What Makes a Great Teacher? Input from the Three-Legged Stool
Originally published during the 2017 holiday season, we are publishing this again — as a thank you to educators during this year of COVID-19 — on Thanksgiving 2020.
It was a cold and blustery morning in the city. I was bundled up, holding the collar of my jacket together, and walking briskly towards my car to avoid the bitter, raw wind. I suddenly found myself slow down and admire the care and dedication of a street sweeper. I truly appreciated the “job well done” — and noted how many of us appreciate a job well done — no matter what the task. In this case, a NYC street cleaner was bundled up — but taking the time and care to sweep up debris from the crevices of the sidewalk — even through the cold and wind.
With this being the holiday season — and near Thanksgiving — I put these “thoughts of appreciation” down on paper. We all appreciate a job well done. One of the noblest professions is teaching and education — and in a similar way, I believe we are all thankful for the good work that our teachers and educators do for our students, youth, and community.
Teachers impact the lives of our youth in so many different ways. Economists talk about the “multiplier effect.” This is particularly true for educators. Teachers can impact students in both positive and negative ways. And if educators do a good job with students, their students, in turn — can influence another generation of students.
The following quote by U.S. historian and educator Herbert Brooks Adams — and highlighted by Virginia M. Grossman, Superintendent of a New Jersey school district (who has won “Superintendent of the Year” honors) — is one of the best quotes on teaching.
“A teacher affects eternity; he [she] can never tell where his [her] influence stops.”
But what makes a good teacher? And what do the key players have to say about teaching? Many people believe that education relies on the three-legged stool of:
1. Schools / Educational Institutions / Teachers,
2. Parents, and
3. Students.
Educational institutions, organizations — and state and federal regulatory bodies — are the experts — and their interests and rubrics often revolve around the actual teaching of the materials and results. That is, schools and agencies are focused on how well teachers know the material, prepare for class, their ability to present and teach materials, and actual results. Assuming that a teacher is competent, is prepared, and can teach students the materials, what makes a “really great teacher?”
Let’s see what parents and students want from their teachers. Based on a variety of sources, parents want educators to:
1. Truly care for their child / student.
2. Don’t overdo homework; realize that students have other teachers and classes — and that quality of life is important for students, too.
3. Recognize that students are individuals and that every student may have different abilities and needs.
Teachers impact our youth tremendously, and educators actually bear a heavy responsibility with the power they hold. Teachers and educators are so important in our society, and it is crucial that they possess a pure and ethical moral compass. The best educators often repeat the mantra, “It’s all about the students.”
Interestingly, students have different ideas on what makes a great teacher:
1. Patient, caring, and kind personality: If a teacher cares, the students seem to care, as well.
2. The ability to develop trusting relationships with students — to create a safe, positive, and productive learning environment.
3. Engage the students by making the content fun and interesting.
It is interesting that different participants have different goals and “wants” from education and teachers. Happily, these traits are not mutually exclusive.
And one final word from a higher-ed educator — on lectures and lesson plans. In a Mensa magazine, Caroline McCullagh summarizes Jennifer Patterson Lorenzetti’s “Lecture is not Dead: …Delivering Dynamic Lectures” best:
“Tell them what you’re going to tell them; tell them; and then tell them what you told them.”
Often, the best advice is also the simplest. One of the biggest lessons we have always learned also applies to education: “Keep it simple…” We hope you enjoyed this article. It is not meant to be exhaustive, but is a summary of notes that may be useful for those interested in education and teaching.
Sources:
- EducationWorld.com’s “What Parents Want Teachers To Know.”
- PearsonEd.com’s “…Qualities of Effective Teachers, By Students.”
- Mensa Magazine’s Editorial Review
- Jennifer Patterson Lorenzetti’s “Lecture is Not Dead …Delivering Dynamic Lectures.”
Other Articles by the Author
Carlton Chin holds both undergraduate and graduate degrees from MIT; he is a fund manager and quant researcher focused on portfolio strategy and sports analytics. An Adjunct Professor at Rowan University and proponent of education, Carlton serves as the Regional Chair of MIT’s Educational Council, the Treasurer of his town’s Educational Trust, and was elected to his town’s Board of Education.
Rose Wang Chin, a School Business Administrator, contributed reporting for this article. Rose holds an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and BA from Smith College. After a career in corporate finance at Campbell Soup, Avon Products, and Citicorp, Rose has focused her energies on non-profits, as head of finance and/or strategy at Mount Sinai’s CAPC, the Culinary Institute, and New Jersey school districts.