WISE WORDS ABOUT LEARNING AN TEACHING

WISE WORDS  ABOUT LEARNING

Collected by MasKatnoGiri

1. The ink of the scholar is more sacred than the blood of the martyr.  ~Mohammed
2. You learn something every day if you pay attention.  ~Ray LeBlond
3. Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.  ~Chinese Proverb
4. All the world is a laboratory to the inquiring mind.  ~Martin H. Fischer
5. You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives.
6.   ~Clay P. Bedford
7. Get over the idea that only children should spend their time in study.  Be a student so long as you still have something to learn, and this will mean all your life. 
8. ~Henry L. Doherty
9. I am learning all the time.  The tombstone will be my diploma.  ~Eartha Kitt
10. It's what you learn after you know it all that counts.  ~Attributed to Harry S Truman
11. A single conversation with a wise man is better than ten years of study.  ~Chinese Proverb
12. In the spider-web of facts, many a truth is strangled.  ~Paul Eldridge
13. When the student is ready, the master appears.  ~Buddhist Proverb
14. Give me a fruitful error any time, full of seeds, bursting with its own corrections.  You can keep your sterile truth for yourself.  ~Vilfredo Pareto
15. It is important that students bring a certain ragamuffin, barefoot irreverence to their studies; they are not here to worship what is known, but to question it.  ~Jacob Bronowski
16. Education consists mainly of what we have unlearned.  ~Mark Twain
17. Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.  ~Oliver Wendell Holmes
18. You learn something every day if you pay attention.  ~Ray LeBlond
19. The most useful piece of learning for the uses of life is to unlearn what is untrue.  ~Antisthenes
20. Some people will never learn anything, for this reason, because they understand everything too soon.  ~Alexander Pope
21. Sit down before fact as a little child, be prepared to give up every conceived notion, follow humbly wherever and whatever abysses nature leads, or you will learn nothing.  ~Thomas Huxley
22. Children have to be educated, but they have also to be left to educate themselves.  ~Abbé Dimnet, Art of Thinking, 1928
23. I don't think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.  ~Abraham Lincoln
24. I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught.  ~Winston Churchill
25. The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as we continue to live.  ~Mortimer Adler
26. There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm.  ~Willa Cather
27. There are many things which we can afford to forget which it is yet well to learn.  ~Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

2. I am defeated, and know it, if I meet any human being from whom I find myself unable to learn anything.  ~George Herbert Palmer
3. Always walk through life as if you have something new to learn and you will.  ~Vernon Howard
4. Beware of the man who works hard to learn something, learns it, and finds himself no wiser than before.  ~Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
5. I find four great classes of students:  The dumb who stay dumb.  The dumb who become wise.  The wise who go dumb.  The wise who remain wise.  ~Martin H. Fischer
6. No matter how one may think himself accomplished, when he sets out to learn a new language, science, or the bicycle, he has entered a new realm as truly as if he were a child newly born into the world.  ~Frances Willard, How I Learned to Ride the Bicycle
7. Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty.  ~Henry Ford
8. It is not hard to learn more.  What is hard is to unlearn when you discover yourself wrong.  ~Martin H. Fischer
9. Each day learn something new, and just as important, relearn something old.  ~Robert Brault, www.robertbrault.com
10. If the past cannot teach the present and the father cannot teach the son, then history need not have bothered to go on, and the world has wasted a great deal of time.  ~Russell Hoban
11. You have learned something.  That always feels at first as if you had lost something.  ~H.G. Wells
12. I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me.  ~Dudley Field Malone
13. Every act of conscious learning requires the willingness to suffer an injury to one's self-esteem.  That is why young children, before they are aware of their own self-importance, learn so easily.  ~Thomas Szasz
14. I am what the librarians have made me with a little assistance from a professor of Greek and a few poets.  ~Bernard Keble Sandwell
15. Learn as much as you can while you are young, since life becomes too busy later.  ~Dana Stewart Scott
16. His studies were pursued but never effectually overtaken.  ~H.G. Wells
17. The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.  ~Alvin Toffler
18. Learning is a lifetime process, but there comes a time when we must stop adding and start updating.  ~Robert Brault, www.robertbrault.com
19. Learning without thought is labor lost.  ~Confucius
20. The pupil can only educate himself.  Teachers are the custodians of apparatus upon which he himself must turn and twist to acquire the excellencies that distinguish the better from the poorer of God's vessels.  ~Martin H. Fischer
21. The best of my education has come from the public library... my tuition fee is a bus fare and once in a while, five cents a day for an overdue book.  You don't need to know very much to start with, if you know the way to the public library.  ~Lesley Conger
22. The man who is too old to learn was probably always too old to learn.  ~Henry S. Haskins
23. We learn more by looking for the answer to a question and not finding it than we do from learning the answer itself.  ~Lloyd Alexander
24. You don't understand anything until you learn it more than one way.  ~Marvin Minsky
25. The important thing is not so much that every child should be taught, as that every child should be given the wish to learn.  ~John Lubbock
26. A watched child never learns.  ~Robert Brault, www.robertbrault.com
27. Learning is like rowing upstream:  not to advance is to drop back.  ~Chinese Proverb
28. People learn something every day, and a lot of times it's that what they learned the day before was wrong.  ~Bill Vaughan

