What Makes a Good Teacher: 3 Qualities I’ve Learned From the Best Teacher I Know
I will begin this post by mentioning that it is written from witnessing the work of the best educator I know. My cofounder, Alex Liggins. Yes, she is also my fiancée, she is amazing, and she did happen to mention that the other piece I wrote about her has the most views out of all of my blog posts. So here I am, writing about yet another thing she is extremely good at…Teaching.
I have learned most of what makes a great teacher from watching Alex. She really understands how to get on a kid’s level. I watched her do this repeatedly when we first began teaching classes at South Bend Code School. She always created this level of trust with students that most adults dream of. I call her “The Child Whisperer”.
So here are some of the qualities that I have noticed Alex has that set her apart from most teachers.
Patience
I’ve never once seen Alex lose her temper with a student or a classroom. Sure, she’s gotten upset, but she has never yelled, screamed, or flown off the handle with students.
Everyone knows that a classroom can get unruly from time to time, but not everyone knows how to handle the situation. Some teachers get mad and others just throw in the towel and give up.
I think that Alex is good at this because she knows that she is the adult in the room. She handles herself with aplomb and is able to set the tone of the classroom with her confidence.
Empathy
I have learned from Alex that this is the most important trait a great teacher should have. If you can’t understand (or work to understand) a student’s problems, you are going to have trouble reaching them. You don’t always have to know what the exact issue they are experiencing feels like, but you do have to understand when it is causing them pain or frustration.
Where most adults find it difficult to relate to the problems a student is having, Alex works to understand. Other adults might write feelings off, but Alex will ask students why they are upset or why they are hurting. This shows students that she cares.
Most people associate empathy with the not so good feelings, but Alex exercises it in celebration as well.
When you have a win in life, it is important to share that with someone. It feels good and validating to tell someone you care about how great an accomplishment makes you feel. Alex is that person. She is there to celebrate with students when they win.
Grit
Alex practices grit when it comes to teaching. Teaching is just like most professions. It requires a certain level of determination. Now, when I say “grit” in a conversation about teaching, I don’t mean having a mindset of, “I am going to cram this concept down this student’s throat until they understand.” What I mean is working until the best method to teach by is found.
Not everyone learns the same way. Alex understands that (empathy, remember) and she accepts that the way she thinks you are going to learn something might not be the way you actually learn. She is able to adjust on the fly to meet the student where they are.
If you don’t learn the way the lesson calls for at the onset, Alex will get you there a different way. She understands that she is your guide, comprehension is the destination, and you need to get there in one piece.
Some of these traits are difficult to implement because they take a certain level of self actualization and self confidence. It also takes a certain level of experience. There’s nothing like staring out at a classroom of 30 kids who all have different personalities, different learning habits, and different moods. It can be intimidating.
Believe me, there isn’t anyone on earth quite like Alex. She’s one of a kind. But if you can practice patience, empathy, and grit with half the skill she does, you’ll be just fine.
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Alex Sejdinaj is a cofounder of South Bend Code School, GiveGrove, and Code Works. He loves building cool stuff that helps people.
