What makes a good teacher?

First, a teacher must care for his/her students. If a teacher does not care about his/her students, that teacher will be grossly ineffective. Students can sense when a teacher does not care about them, and they immediately close themselves to that teacher. It is difficult to reach a closed person, and impossible if you do not truly care about them. Also, a teacher must treat students as human beings. Too many teachers nowadays talk down to their students. The truth is some students know more about most subjects than their teacher! Students are not dumb. Students are not blind. Students really can think for themselves. In all things we are equal to teachers except in age and education and position placed in. Just because someone has been placed in the position of teacher, however, does not mean they are worthy of the title. A good, effective teacher treats the students as they want to be treated. Yes, discipline is necessary in the classroom, but a good teacher is not only a teacher, but also a friend and mentor. In the movie, none of the students respect Erin at the beginning. However, by the end (yes, I cheated and rented the movie over the weekend) all the students have the greatest respect for her. Erin earned their respect by showing that she respected them. I know many teachers that I would like to show this movie to and say “see? That’s the way to do it!” Too many teachers like to strut around and tell their students that we have to respect them because they are the teacher. That’s ridiculous. The basics of a good teacher are all found in Erin Gruwell who not only won the respect of her students, but their love.