WISE WORDS FOR TEACHERS AND PARENTS

WISE WORDS FOR TEACHERS AND PARENTS

1.  The training of the teacher who is to help life is something far more than the learning of ideas.  It includes the training of character; it is a preparation of the spirit. 
2.  It is my belief that the thing which we should cultivate in our teachers is more the spirit than the mechanical skill of the scientist; that is, the direction of the preparation should be toward the spirit rather than toward the mechanism. 
3.  The teacher's task is not to talk, but to prepare and arrange a series of motives for cultural activity in a special environment made for the child.
4.  The word education must not be understood in the sense of teaching but of assisting the psychological development of the child.  
5.  Education should no longer be mostly imparting of knowledge, but must take a new path, seeking the release of human potentialities. 
6.  It is not enough for the teacher to love the child. She must first love and understand the universe. She must prepare herself, and truly work at it.  
7.   Whoever touches the life of the child touches the most sensitive point of a whole which has roots in the most distant past and climbs toward the infinite future. 
8.  The teacher's task is no small or easy one! He has to prepare a huge amount of knowledge to satisfy the child's mental hunger, and he is not, like the ordinary teacher, limited by a syllabus.
    
9. The first duty of an education is not  to stir up life, but leave it free to develop.
10. It is necessary for the teacher to guide the child without letting him feel her presence too much, so that she may always be ready to supply the desired help, but may never be the obstacle between the child and his experience.  
11. Written language can be acquired more easily by children of four years than by those of six.  While children of six usually need at least two years to learn how to write children of four years learn this second language within a few months. 
12.  One who desires to be a teacher must have an interest in humanity that connects the observer more closely than that which joins the biologist or zoologist to nature.
13.  The most urgent task facing educators is to come to know this unknown child and to free it from all entanglements.
14.  These words reveal the child's inner needs: "Help me to do it alone."
15. Sometimes very small children in a proper environment develop a skill and exactness in their work that can only surprise us. 
16.  The environment itself will teach the child, if every error he makes is manifest to him, without the intervention of a parent or teacher, who should remain a quiet observer of all that happens.    
17. Any child who is self-sufficient, who can tie his shoes, dress or undress himself, reflects in his joy and sense of achievement the image of human dignity, which is derived from a sense of independence.
      
18. The life of the spirit prepares the dynamic power for daily life, and, on its side, daily life encourages thought by means of ordinary work.
      
19. The most difficult thing to make clear to the new teacher is that because the child progresses, she must restrain herself and avoid giving directions, even if at first they are expected; all her faith must repose in his latent powers.
     
20. The more the capacity to concentrate is developed, the more often the profound tranquility in work is achieved, then the clearer will be the manifestation of discipline within the child.
21.  We must, therefore, quit our roles as jailers and instead take care to prepare an environment in which we do as little as possible to exhaust the child with our surveillance and instruction. 
22.  A felicitous environment that guides the children and offers them the means to exercise their own faculties permits the teacher to absent herself temporarily. The creation of such an environment is already the realization of great progress.
23. Respect all the reasonable forms of activity in which the child engages and try to understand them.
     
