Running head: WHAT MAKES GOOD TEACHERS?

What makes good teachers?

Student name

Institution name
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Teachers have a great impact on how the students will perceive education and how much

they are going to get from their teaching. It mainly depends on the personality of the teacher as

well as the strategies that they employ while interacting and disseminating information to the

student. Various research articles have also indicated that the relationship between the teachers

and students is a major determinant of the student character. My favorite teacher was a young

and energetic man who would enter the class with a smile every time. His name was Mr. Njojo,

my mathematics teacher he always seemed prepared for his lessons and showed a lot of concern

about whether we understood the concepts or not. He would play a lot of learning games with us

that by the end of the lesson, everyone understood what the concept was. I would tell he was my

nest teacher as he was knowledgeable and a master in his field, he knew his students, had a good

personality and was

Good teachers are masterminds in their respective fields. Whitaker's (2013) research

relates that a teacher or an author is as good as his knowledge. Good teachers are experts in their

respective fields, this way they understand different ways to go around a particular problem and

understand the most effective way of teaching a particular concept. Great teachers are able to

help the students move from the surface of the knowledge to the deeper ends by systematically

connecting the student's prior knowledge of the current concepts Whitaker (2013). I recall how

Mr. Njojo would solve a particular concept with different methods to ensure that each one of us

understood. The knowledge and expertise are paramount to the teachers as it helps them break

complex concepts to simple learning. As Mr. Njojo used to say, you can never stop learning.

A great teacher is good at communication. Communication is paramount when passing

information from one person to another. A teacher with great communication skills can create a

good relationship with the students and the parents (Gipps et al., 2013). Through this, the
WHAT MAKES GOOD TEACHERS? 3

teachers can interact with the students and tell them that they feel they need extra guidance from

their teachers. Mr. Njojo would create extra time after school to meet with any student who

needed help with any particular concept and personal problems. It is through communication that

a teacher is able to understand his/her students.

Finally, great teachers are well organized and prepared. The extent to which the students

will understand a particular concept depends on the manner that the teacher delivers it to Young

(2009). Great teachers understand the value of time and therefore ensures that they are well

organized and prepared for the lessons before coming to class. Young's (2009) research indicates

that the majority of the best teachers invest their time in creating lesson plans and preparing for

the lessons. More importantly, this will enable them to deliver the information using the best

possible and simplest strategy. I recall how Mr. Njojo would explain to us different methods to

tackle every problem as well as teaching the concepts in different environments to ensure that

each concept was delivered in the right manner.

In conclusion, a great teacher is one how develops personal relationships with the parents

and teachers through communications, is a masterpiece in his area of expertise, and is well

organized and prepared. Through communication, a teacher is able to relate to their students and

understand their differences. Being a teacher calls for the teacher to be passionate and concerned

about shaping the future of the students.

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References

Gipps, C., Hargreaves, E., & Mccallum, B. (2015). What makes a good primary school

teacher?: Expert classroom strategies. Routledge.

Whitaker, T. (2013). What great teachers do differently: 17 things that matter most. Routledge.

Young, E. (2009). What makes a great teacher? PDK summit offers many ideas. Phi Delta

Kappan, 90(6), 438.