but she also has any interesting facts about the content ready for anyone who is willing to listen. By having this passion for science, Dr. Bilaniuk does not only teach what is needed but she also tells her students of the many interesting facts she knows. Thus, by being passionate about teaching and sharing with others all that you have learnt an excellent teacher is evident.

The fourth characteristic of an outstanding teacher is to be patient. Patience is not only a reflection of an excellent teacher but also a reflection of an excellent human being. To be patient is to repeat what they have to say, to calm the loud and unruly students multiple times, to correct those students over and over again, to push those who need pushing and to listen to each student's needs. Like it has been said in past characteristics, students are often troubled and teachers only know one side of a student due to the time constraint each class has. In high school, most teachers only have students for 75 minutes, which is only a fraction of the student’s days. In this time, they don’t only have one student but can have up to 25 others, meaning they can’t always help each student individually, but as teachers they need to try their hardest to. Where patience comes into play is when a student is having a hard time learning a concept and need constant reminder of what they need to know or when a student is being troublesome and needs a constant reminder to keep quiet. By being patient teachers are able to help the student effectively instead of yelling at them and giving them a negative response. In my experience the teachers who have patiently waited until I was ready to ask for help were the most helpful to me, as it taught me to become independent. In Dr. Bilaniuk’s classroom though, she needs to use her patience in a different way, by encouraging the students to stay on track and work on the task she has given them. I also have been tested in patience in mentorship when dealing with the students myself. Thus, by being patient with students an efficient classroom forms.

The fifth characteristic of an exceptional teacher is to be determined. After only a month in mentorship, I have found determination to be a key component to what makes an excellent teacher. As each student is different, it can become difficult to keep sight of why you have become a teacher in the first place. With each difficult personality teachers must deal with, being determined to educate students is a key component. Students often complain about how difficult a subject is or how ‘stupid’ it is. After hearing this repeatedly for many years staying with teaching can be hard, just like anything of the same sort. In my experience, teachers who have had difficult students but still keep teaching are the best because they remain determined to educate others. By being determined to teach others it shows how strong a teacher is. In Dr. Bilaniuk’s classroom, there are some students who repeatedly show up late or don’t do what is asked but she remains determined to help them reach their full potential. By remaining determined it shows her ability to be an excellent person and not just a teacher. Thus by remaining to be determined to educate students, an excellent teacher emerges.

In conclusion, by having these characteristics teachers increase the effectiveness of their classroom. By having an effective classroom, it reflects the understanding the teacher must have to be aware of each student's individual personality, the resiliency of the teacher to overcome any rough patches they will have, the knowledge they must have in order to educate the leaders of tomorrow, the patience each teacher needs in order to work with such diverse people and the determination they require in order to help students learn.