24. We must help the child to liberate himself from his defects without making him feel his weakness.
25. The child is much more spiritually elevated than is usually supposed.  He often suffers, not from too much work, but from work that is unworthy of him. 
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27. There is a part of a child's soul that has always been unknown but which must be known.  With a spirit of sacrifice and enthusiasm we must go in search, like those who travel to foreign lands and tear up mountains in their search for hidden gold. 
28.  
29.  The adult must find within himself the still unknown error that prevents him from seeing the child as he is.
30. In their dealings with children adults do not become egotistic but egocentric.  They look upon everything pertaining to a child's soul from their own point of view and, consequently, their misapprehensions increase.
31. There is in the soul of a child an impenetrable secret that is gradually revealed as it develops.
     
32. The first essential for the child's development is concentration.  The child who concentrates is immensely happy.
     
33. There is a part of a child's soul that has always been unknown but which must be known. With a spirit of sacrifice and enthusiasm we must go in search like those who travel to foreign lands and tear up mountains in their search for hidden gold. This is what the adults must do who seeks the unknown factor that lies hidden in the depths of a child's soul. This is a labor in which all must share, without distinction of nation, race, or social standing since it means the bringing forth of an indispensable element for the moral progress of mankind." 
34.  If teaching is to be effective with young children, it must assist them to advance on the way to independence. It must initiate them into those kinds of activities which they can perform themselves and which keep them from being a burden to others because of their inabilities. We must help them to learn how to walk without assistance, to run, to go up and down the stairs, to pick up fallen objects, to dress and undress, to wash themselves, to express their needs in a way that is clearly understood, and to attempt to satisfy their desires through their own efforts. All this is part of an education for independence." 
35.  "This system in which a child is constantly moving objects with his hands and actively exercising his senses, also takes into account a child's special aptitude for mathematics. When they leave the material, the children very easily reach the point where they wish to write out the operation. They thus carry out an abstract mental operation and acquire a kind of natural and spontaneous inclination for mental calculations." 

KUNCI MENJADI GURU BAHAGIA ADALAH ‘MANAGEMEN AQLU’

            KUNCI  MENJADI GURU   BAHGIA ADALAH ‘MANAGEMEN AQLU’

          Menurut  penulis The 7 Laws of Happiness atau Tujuh Rahasia Hidup yang Bahagia, Arvan Pradiansyah mengatakan, “Sebenarnya begitu mudah untuk menjadi bahagia. Kuncinya adalah dalam mengelola pikiran. Karena penentu kebahagiaan ada dalam pikiran kita.”

          Arvan menjabarkan 7  prinsip menjadi bahagia adalah, sabar (patience), syukur (gratefulness), sederhana (simplicity), kasih (love), memberi (giving), memaafkan (forgiving), serta pasrah (surrender). Ketujuh prinsip tersebut dapat dijadikan pola pikir para guru dalam menjalankan tugasnya sebagai pendidik, agar menjadi guru yang bahagia. Guru yang bahagia adalah guru yang mendidik, melatih, menanamkan sikap dan nilai-nilai kepada siswanya dengan hati ikhlas, penuh kecintaan, penuh kepedulian, dan mendidik dengan niat ibadah. Selain itu, guru yang bahagia cenderung selalu berbuat baik demi membahagiakan orang lain, berfikir kreatif, ramah, baik hati, dan berakhlak mulia.

          Ungkapan penuh optimis tersebut membawa kita pada pemahaman, bahwa pikiran atau dalam bahasa Arab-nya disebut aql, memang sangat luar biasa. Apabila dikelola dan dimanfaatkan dengan baik maka pikiran mampu melakukan proses memilih terhadap semua fenomena-fenomena yang ada di sekeliling kita. Dengan kata lain pikiran kita mampu meneliti, menganalisis, dan membedakan mana hal-hal yang bersifat positif (baik), dan mana yang bersifat negatif (buruk). Karena pada prinsipnya pikiran kita cenderung hanya dapat memikirkan satu hal dalam satu waktu. Maka apabila pikiran kita lebih memilih untuk berfikir positif, tidak ada lagi kesempatan buat kita untuk berfikir negatif. Dari berfikir positif terbentuklah energi-energi positif dalam diri kita yang membuat kita bahagia. Kebahagiaan ini dapat menyebar pada orang-orang yang berada di sekeliling kita.

