The 10 Realistic Qualities of Outstanding

Teachers
By David A. Tomar

It's Teacher Appreciation Week and to show our appreciation, we've decided not to
patronize you with the usual pandering dross about how to be an outstanding teacher.
You're educators. You deserve more than that.

Yes, obviously, there are inspiring days when you know exactly why you do it. Of
course, it's all about the kids and the quest for knowledge and the opportunity to make a
positive impact on generations of impressionable minds…and maybe just a tiny bit
about the fact that you get summers off.

Students and learning and knowledge are inspirational. But let's be honest. Between the
federal programs and helicopter parents, the state testing policies and contract
disputes…well let's just say it takes a lot more than a Tony Robbins motivational video
to get through a day in the life of a teacher.

We know that teaching isn't a fairytale, that every day you dig your boots into the
trenches and fight the good fight, absorbing enemy fire with John Wayne-esque grit and
determination. And we're guessing that not everything you say in the teacher's lounge is
PG-Rated.

But we're grateful for your hard work, your struggle, and your tireless commitment to
truth, knowledge, and the enlightenment of future generations.

So in this spirit of gratitude and candor, we present the 10 Realistic Qualities of

Outstanding Teachers.

1. Patient
Have patience. Seriously, like the patience of a saint or one of those British castle
guards who is forbidden from speaking, moving, or blinking for hours at a time. If you
are quick to anger, short of fuse, or can't handle the suspense of waiting for the spin
cycle on your washing machine to end, you may not have the best disposition to be a
teacher. Patience is critical not just as you demonstrate a willingness to work with
students at their own pace but as you attempt to navigate that tangled web of
bureaucratic demands from above.

Before you grind the crowns off your teeth in frustration remember that the tenor of your
classroom will reflect your demeanor.

Find your zen. Practice the art of inconspicuous meditation. Take deep breaths when
you need to. You might even keep one of those rage-reducing stress balls close at
hand. Before you grind the crowns off your teeth in frustration, remember that the tenor
of your classroom will reflect your demeanor. Be cool and they'll be cool.

2. Authoritative
But, don't be so cool that the students just think of you as a buddy. If they smell blood,
the sharks will circle. Most of your students are awesome but there are a few in every
bunch that will mistake your kindness for weakness. Finding a balance between likable
and respectable is critical if you want to keep your students punctual, honest, and hard-
working. Let them know that you appreciate and respect effort and make positive
examples of your students by directing praise at those who demonstrate it.

Your authority should also extend to your knowledge as an educator. Be versed and
authoritative in the subjects on which you teach and on the subject of teaching in
general. Achieving a deeper level of knowledge and understanding will allow you to go
off-script once in awhile, to impart wisdom, share an appropriate anecdote, or offer a
suggestion borne of life experience. Demonstrate through your own body of knowledge
that education is empowering.

3. Humorous
Laugh with your students whenever possible, laugh with your colleagues after the bell
rings, and laugh to yourself at the experiences that are simply too ludicrous to otherwise
process. Obviously, not everybody is handy with a punchline. We can't all be Don
Rickles. In fact, definitely don't be Don Rickles. Don't watch his routines on YouTube,
reference them in class, and say we told you to do it. That's not what we're saying

Still, if you can lighten the mood during state testing by riffing a few tasteful proctoring
one-liners, it could make the whole thing a better experience for everybody.

But seriously, try to incorporate fun games and activities into your lesson plans that
require participation and carry the explicit understanding that we're laughing with—and
not at—each other. Your students may not remember the finer details of a book report
on Ethan Frome (talk about a barrel of laughs), but they'll remember the improvised
student reenactment that reduced your entire classroom to hysterics. And if you can find
the humor in Ethan Frome, you can laugh at pretty much anything.

4. Compassionate
Don't be stingy with the feelings. Be emotionally available to your students and
colleagues. Don't coddle your students, but show a willingness to reach out to those in
need of support, to those in need of advocacy, to those just in need of a kind word.
Show compassion to those who struggle academically or socially and to those who
succeed and deserve your praise.

