Qualities of a teacher

There is a saying that you can’t be all things to all people and yet as teachers that is what we have to be to our students. In a Steiner school we are often asked the question “what if the child doesn’t like you, he has you for 7 years?” The reply usually is that as the adult in the situation it is up to us to find the key to that child and make ourselves likeable. Some teachers may say that teaching is not a popularity quest, but it helps if our students actually like us and it makes it easier for them to learn if they like the person imparting information.

Rudolf Steiner gave these indications about what makes a good teacher:

: “Firstly the teacher must see to it that he influences and works upon his pupils – in a wider sense - by letting the spirit flow through his whole being as a teacher, and also in the details of his work, how he utters each single word, or develops each individual concept or feeling. The teacher must be a man of initiative. He must never be careless or lazy; at every moment he must stand in full consciousness of what he is doing in the school and how he behaves to the children. This is the first principle. The teacher must be a man of initiative in everything that he does, great and small.

Secondly, we as teachers must be interested in everything that is going on in the world and in all that concerns mankind. All that is happening in the outside world and in the life of men must arouse our interest. We should also be able to enter into all the concerns of every individual child in our care. The teacher should be one who is interested in the being of the whole world and of humanity.

Thirdly, the teacher must be one who never makes a compromise in his heart and mind with what is untrue. The teacher must be one who is true in the depths of his being. He must never compromise with untruth, for if he did so we should see how through many channels untruth would find its way into our teaching, especially in the way we present our subjects.

And now something that is more easily said than done; the teacher must never get stale or grow sour. Cherish a mood of soul which is fresh and healthy!

How do these compare with Hattie’s definitions of a good or expert teacher? They can:

Identify essential representations of their subject

Guide learning through classroom interactions,

Monitor learning and provide feedback,

Attend to affective attributes (how they relate to the students and how they feel about teaching, passionate it is hoped)

Influence student outcomes.

While Steiner’s indications are very broad they manage to encompass all of Hattie’s points. Both are saying the same thing, that teachers have a huge responsibility towards their students and they should be attentive to everything they do with their students on every level, both academic and personal. If a teacher strives to achieve the indication given by Steiner in the first point alone he would be encompassing all of Hattie's details at the same time. If the teacher is part of a continually learning community he would find it hard to grow "stale" or "sour".

There are so many qualities a teacher needs that it is hard to put them in order, so only the first one is meant to be first, the others are parallel with each other.

1. Love and appreciation of children and an ability to relate to them and see things through their eyes. It is marvellous when a child shows us something that they find amazing and the adults in their life can show genuine appreciation of the object or picture. To experience wonder through the eyes of a child is a sure-fire way of never growing stale.
2. Fascination with what makes people tick and a desire to learn how to deal with it and influence it in a positive way. I found Glasser’s Choice Theory to be an interesting and relevant way of looking at some of the children in my class and agree with the theory that a lot of behaviour problems are a struggle for power. Having said that though I can also say that there are a few children in the class who have too much power at home and are regular tyrants there.
3. Love of teaching and an interest in the world go hand in hand to me. By teaching the children well they are learning about the world through someone who also finds it stimulating and thought provoking.
   
4. A sense of humour. You have to laugh and so do the children, often.
5. Honesty or being able to admit when you’re wrong. In most cases children appreciate a teacher who apologises for a mistake and rarely make fun of them, as long as the teacher is not apologising all the time - one tries not to make too many mistakes.
6. Truthfulness, not telling your students stories that have no foundation in truth. Each story needs to be researched carefully before being told and the teacher himself needs to believe from his inmost heart that what he is saying is the truth.
7. An even temper even in the face of a student's really annoying melt-downs.
   
8. An open mind to try new approaches, the internet can be a marvellous place to go for suggestions as we don’t all have libraries fully stocked with teaching material.
9. A really strong work ethic as this teaching business is all-pervading and demanding.
10. Excellent organisational skills of time, work, students, home.
11. Good communication skills, how to get the message across without offending anyone.
12. The ability to know what to do all the time, every time.
13. Knowing when to retreat to that lonely mountain top to find one's own centre.
    

I should also add that a good relationship with fellow team-mates is of vital importance.

Everyone has a view point that deserves the courtesy of being heard even if you don’t follow the advice.

Good working relationships can be fostered when people are put in the position of learning something new together. In our school this is a regular occurrence with regular classes in speech, eurythmy, painting, and now university. We also have regular seminars where teachers are asked to do the talks and activities. This is valuable on many different levels. The teachers have to learn in order to teach their colleagues, there are new and varied viewpoints offered, we all come away feeling listened to and appreciated for our offering and it can highlight the talents of someone that we may not have known about. Above all we come together in a harmonious life-filled and creative way.