          Hasil penelitian yang dilakukan oleh Prof. Andrew Steptoe, seorang psikolog berasal dari Universitas College London mengatakan,"Inilah yang disebut sebagai intuisi, bila seseorang di sekitar anda bahagia bisa menyebar kepada orang lain, dan benar-benar ditransmisikan melalui koneksi sosial”.

          Berbicara tentang kemampuan mengelola pikiran, sekarang mari kita cermati kenyataan yang seringkali dialami terkait dengan tugas guru sebagai pendidik. Pada saat bekerja, adakalanya seorang guru menghadapi suatu kondisi yang kurang menyenangkan. Pimpinan sekolah yang otoriter, peraturan yang birokratis, teman kerja yang selalu iri dengan keberhasilan kita, ada yang bersikap sinis, perilaku siswa yang menyimpang, serta pernak-pernik masalah kerja lainnya. Ketika kejadian ini menimpa kita, biasanya kita langsung menunjukkan reaksi kecewa, tersinggung, marah, ngambek, ingin melakukan pembalasan, uring-uringan, menjadi malas bekerja, tidak disiplin, bahkan berencana untuk berhenti bekerja. Inilah yang menyebabkan kita tidak bahagia.

          Tapi pernahkah kita memilih diam, menghela nafas, lalu merenung sejenak bahwa memperturutkan nafsu untuk melampiaskan amarah tidak akan menjadi solusi, bahkan hanya akan membuahkan kebencian dan permusuhan. Setelah itu kitapun memikirkan upaya apa yang terbaik harus kita lakukan terhadap masalah ini?. Jika kita memilih cara terakhir berarti kita sudah mampu mengelola pikiran dengan baik, sehingga semua masalah dapat diselesaikan secara bijaksana. Dan apa yang selanjutnya kita rasakan?. Perasaan kita akan terasa lebih tenang, nyaman dan penuh rasa damai. Lingkungan kerjapun menjadi tempat yang sangat menyenangkan, karena semua orang disekeliling kita sangat bersimpati dan menghargai sikap dan perilaku kita.

          Mengenai prinsip pikiran, bahwa secara prinsip pikiran kita cenderung hanya dapat memikirkan satu hal dalam satu waktu. Karena itu, ketika emosi negatif mendadak muncul, pikiran yang dikelola dengan baik hanya memusatkan perhatian pada hal-hal positif saja. Misalnya: Ketika kinerja kita dikritik, kita tidak berfikir untuk balas dendam, tetapi kita lebih memikirkan bagaimana cara memperbaiki kinerja kita menjadi lebih baik. Karena tindakan balas dendam hanya akan merugikan diri kita sendiri, mempersempit daya kreatifitas, dan memperburuk keadaan. Semakin sering kita berfikir positif, semakin baik pula kondisi diri kita sehingga perasaan kita menjadi lebih tenang dan bahagia.

          Pada saat lain, kita sering merasa jenuh dengan rutinitas kerja sehari-hari yang monoton, sehingga motivasi kerja menurun, etika kerja memburuk, atau sering terlibat konflik dengan warga sekolah. Terhadap masalah ini, lebih lanjut Arvan mengemukakan, “ bahwa semua ini merupakan tantangan kita untuk menjadi bahagia.” Memang, dengan adanya tantangan ini kita dituntut untuk mampu mengelola pikiran kita secara baik, agar setiap tantangan bisa kita hadapi dan segera bisa kita atasi. Lebih dari itu, kemampuan kita dalam mengelola pikiran akan menjadi sebuah sistem pertahanan yang berfungsi untuk melindungi kita dari segala unsur-unsur negatif yang mempengaruhi pikiran kita. Dengan demikian pikiran kitapun semakin lama semakin terbiasa untuk selalu berfikir positif.

          Di lingkungan kerja, kemampuan mengelola pikiran sangat besar manfaatnya. Pada saat kita berfikir untuk tidak marah, kita bisa mengalihkan pikiran kita pada ha-hal yang bisa memfokuskan kembali tujuan yang ingin dicapai, berkarya lebih maksimal, dan optimis meraih prestasi.

