As we come to the conclusion of Reader Appreciation Month, I want to summarize some of the things that we have learned. Today, I’ll focus on some of the character traits of people who were indicated by my readers as their favorite teachers. Some of the character traits were mentioned by multiple people. We’ll call these the Top 5 Character Traits of Great Teachers. If you want to be a great teacher, these are the things you should begin to develop first.

Top 5 Character Traits of Great Teachers

1. Inspired me and never let me settle for anything less than my best (10)
2. Compassionate, caring, made me feel important and welcomed, made a personal connection with me (7)
3. Were demanding, pushed me hard (4)
4. Had a great sense of humor (3)
5. Knowledge of the subject matter (3)

Other specifics

1. Wasn’t afraid of what other people thought (2)
2. Passion for the subject matter (2)
3. Challenged me to think beyond just the answer in the textbook (2)
4. Listened to my ideas
5. Taught me new things
6. A terrific fund raiser
7. Kept things interesting
8. They were interactive
9. Added personal elements to the classroom
10. Organized
11. Wasn’t fake or shallow with comments to students
12. Discipline
13. Confidence
14. They were problem solvers, rather than simply problem identifiers