What I Believe is Important in teaching.

There are 7 characteristics that I believe make a good Physics or science teacher.

1. Passion for the subject. The best teachers aren’t just interested in their subject, they are passionate about it, whether is it is Physics, science, or any subject. They are also passionate about many other things. My favorite teacher from Elementary school was Mrs. Wagner, who taught fifth grade science to me at Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception School. She has an energy that almost made her glow and that you want to emulate as much as possible. I told her once my favorite subject was science, and she lit up with pride.

2. Pride in student’s accomplishments. The best teachers let you know they are glad you got a good grade or made the honor’s society. They smile and tell you that you did a good job. They tell other teachers about how you did as well. Outside you may feel embarrassed, but inside you are glowing. The best teachers don’t single out the best students either. They celebrate the accomplishments of everyone, knowing that everyone is capable to doing well. They are upbeat and positive, focusing on how a student did well, not how well they taught. They may know that it was the strength of their teaching that helped a student to achieve, but they act as if the student is completely responsible. When my low grade of C at midyear turned into a A by the end of the year in Mrs. Wagner’s science class, she told me she could see my growth that year, and I could feel like she felt as much pride as I did.

3. Unwavering support for your students. The best teachers know that everyone is able to do well if they have the right teacher. They encourage if you are frustrated and provide belief that you can get the material. They stand up for individuals against other students, not allowing for in class taunting.

4. Willingness to help student achieve. The best teachers are those that don’t stop teaching when the bell rings. They hold extra sessions for SAT prep, they reach out to students after class. They know that some need extra attention or assistance, and they don’t act like it’s not their job. They take that job seriously. They realize that achievement isn’t just a good grade on a test, but a feeling of accomplishment with mastering a subject.

5. Understanding. Good teachers have a true understanding of how to teach. They didn’t have a rigid direct instruction style of teaching, they improvise new techniques. They are flexible in their teaching style. They understood the little things that affected our ability to learn; the weather, the temperature in the classroom, the time of day. They had an understanding of human nature. Good teachers know, not just the material, they know their students.

6. The ability to look at life in a different way and to explain a topic in a different way. There are many different learning styles. Not everyone gets a subject as taught by every teacher. I took the same general physics topics, in college, general, intermediate, and then advanced physics. Bad teachers only look a subject matter one way. They teach based on how they learn. The good teachers are ones that are able to teach to different learning styles. If students don’t understand a subject, they teach it a different way. Instead of looking at abstract formulas, they explain with images what the formulas represent. In Physics 261 at Ohio State I had Richard Furnstahl, who embarrassed me in front of the class often, he would walk around the room checking on us working out problems. If he saw we weren’t grasping it, or hiding our solution, he would zero in on you. He would not leave you alone until he knew you knew the subject. Often having you demonstrating something, like the viewpoint of the velocity of a rubber ball as it bounces off a wall and returns, from the viewer, the thrower, and someone riding on the ball.

7. A Dedication to excellence. Good teachers want the best from their students and themselves. They don’t settle for poor grades, knowing it reflects upon their ability to teach just as much upon a student’s ability to excel. They encourage students to be good people, not just good memorizers of text. They want students to learn and be able to apply what they learned, not just be able to pass tests. Dr. Furnstahl and Mrs. Wagner were examples of this.