          Mengelola pikiran memang tidak semudah membaca teori. Rahasianya adalah berlatih. Karena pengelolaan pikiran bisa dijadikan bagian dari kebiasaan diri untuk selalu berfikir positif, sehingga kita mendapatkan bahagia yang kita inginkan. Mengacu pada konsep The 7 Laws of Happiness atau Tujuh Rahasia Hidup yang Bahagia, kita bisa mulai dengan tiga hal paling mendasar yang berkaitan dengan hubungan kita dengan diri kita sendiri, yaitu selalu melatih diri untuk berfikir dan menunjukkan beberapa sikap sebagai berikut: (1) Sabar (patience). Sabar merupakan energi untuk mengendalikan diri dan tindakan dari luapan emosi berlebih, dengan didasari ikhlas. Ketika bersabar kita sedang berada dalam tingkat kesadaran tinggi dan sedang menjalani proses mendapatkan ketenangan dan kedamaian. (2) Syukur (gratefulness). Bersyukur berarti menikmati hasil dari usaha yang telah kita lakukan, dan berfikir secara sungguh-sungguh tentang segala sesuatu yang telah kita raih dan kita miliki sebagai wujud pemberian Allah Swt. Kita menjadi lebih disiplin, berkonsentrasi, dan bertanggung jawab, serta memanfaatkan seluruh potensi yang kita miliki untuk kemajuan pendidikan. (3) Sederhana (simplicity). Sederhana adalah kemampuan kita untuk melihat hakikat masalah, dan menyederhanakan sudut pandang kita. Persoalan-persoalan yang kita anggap rumit kita pandang sebagai batu kerikil yang hanya mengganggu perjalanan kita mencapai kesuksesan. Pekerjaan yang kita anggap berat kita pandang sebagai sebuah misi menuju terciptanya pendidikan berkualitas.

          Setelah kita berhasil menanamkan dan membiasakan untuk bersikap sabar, syukur, dan sederhana di dalam diri kita, tahap selanjutnya berkaitan dengan hubungan kita terhadap orang lain, yaitu berlatih berfikir dan selalu menunjukkan beberapa sikap sebagai berikut: (1) Kasih (love). Kasih berarti menyatukan jiwa dan raga, serta meneruskan sifat yang dimiliki Allah. Dengan kasih, kita senantiasa sadar telah diberi amanah kasih yang telah Allah berikan, dan menyampaikannya kepada siapapun yang ada di sekitar kita. (2) Memberi (giving). Memberi merupakan energi yang mampu mencerahkan diri kita sebagai pemberi, dan bermanfaat bagi orang lain. Memberi tidak hanya berbentuk materi, tetapi juga bisa dalam bentuk perhatian, kesempatan, kepercayaan, dan membuat orang lain menjadi berdaya. (3) Memaafkan (forgiving). Memaafkan merupakan wujud kebesaran jiwa dan kemampuan untuk memahami orang lain, melepaskan masa lalu, dan fokus terhadap kebaikan orang lain.

          Keberhasilan kita mendapatkan kedamaian melalui dua tahapan sebelumnya, belum mampu menciptakan kebahagiaan secara utuh. Kita bisa mendapatkan kebahagiaan seutuhnya dengan menjalin hubungan kita dengan Allah Swt., melalui sikap pasrah (surrender). Pasrah, yaitu ketergantungan kita sepenuhnya kepada Allah yang Maha Kuasa. Pasrah merupakan perjuangan puncak yang dapat dicapai setelah kita melakukan perjuangan keras, mulai dari menanamkan kesabaran, rasa syukur, kesederhanaan, kasih, memberi, serta memaafkan. Kita sepenuhnya percaya semua yang kita dapatkan adalah pemberian terbaik menurut kehendak-Nya. Hidup kitapun terasa lebih indah, tenang, tentram, dan nyaman.

A GOOD TEACHER HELPS THOSE  WHO ARE DOING POORLY TO DO WELL AND HELPS THOSE WELL TO BE EVEN  BETTER

The Top 10 Qualities Of A Good Teacher

The Top 10 Qualities Of A Good Teacher

   Taken from: http://www.ripplesofimprovement.com

One of my biggest goals is to become a teacher. In fact, it’s part of my personal mission statement: “My mission is to experience life through…teaching others.” I don’t want to be a run-of-the-mill boring teacher, though. Not like the “substitute teachers” of my school days. But what makes a good teacher?

We all know good teachers when we see them, and bad teachers too. I thought back over the teachers I’d loved and why I loved them. There were only a few, but they all had the following qualities in common.

