Top 10 List of Traits That Make Teachers Memorable

The time has arrived to reveal the “Top Ten List” teachers should considered to be an all-star teacher. Almost every one of the students surveyed over the past 20 years have mentioned these traits. They embody the best of the interactions that teaches can make with their students, as well as identifies what each teacher should strive for to be the educator that will be remembered forever. When I look back on a Teacher-of-the-Year/National Distinguished Principal/Professor of-the-year career, I have seen these traits surface in the lessons I have participated in and the great teachers I have observed. If educators can emulate as many of these traits in every lesson, our educational force will be able to demonstrate the excellence that our students deserve in this next century. 

1. Fun/funny

Definition: to fill enjoyment or playfulness, whimsical; flamboyant, comical, provide amusement,

Key Thoughts for Application: Musing, Enjoyable, entertaining, lively, pleasant, boisterous, convivial, merry, witty, amusing, hilarious, playful, silly, clever, diverting, hysterical, laughable

Here is the crux of the dilemma at school. Rigor demands work, play demands fun. The balance to getting the most out of students is to make work fun, and rigor the product that seems like play to the kids. In the novel “Thread That Runs So True” Jesse Stuart found this phenomenon early in his career. The thread was play. When present, students spent an enormous amount of energy (rigor) in playing things that they enjoyed or had success at in and outside of school. Strive for Play, Enjoyment, and Fun. Use humor but don’t be a comedian. When kids like what they do they will do to the ends of the earth and you will enjoy the ride as well. 

 2. Challenge (ing)

Definition: something that by its nature or character serves as a call to contest, make a special effort, difficulty in a job or undertaking that is stimulating to one engaged in it, justify, to have a claim to; invite; arouse; stimulate.

Key Thoughts for Application: objection, test, confront, demand, provocation, contest, require, arduous, difficult, exacting, strenuous, impressive, hard, severe, lofty 

A challenge enlists many emotions in learning. If you tell or show learning to students it sometimes is absorbed by our students. Hooking learning through emotions is one of the most powerful pathways for assisting students to become motivated, excited, engaged, and turned on to the challenge ahead of them. Many students say they don’t like school because it is boring. Put yourself in their shoes and avoid becoming the “Ferris Buhler’s Day Off” teacher. Make them part of the ownership of the lessons by telling them what they are to learn, learning them, and checking on their performance proficiency in the learning. Help them own the learning and they will rise to the challenge.

3. Interesting

Definition:  engaging or exciting and holding the attention or curiosity, arousing a feeling of interest

Key Thoughts for Application: alluring, amusing, compelling, curious, engaging, fascinating, intriguing, provocative, stimulating, Thought-provoking

I said it before. Kids do not like school because it is boring. Any form of entertainment or media we choose to enjoy, the places we choose to perform work for a majority of our days, or wherever we choose to travel to for fun, we thrive on the interesting aspects and information we can garner in the process. I tell teachers and educational candidates to put themselves in the shoes of the learner. When I teach I make sure students see I am interested, and try to demonstrate that enthusiasm to make learning come alive. If I were in their shoes, I would gladly trade places with them and be enthralled in the events they participating in for the class. Bring the energy and passion, show you care. 

4. Creative

Definition: resulting from originality of thought, expression, etc.; imaginative, creative writing. Originative, productive (usually followed by of).

Key Thoughts for Application: Gifted, ingenious, innovative, original, productive, prolific, visionary, fertile, formative, inspired, stimulating

We are entering a time when the result of a day in class is not the ability to bubble in an answer sheet to demonstrate our understanding of the learning. We need to finds ways to engage the students in the learning using creative applications of the learning and problem solving as they prepare to enter the work force once they leave school. Don’t get me wrong. I am a proponent of the basics, but don’t teach at a basic level. There must be a reason for the learning. Educators need to be giving the purpose and/or the meaning for each lesson, not just the number of the standardized objectives as determined by the state. Motivation is enhanced by the level of interest students have, the ownership they accept, and the willingness to put forth the effort. Give the learning your pizzazz. Use your style. Be an artist as well as a scientist in the process of learning. Never settle on the basic. Create and you will be inspired yourself.

5. Caring

Definition: a cause or object of worry, anxiety, concern, etc., serious attention, solicitude; heed, caution, protection, charge to make provision or look out (usually followed by for), to have an inclination, liking, fondness, or affection (usually followed by for), have thought or regard or concern

Key Thoughts for Application: pay attention to, tend, watch, consider, foster, minister, nurture, protect, treasure, doting, warmhearted, friendly, kind, partial, tender, warm, benevolent, considerate, helpful

Caring is as simple as remembering the students name from day 1. Having them fill out a questionnaire about their family, their likes and dislikes, their feelings about school, their hobbies, and classrooms they found likeable/memorable. Knowing your students is extremely important in showing you care. A hand shake at the door when they enter each day. Working with them on their learning, not working on them. Taking the time to make sure no one is left behind by checking the learning and having the structure for re-teaching if needed. It’s the little things that you do that show you care about their successes and struggles, and most of all, listen to them. Make the time to make that possibility occur when needed. Life will become a rush for them soon enough, so give them the time to develop and grow. That’s what the true educator endeavors each day to occur in their memorable classroom.  

