Teachers in Madison, Conn., asked their students, “What makes a good teacher?” They recorded the answers on a video that is spontaneous yet eye-opening for anyone who thinks Bill Gates’s Ted talk about what makes a great teacher great is what it’s really all about. If only we could test these qualities, right?
I’d like to say these kids know exactly what makes a good teacher, because they’re the only ones who really have a dog in the fight. However, I would have to temper that evaluation a little: they’re really, really close. These kids know what makes a good teacher who’s teaching, and that’s the most important thing teachers do. The kids hit that nail right on the head. Unfortunately, in schools today, teachers do a lot more than teach, stuff behind the scenes that kids don’t see but that plays a sometimes-important role in their work.
So, with that caveat, check out the video on YouTube, here. I’ve done my best to transcribe it below, but please keep in mind, these are the unrehearsed, uncoached words of kids. The video starts with young kids, perhaps in first grade, and merges in more middle and high school students as it goes on. Each paragraph represents a different speaker, and they are all responding to some form of the question, “What makes a good teacher?”
What Makes a Good Teacher?
Produced By TOM SCARICE and LUKE ARSENAULT
Make kids to not be dumb.
Encouragement and kindness.
Never letting you down.
They would always help me if I was stuck.
Be patient, a little strict but not a whole amount.
Like, if we would do math and she would make up fun and games.
And she would say, “Did you know that before?” And the answer was always the same: “No.”
Helpful with things.
Understanding.
Always fun.
They’re going to make sure their students are having a good time and not being bullied.
Smart.
Never let you down.
The teacher would probably take me on, like, field trips.
And let us play 7-Up.
Be really excited and, like, “You can do it.”
And they make you feel good when you get a question right.
Energetic, caring, humble, unique, honest, and just outgoing.
They would show me some cool ways to make math facts easier.
Encouraging.
You know, if they have a good smile; they have a nice, sweet voice.
Does fun projects.
They made everyone in the class, like, feel really happy, so they have a great experience in that grade.
When you, like, make jokes, they’re not, like, stern about it; they, like, laugh at it.
Tell you that, yeah, you’re doing this right and not doing it wrong.
A teacher who was really kind, caring, and supportive would make a really great teacher.
Magical powers.
Science-y, musical, and likes to sing.
Non-strict teachers are nicer than strict teachers.
They just like, stand up inside the middle of the room and go [sings] “I love the world!”
I like it when my teacher does “Homework-opoly” and I land on “Community Lunchbox,” and then I get to have lunch with her.
They like to blow up stuff. I usually like blowing up stuff.
Loving, caring.
Let’s say you’re writing a poem, she would, like, let you write whatever you want, whatever you’re feeling.
Helpful, because when I need help, she’s always there.
Athletic, funny, smart. Somebody who is able to really help me embrace my inner self.
Very outgoing. She’s the kind of teacher that, like, speaks what she’s thinking.
On like holidays, they make you, like bring each donuts.
And makes your day, like you know when you come into school every day, she’ll make it better for you, no matter what ways you perform.
I like it when my teacher gives us homework.
Always smiling.
Inspiring us.
And they would say, “Oh yes you can, you’re smart enough, girl!”
She lets us watch movies.
Funny.
You know, nice teachers always give you more than one chance.
And happy all the time.
When you’re doing fractions, she’d like say, “You have five cookies, and half of them”—or, no, that wouldn’t work.
Inspires me to stuff that I like, and then I’m like, “Oh, there I go!” And like, I like say, “Oh, now I have it!” And then I start like writing, like, really writing.
I think a good teacher in my mind is probably someone who lets me be myself in class, someone who will take the time to get to know me and listens to my ideas. I want a teacher who will observe how I learn and will make me successful during class.
Using questions that keeps them involved, and making connections to things that seventh and eighth graders can understand.
She’s very accepting, and she’s inspiring, and she’s been everywhere in the world, basically.
She is able to jerk around with us without getting off-topic. She always has a great attitude.
I like it when my teacher challenges me.
When they keep it, like, when they don’t just lecture the whole time.
Strong, open-minded, and engages with kids.
Probably a lot of tolerance with their students.
Isn’t afraid to have fun.
What I don’t like about a teacher, sometimes, is when they just, like, put notes on the board and you just have to copy them, as opposed to, like, watching a documentary and then, like, taking notes as a class.
I like teachers who are fun and, like, energetic, and make class, like, not boring, just them standing up on the board, like talking. I like teachers who are, like, kind of exciting, and have some, like, energy.
Take you under their wing and really try to show you what they’re trying to teach you, and work with your learning styles.
A perfect teacher is a very strong, open-minded person who loves engaging with kids, and goes—takes their different learning styles and puts them together and uses them for activities and stuff.
If they’ve been through more experiences in their life, and if they really worked hard for it, and gone through a bunch of classes and colleges, and really wants to teach.
I like when my teacher’s like in a good mood, and she’s talking a lot, like not yelling, but talking and having fun with us.
She treats me like I’m one of her actual kids, and she takes me under her wing and watches out for me.
And if I’m having a hard time, they can give me support and teach me, like, after school, or have extra time, they’ll, help me.
I like young teachers, mostly.
I like it when my teacher is friendly and is enjoyable to be around.
Take you for who you are and help you out.
Try to interact with most of the students and, like, especially like when you have to wake up so early and everyone’s all tired.
Like she gets to actually get to know you and not just have you as a student.
They don’t tease us, but like, kind of like joke around with us, which I think is really cool, because it helps me connect with them.
Really get to know who you are and not just know you as a student that she has.
They’re there because they want to be there. They enjoy teaching you. They enjoy being with you and helping you.
Someone that’s really like upbeat and happy. And like, they’re not really strict, but they make you get your work done.
They can connect the subject or, like, the lesson, to why we need it.
Some teachers will, like, they know how to work with students better, and they’re nicer and …
I like somebody that really understands that everything’s just not about school and there’s a lot of other things that we need to learn about, with the real world and stuff.
They have more of a personality, so they’re more of a friend than just an authority figure. So, they maybe share stories about their actual life instead of just pointing at the board.
And if I’m struggling with something, they can help me, and they’re always, like, there to keep pushing me.
And helping you have a life experience so you can make it out there in the world.
Someone who can, really like, interact with the kids and who’s enthusiastic rather than just, like someone who would just give a piece of paper, like, just telling us what we need to memorize or what we need to learn, who can really, like, explain through her words, what, why we need to know this stuff.