1. Confidence. Belief in ourselves despite setbacks. Teachers encounter situations all the time that could be considered setbacks. Kids can be cruel, to each other and to teachers. They can have attitudes, especially teenagers. I’ve had teachers to were obviously nervous when they taught. Others were shy and only half committed to their subject. But the best teachers laughed off their mistakes: chalk breaking, books dropped, TVs not working. Where some teachers were flustered, the good teachers shrugged and went on about the lesson, sometimes even joking about the mess up. These teachers knew they were human and knew mistakes happen. They didn’t take things personally and let problems get them upset.

2. Patience. Some of my best teachers could have helped students through a mental breakdown. Not that they had to, but that they were so patient, they could have gone the distance. Many a time I, or classmate, would just not be “getting” a particular concept. My best teachers were those who were willing to keep explaining, knowing that eventually it would make sense. They were willing to wait until a distraction calmed students down, or abandon a lesson entirely if it was clear material needed to be revisited. The best teachers just stuck with it, willing to do what it took, no matter how long it took.

3. True compassion for their students. I’m sure we’ve all encountered a bad teacher who didn’t care what our excuse was. Certainly, some excuses weren’t valid, but many were. The best teachers cared about their students as individuals and wanted to help them. They had a sixth sense when a student needed extra attention and gave it gladly. They didn’t expect students to leave thoughts of the outside world at the door to the classroom. They took the time to discuss subjects outside their teaching, knowing that sometimes lessons can still be taught without following the textbook. Good teachers were willing to speak up for us to other teachers, if need be. They cared about us beyond the walls of their classroom.

4. Understanding. Good teachers had understanding – not only the sixth sense mentioned above, but true understanding of how to teach. They didn’t have a rigid technique that they insisted on using even if it didn’t help us learn. They were flexible in their teaching style, adapting daily if need be. They understood the little things that affected our ability to learn; the weather, the temperature in the classroom, the time of day. They had an understanding of human nature and the maturity (or lack thereof) of teenagers. Good teachers knew that we hated to be called “young” and therefore pre-judged. They treated us as real people, not just “students.”

5. The ability to look at life in a different way and to explain a topic in a different way. There are many different learning styles. Not everyone gets a subject as taught by every teacher. I’ve taken subjects (chemistry for instance) many times, at many different levels, by many different teachers. I took College Organic Chemistry three times from three different teachers. I can tell you from experience that it was more the skill of the third teacher than the third time taking the class that allowed me to pass. Bad teachers only look a subject matter one way. They teach based on how they learn. This works for some people, but fails for others. The good teachers are ones that are able to teach to different learning styles. If students don’t understand a subject, they teach it a different way. Instead of looking at abstract formulas, they explain with images what the formulas represent. This requires a through understand of their subject, as well as the ability to consider that subject in different ways, which not all teachers are able to do. This principle applies whether a teacher or professor teaches Organic Chemistry or business classes online; it comes down to their ability to be flexible.

6. Dedication to excellence. Good teachers want the best from their students and themselves. They don’t settle for poor grades, knowing it reflects upon their ability to teach just as much upon a student’s ability to excel. The best teachers encourage the sharing of ideas and offer incentives (like not having to do homework for a day) to get students to think outside the box. They don’t tolerate students’ badmouthing other teachers, doing their best to point out that other teachers are human too. They encourage students to be good people, not just good memorizers of text. They want students to learn and be able to apply what they learned, not just be able to pass tests.

7. Unwavering support. The best teachers know that everyone is able to do well if they have the right teacher. They don’t accept that a student is a lost cause. They encourage if you are frustrated and provide true belief that you can get the material. They stand up for individuals against other students, not allowing for in class taunting. Sometimes, they even extend this outside the classroom, although taunts in the hallways are very hard for teachers to combat. The best teachers are there if you need extra help and even encourage it.

8. Willingness to help student achieve. The best teachers are those that don’t stop teaching when the bell rings. They hold extra sessions for SAT prep, they reach out to students after class. They know that some need extra attention or assistance, and they don’t act like it’s not their job. They take that job seriously and know they aren’t just employed to get students to be able to do higher math, but do well in life. They realize that achievement isn’t just a good grade on a test, but a feeling of accomplishment with mastering a subject; they are willing to work with a student for that feeling.

