Future Ed - What makes a good teacher?

Reflect on:

    Do you remember having a good teacher? Or a particularly bad one? Reflect on your memory, what was about it about this teacher that makes them stand out for you?
    How does this image of a teacher relate to other images you have of a "good" teacher?

My main good teacher that I remember is Mrs Brennan.  She stands out because she got us thinking about more than just her subject area (math) - we did a lot of general problem solving as well.  Also she let me opt out if I understood a concept already.  Mrs Brennan also pushed me to join math team in high school, which started a trajectory in my life.  Also Mrs C in first grade...  I remember her giving me and another student the opportunity to do an independent project because we were beyond the level of most everyone else in the class.  On the aspect of bad teachers, I don't remember too many that were really bad.  Although I do remember a few instances where I felt excluded.  Seems like some of the main aspects that made me feel good about a teacher were a connection outside of just the subject area, and also the ability to move at my own pace, or at least not be held back by the 'normal' pace.

My general image of a good teacher fits in with my experiences.  Someone who engages the students at their level and with their interests.  Someone who scaffolds and pushes, who has high expectations.  Someone who connects with the students, and their families, and the community.  Someone who is a role model themselves.  Someone who is adaptable, reflexive, and meta.  Someone who is constantly learning and growing themselves.



Reflect back on the teachers you considered in the first reflection task at the start of this week. Reconsider what it was about them that made you consider them to be so good. Would others that were taught by them have the same conclusions?

Perhaps part of the reason that I felt connected to those particular teachers was because of some similarities between ourselves (conscious or unconscious), and perhaps other students would not have felt the same connection because of not having similarities.  (Interesting research - http://t.co/FBEsEVbKe1)  Also I am fairly self-driven and able to learn well without much instruction - so perhaps for students who needed more instruction from the teachers, my favorite teachers may not have been the best.  Although I do feel like they were adaptable, and so perhaps could have accomodated different learning needs and personality needs.

My general image of a good teacher still stands...  Someone who engages the students at their level and with their interests.  Someone who scaffolds and pushes, who has high expectations.  Someone who connects with the students, and their families, and the community.  Someone who is a role model themselves.  Someone who is adaptable, reflexive, and meta.  Someone who is constantly learning and growing themselves.

The real questions are... how do we attract this type of person into the teaching field?  How do we continue to develop their skills while there?  And how do we encourage those who aren't improving to find a profession that is better suited for their talents and abilities?