And remember that you have colleagues who experience the same triumphs and
frustrations that you do. Reach out when you feel their distress and lean on those you
trust and admire when you find yourself in need.

Don't let your occasional disappointment temper your desire to be a sympathetic ear, an
empathetic mentor, and a sensitive classroom leader. Sometimes, the peripheral
tribulations of working in our imperfect educational system can harden you against the
things that inspired you back when you were a bright-eyed education major. Resist this
effect and find your intrinsic motivation in your students and colleagues.

5. Flexible
Of course, we're referring to intellectual flexibility. But it doesn't hurt to be limber either.
A big part of being an educator is rolling with the punches…and there will be punches,
of that you can be sure. Remain open-minded and adaptable. Teachers are bombarded
with curricular requirements, testing standards, and evaluative metrics. Find ways of
integrating these demands into your educational philosophy rather allowing them to
replace it.

And remember that each one of your students is unique, which means that at any point,
any one of them could catch you completely off guard, whether it's with a thought-
provoking question, a challenging learning barrier, or a brilliant accomplishment. Be
prepared to handle your “teachable moments” with style.

6. Ambitious
Speaking of style, always remember that you have ideas and talents that made you
want to teach in the first place. Aspire to move your students, to make an impact, to
leave a lasting impression. Be creative. If you stretch the limits of imagination in your
approach, your students will be inspired to do the same in their work.

Treat the classroom as an opportunity to showcase the gifts that made you want to
teach. You are both a teacher and an education professional, which means that you are
in a constant state of intellectual stimulation. Run with it. The classroom is your forum to
be brilliant.

7. Courageous
When it comes to your students, always remember that they're more afraid of you than
you are of them. Oh…wait. That's bears. Obviously, being a teacher means having no
fear. You already know that. You have to have some pretty serious brass to get up there
and teach in the first place.

Tweet this!
Remember that students are more afraid of you than you are of them. Oh...wait. That's bears.

But it also helps to be bold in your approach. Take risks in your teaching style. Again,
not Don Rickles-type risks. Fun, appropriate, and administratively-approved risks.
Unconventional assignments, free-form classroom discussions, group activities. These
experiences can be a lot more educationally indelible than a few hours of text-book
cramming. Don't be afraid to be different. You're students will thank you for it.

8. Interesting
We can't stress enough how frequently students equate school and boredom. Be the
antidote to this association. Keep it lively, keep it unpredictable, find ways to help
students associate lessons with personal experiences. Draw real-world events and
examples into the classroom regardless of subject matter.

If you teach history, draw parallels to today's headlines. If it's English, create
opportunities for students to read self-selected material. If you're a math teacher, I
honestly don't know. I was always much more of a History/English student. But you'll
figure it out. You're a teacher. That's what you do. Bring fresh perspective to your
subject matter. Your students can get the boring version from the internet.

9. Energetic
Show some life up there. It really makes a difference for your students.

Engage your class, provide occasional activities that encourage movement among your
students to the extent that the environment allows. Be sure to provide alternative ways
of participating in these activities for any students who might be disabled. Create an
atmosphere that breaks your students out of the educational monotony that, let's face it,
defines much of their day.

Geek out about your subject. Don't be afraid to show passion…within reason of course.
You don't want to be the weird teacher that all the students secretly suspect of
intravenous Red Bull abuse. But show your students how enriching the knowledge has
been for you and how much personal satisfaction they can derive from a life in pursuit of
the same.

10. Confident
As a teacher, your convictions will be occasionally challenged, your patience will be
often tested, and you yourself will be constantly evaluated. It can all be enough to make
you lose sight of how excellent you are as an educator.

Remain confident in who you are and why you got into this business. Be firm when your
convictions are challenged but show a willingness to learn more, to become better, to
evolve in your role. Recognize that your ability to learn and change are signs of
strength.

And remember that, come what may, you teach because you have the ability to change
lives every day, to inspire your students to greater heights of excellence, and to leave a
positive and lasting impact on the world around you.

Sorry…I guess there was a little pandering at the end there. But we can't help it. We
truly do appreciate you, and not just during this one week in May, but always. Thank
you, teachers, for all that you inspire, all that you tolerate, and all that you do.