9. Pride in student’s accomplishments. The best teachers let you know they are glad you got a good grade or made the honor’s society. They smile and tell you that you did a good job. They tell other teachers about how you did as well. Outside you may feel embarrassed, but inside you are glowing. The best teachers don’t single out the best students either. They celebrate the accomplishments of everyone, knowing that everyone is capable to doing well. They are upbeat and positive, focusing on how a student did well, not how well they taught. They may know that it was the strength of their teaching that helped a student to achieve, but they act as if the student is completely responsible.

10. Passion for life. The best teachers aren’t just interested in their subject, they are passionate about it. They are also passionate about many other things. They praise good weather and smile when they take a few minutes to discuss last night’s episode of a popular TV show. They have an energy that almost makes them glow and that you want to emulate as much as possible. They approach tasks with a sense of challenge rather than routine. They take the universe’s curve balls and turn them into fun (if possible). They are human, certainly, but they make you feel that there is always a reason to keep going. Things will get better no matter how much they appear to suck at that moment.

As may be clear from the above, the best teacher I ever had was a math teacher. She was all the more exceptional because math is the one subject I hate the most. She told us to call her “Aunt Jackie,” but I had way too much respect to call her anything but “Mrs. Lamp.” She is now a principal of a different High School than she taught at when I was her student, and I suspect she is as good a principal as she was a math teacher.

A GREAT TEACHER

By GreatSchools Staff

What makes a great teacher?

Study after study shows the single most important factor determining the quality of the education a child receives is the quality of his teacher.

What makes a great teacher? Teaching is one of the most complicated jobs today. It demands broad knowledge of subject matter, curriculum and standards; enthusiasm, a caring attitude and a love of learning; knowledge of discipline and classroom management techniques; and a desire to make a difference in the lives of young people. With all these qualities required, it's no wonder that it's hard to find great teachers.
Here are some characteristics of great teachers:

1.      Great teachers set high expectations for all students. They expect that all students can and will achieve in their classroom, and they don't give up on underachievers.

2.      Great teachers have clear, written-out objectives. Effective teachers have lesson plans that give students a clear idea of what they will be learning, what the assignments are and what the grading policy is. Assignments have learning goals and give students ample opportunity to practice new skills. The teacher is consistent in grading and returns work in a timely manner.

3.      Great teachers are prepared and organized. They are in their classrooms early and ready to teach. They present lessons in a clear and structured way. Their classrooms are organized in such a way as to minimize distractions.

4.      Great teachers engage students and get them to look at issues in a variety of ways. Effective teachers use facts as a starting point, not an end point; they ask "why" questions, look at all sides and encourage students to predict what will happen next. They ask questions frequently to make sure students are following along. They try to engage the whole class, and they don't allow a few students to dominate the class. They keep students motivated with varied, lively approaches.

5.      Great teachers form strong relationships with their students and show that they care about them as people. Great teachers are warm, accessible, enthusiastic and caring. Teachers with these qualities are known to stay after school and make themselves available to students and parents who need them. They are involved in school-wide committees and activities, and they demonstrate a commitment to the school.

6.      Great teachers are masters of their subject matter. They exhibit expertise in the subjects they are teaching and spend time continuing to gain new knowledge in their field. They present material in an enthusiastic manner and instill a hunger in their students to learn more on their own.

7.      Great teachers communicate frequently with parents. They reach parents through conferences and frequent written reports home. They don't hesitate to pick up the telephone to call a parent if they are concerned about a student.

What No Child Left Behind means for teacher quality

The role of the teacher became an even more significant factor in education with the passage of The No Child Left Behind law in 2002.

Under the law, elementary school teachers must have a bachelor's degree and pass a rigorous test in core curriculum areas. Middle and high school teachers must demonstrate competency in the subject area they teach by passing a test or by completing an academic major, graduate degree or comparable course work. These requirements already apply to all new hires.

Schools are required to tell parents about the qualifications of all teachers, and they must notify parents if their child is taught for more than four weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified. Schools that do not comply risk losing federal funding.

Although the law required states to have highly qualified teachers in every core academic classroom by the end of the 2005-2006 school year, not a single state met that deadline.

The U.S. Department of Education then required states to show how they intended to fulfill the requirement. Most states satisfied the government that they were making serious efforts, but a few were told to come up with new plans.