The Qualities of a good teacher...

To scintillate in any profession and before entering any profession, one must ascertain that he/she possesses certain qualities. Skill and Interest are the two important essentials which are to be considered to make a bright career. For a specific profession, do plot the Interest in x-axis, the Skill in y-axis. Note your degree of interest and skill in the respective axis and join them by the two straight lines. This graph will clearly show the anatomy of the career which you consider and help the selection of the career.  Obviously, attitude towards a particular job is also an important factor.

Apart from the skill, interest and attitude, certain others qualities/aspects have to be cultivated by an individual who aspires to be a teacher in any field. Teaching cant be compared equivalent to other professions. It is something unique and holy service.  These aspects must be kept in mind always. Briefly, it follows as:

Being a student

A teacher must remember that he/she is also a student. According to Naaladiyar, written by Tamil Jainish Saints, “Art is long, Life is short”. When a teacher thinks that he knows everything or egoistic about his subject knowledge, that thought itself will negate the further learning of the teacher and will be an obstacle for his good performance. So, a good teacher must remind himself/herself that ‘I am a seeker of knowledge’; ‘I am a student in learning’.

Teaching not a job, but a Status

Many tend to choose the teaching profession for their bread and butter. It is undeniable fact that income is primary. But choosing a job for the income alone without the interest and skill is like deceiving oneself.

As a matter of fact, teaching is not a job or profession. It is a status. Similar to motherhood and fatherhood, it is a status. There are no timings or rules and regulations for a mother.  Throughout 24 hours, throughout the life- being a mother continues. A teacher is exactly similar to that. An Engineer will work for ten hours and then he can relax comfortably from his duties. A clerk can free himself after the working hours are over. All professionals are freed from their duties and responsibilities after their work hours. But a teacher is viewed only a teacher throughout the day, throughout the life – by the students and society. That is the reason why the teaching is valuably known as a status rather than a job. Seeing from this backdrop, the dignity of the teachers automatically increases in the society. Meanwhile, one has to note that the sense of responsibility also increases. It doesn’t mean a teacher needs to be like a rigid police man all times.

Teach what you do, do what you teach

A teacher should teach the students what he/she does, should do what he/she teaches. So, naturally, a teacher is put into the compulsion to develop good habits. It will be ridiculous things among the students if a wide gap is noticed between what you teach and what you do. A famous preacher advises as follows: ‘I have to learn what I taught, was the one I have to learn’.  

Being punctual

Many teachers exactly start the lessons in time but completely unaware what time to finish it. When given a chance, teachers become ‘orators’. There are many teachers who are very much fond of their own voice. This is called speech narcissm.  They keep on speaking the subject without noticing the reluctance of the students beyond the time.  A good teacher should be able to read from the faces of students. At least, they are supposed to know the basic student psychology.

Competency in the subject knowledge

A teacher must be competent enough in the subject which he/she handles. When a student comes to know that the teacher is incompetent or weak in the subject knowledge, the concerned teacher loses his/her value from the student’s viewpoint. A teacher is evaluated by the students primarily on the basis of competency of knowledge.  A good teacher is supposed to know something in all the walks of life. He/She should be able to quote practical examples and should be able to co-ordinate all subjects while teaching.

Integrated knowledge is very essential for any teacher.

Peter Drucker, an Eminent Management philosopher, quotes examples from medical field in all his books to explain the business scenario and even economics.

Lingeswaran,