What Lies in the Heart of a Great Teacher

This week’s article summary is a list of qualities from an article I read this summer entitled “What Lies in the Heart of a Great Teacher” (sorry, no link available to the actual article).

As we complete our preplanning days, move into and get adjusted to our wonderful new Learning Commons, prepare for Visitation Day on Monday, and are poised to embark on a new school year, it’s important to remember the tremendous impact and influence all of us will have on students—and colleagues, parents, and others.

The list below reminds me to take stock of what I aspire to be every day, not only at school but in everything I do.

Some may want to put these qualities on your desk, laptop notepad, etc. and periodically ask yourself how well you show these qualities that  are “simple to understand  but not easy to achieve.”

I want to thank all of you for very productive (and fun and collegial) preplanning days—where I saw the qualities of a great teacher on full display!

Enjoy your last weekend of summer vacation and let’s make the 2015-16 school year  special and memorable for our students, their families, our colleagues, and ourselves!

Joe

What lies in the heart of a great teacher?

You are kind: A great teacher shows kindness to students, colleagues, parents, and those around him/her. Being a kind teacher helps students feel welcomed, cared for and loved.

You are compassionate: Teaching is a very humanistic profession, and compassion is the utmost feeling of understanding, and showing others you are concerned about them. A compassionate teacher models that characteristic to students with his/her actions.

You are empathetic: Empathy is such an important trait to develop in ourselves and our students. Being able to put yourself in someone’s shoes and see things from their perspective has a powerful impact on our decisions and actions.

You are positive: Being a positive person is not easy. Staying positive during trying situations has a tremendous, positive impact on students and everyone around us. Looking on the bright side always seems to help make things better.

You are a builder: A great teacher bridges gaps and builds relationships, friendships, and a community. Building a community is something a great teacher seeks to do in the classroom and extends that to the entire school and its community.

You inspire: Everyone looks at a great teacher with the result if wanting to be a better students, a better teacher, a better parents, a better person.