QUALITIES OF A TEACHER

Definitions
Quality
 It is a distinctive attribute or characteristics possessed by someone or
something
 Quality is equally seen as the degree of excellence of something
 It is also a characteristic or feature of something that makes it different from
other things
Teacher
 Sometimes called educator, a teacher is a person who helps others to acquire
knowledge, competences and values
 A teacher or school teacher is a person who provides formal education for
pupils and students
Qualities of a teacher
These are distinctive features or characteristics possessed by teachers that help to
render them more effective. Learners are most affected by the quality of their
teachers. Not only do they interact with teachers every day in the classroom, but
the quality of that interaction matters for the learners’ future. A great teacher is one
a student remembers and cherishes forever. Teachers have long – lasting impacts
on the lives of their students and the greatest teachers inspire students towards
progress.
The qualities of teachers broadly fall into these categories:
 Intellectual qualities
 Moral qualities
 Physical qualities
 Professional qualities
 Technical qualities

1. Intellectual qualities
In this domain, a good teachers possesses the following characteristics
 Knowledge of the cognitive, social and emotional development of learners.
It includes an understanding of how learners learn at any given
developmental level; how learning in a specific subject area progresses;
awareness that learners have individual needs and abilities and an
understanding that instruction should be tailored to meet each learner’s
needs
 Engaging learners in learning. Teachers should be able to engage and
motivate learners to learn
 Good knowledge of the curriculum of the subject he/she is teaching
 Knowledge of subject matter. A teacher is as good as what he/she knows. A
teacher should hence have incredible knowledge and enthusiasm for the
subject matter he/she is teaching. He/she is prepared to answer questions and
keep the material interesting for the students
 Researchfulness. A good teacher does is resourceful and carries out research
in his/her teaching subject in order to be abreast with current innovations
 Set high expectations for learners. Good teachers consistently challenge their
learners to do their best and equally to believe in themselves
 A great teacher seeks avenues where knowledge can be updated, such as
attending seminars, workshops, refresher courses and enrolling into
professional associations.

2. Moral qualities
 The ability to develop strong relationships with learners. A teacher needs to
be able to build trusting relationships with learners in order to create a safe,
positive and productive learning environment.
 Patient, caring, kind, compassionate and sensitive to learners’ differences
 Empathetic. A good teacher should understand the feelings of his/her
learners and be able to put himself in their situations
 Communication with parents. A good teacher maintains open
communication with parents and keeps them informed of what is going on in
the classroom as far as curriculum, discipline and other issues
 Friendliness and approachability. A teacher must be easy to approach.
Learners have questions that cannot be answered if the teacher is not
friendly and easy to talk to.
 Respect the cultural values and norms of the society in which the school is
located.
 A role model to the learners and members of the society in actions and
words

3. Physical qualities
 Modesty in dressing
 Politeness
 No severe physical defect
 Cleanliness and neatness in appearance
 Smartness in carrying out tasks

4. Professional qualities
 Dedication to teaching. It refers to a love for the work, which includes
commitment to students’ success
 Engaging personality and teaching style. A great teacher holds the attention
of learners in all discussions
 Clear objectives for lessons. A great teacher establishes clear objectives for
each lesson and works to meet them during each class
 Effective discipline skills and promotion of positive behaviours and change
in the classroom
 Good classroom management skills by ensuring good student behavior,
effective study/work habits and on overall sense of respect in class
 A willingness to work collaboratively with the school authorities and other
colleagues
 Respect for school rules and regulations
 Punctuality

5. Technical qualities
 Excellent communication skills. Being able to convey subject matter well to
the learners. These skills include verbal, nonverbal and visual which
 involves speaking, writing, imagery, body language and the organization of
ideas into understandable structures
 Superior listening skills. Good teachers are excellent listeners. In an ideal
learning environment, teachers ask important questions and then actively
and carefully listen to what learners have to say
 Preparation and organization skills. Great teachers spend endless hours
outside of the classroom preparing, designing lessons, participating in
professional development and thinking of fresh and interesting ways to reach
the learners
 Motivation skills. If learners do not have the necessary motivation, then the
quality of teaching will be lower. So, ii is a good teacher to use strategies to
stimulate interest in the subject
 Ability to work with diverse cultural contexts. Classrooms are culturally
diverse. Therefore, a good teacher needs to know something about the
cultures of their students, in order to improve interaction in the classroom

Teacher’s image
This refers to the notion that learners and the society have about a teacher. An
image of the teacher is formed within the students’ mind which is later reproduced
in the public space. Image is a phenomenon taking place in human consciousness
as a result of social experience. During the process of mutual interaction, that is,
teaching/learning, a teacher’s image is formed within the learners’ mind. Teacher’s
image is connected to the importance of the teacher as a both in society and in the
individual. Teachers are therefore supposed to be careful how they talk and behave
in front of their learners and in the society because it is based on how they behave
that an image of them is formed in the minds of the learners and members of the
public. It is often said that teachers have “no private life” because every action of
theirs is rated by the society.

Teacher’s personality
Personality is a characteristic way of thinking, feeling and behaving. It includes
behavioural characteristics both inherent and acquired, that distinguish one person
from another and that can be observed in people’s relations to the environment and
to the social group. Teacher’s personality therefore refers to those unique ways of
thinking, feeling and acting, which makes one teacher different from the other.
There are a number of personality traits that help teachers such as:
1. Adaptability: it is the ability to make adjustments that minimize distractions
when things do not go as planned
2. Conscientious: this is the ability to complete task meticulously with
efficiency and of the highest quality
3. Creativeness: ability to think out of the box to solve a problem.
4. Determination: ability to fight through adversity without giving up to
accomplish a goal. Such teachers do not make excuses
5. Empathy: the ability to relate to another person even though you may not
share similar life experiences and problems
6. Forgiving: the ability to move beyond a situation in which you were
wronged without feeling resentment or holding a grudge