6. Enthusiastic

Definition: absorbing or controlling possession of the mind by any interest or pursuit, lively interest,

Key Thoughts for Application: devotion, eagerness, emotion, energy, fervor, intensity, passion, spirit, warmth, zeal, mania, oomph, zest

These traits do not stand alone. Interestingly, they can be interdependent or stand alone. The more you use these traits, they multiply the effectiveness of the education. Enthusiasm has been mentioned before this topic and occurs in many of the other top traits that make teachers memorable. Passion, interest, creativity, fun, play, enjoyment, caring, and excitement all occur with enthusiasm and have ranked very high on the surveys because they magnify the effort and level of energy found in classes that students remember. Do what you love, love what you do! Your enthusiasm will result in higher levels of motivation and performance.

7. Engage (ing)

Definition: to occupy the attention or efforts of (a person or persons), to attract and hold fast, to attract or please, to bind, as by pledge, promise, contract, or oath, make liable,

Key Thoughts for Application: alluring, appealing, employ, enlist, contract, captivate, consume, engross, obsess, fascinate, immerse,  interesting, intriguing, inviting, enticing,

Traditionally the level of learning was sit-and-get, sage on the stage, lecture, or you have to earn it! It was all up to the student to unravel the mystery message that was presented, and avoid having the learning “zinger” that might befall them on the tests. What you are doing you are doing for them so they can do for themselves in the future. It’s the give a fish or teach to fish proverb come to life. Their success should reflect in your success. They must be doing things in the learning. THEY MUST BE ENGAGED! Too many teacher say they taught a great lesson and it wasn’t their fault the kids didn’t learn. They did their best. Educators need to do their best. Non-learners should not be a collateral damage that is accepted as a result of the lesson. Triage should not be needed after you “did your best.” Skillful engagement is enlisted when all of the students are with the learning all of the time (100%), with all of the material (100%), and at the highest level of proficiency one can have (100%). I call it the 300% triangle for teaching that I use in my teacher preparation course at the university. It is all about learning. I don’t train teachers, I train educators.

8. Exciting

Definition: stirring, thrilling, to arouse or stir up the emotions or feelings, to cause, awaken,

Key Thoughts for Application: amazing, animated, delightful, energizing, thrilling, work up, arousing, electrifying, galvanizing, inducing, provoking

When Students are excited they run through walls for you. They are coming in at beak times and want to know if they can talk with or help you.  They like being around you because they value the effort you make that makes learning exciting. You don’t need to be on a table with a lampshade on your head, but the concepts of motivation, ownership, purpose, meaning, value, reward, engagement, and structure all enhance the exciting times one can create each day. My goal is to have a child who can’t wait to come back to school for the next exciting class of learning that awaits them. Make them drool for the learning, get them to thirst for knowledge, and provide a place where the magic of learning comes alive for them each day. 

9. Encouraging

Definition: to inspire with courage, spirit, or confidence, to stimulate by assistance or approval, promote, advance, foster

Key Thoughts for Application: hopeful, promising, reassuring, supportive, invigorating,   revitalizing, relieving, sustaining, upholding

School is about learning. The premise is that kids come in without the knowledge and given a test, will fail preemptively in their understanding. So failure and fear of school are real each day for many students. They look to their teachers to encourage them. They want to hear words that guide them to a path of understanding with the reassurance that they have done something right and are ready to take the next steps in activities to learn. This is the pure definition of a coach. Coaching is guiding others to do something they have never done before. Great coaches prepare the learner for the experience so well that when they perform the task they do it as close to perfection as one could possibly imagine. Be that coach. Teach well. Encourage fully.

10. Energetic

Definition: possessing or exhibiting energy, especially in abundance; vigorous: powerful in action or effect; effective:

Key Thoughts for Application: active, aggressive, dynamic, enterprising, industrious, lively, passionate, powerful, spirited, strong, tireless, vigorous, brisk, forcible, fresh, kinetic, peppy, vital, vivacious

As a principal each day I stand outside in the morning and feel the energy, as well as excitement students bring to school at the start of the day. If teachers could harness that energy, excitement, and enthusiasm for learning when they come into the classroom each day, education would not be looked at as failing, and students would probably be more successful as a result of their years of work. I love to visit, and can see immediately upon entering, classrooms where the energetic nature is shared by both students and teachers. That buzz for learning is contagious and allows the efforts made by educators to become effortless and easy. Lessons are over and the teacher rides the crest of this force on such a high with a great deal of satisfaction.

Stephen Ahle Principal
Educator
2006 National Distinguished Principal
National Association of Elementary School Principals