Teaching is not for the faint-hearted. Each day brings new joys as well as new challenges. You never know what to expect. It may even seem like a thankless job. It is, however, profound and amazing and impacts every single person.

Numerous studies indicate that the most important factor impacting the quality of education is determined by the quality of teachers. Students are deeply influenced by a teacher’s personality and not just that teacher’s knowledge. But greatness in teaching is just as rare as greatness in any other profession. While it may come naturally to some, others may have to work at it in order to achieve great-teacher status.

Awesome school teachers are a unique set of individuals who not only educate kids, but also inspire them to achieve at their fullest potential. That teacher is not merely someone with the right credentials, or intelligence. That person must also possess admirable personality traits as well as a desirable work ethic and must be worthy of being a role model. He/she works tirelessly to create a challenging yet nurturing environment for students, who in turn look forward to classes and are eager to learn. Afterall, no student wants to be taught by an abrasive or uncaring teacher.

So what differentiates the best from the rest? Here are a few key qualities.

Personality traits

• Kind — kind-heartedness brings you closer to your students and their parents. It changes the classroom environment. Teachers who smile and are welcoming make their students feel cared for and loved.

• Compassionate — teachers who express concern for their students are revered. Recognising that students have issues outside of school and being sensitive to these problems is an invaluable trait. Those teachers also set a good example, resulting in students who are more understanding and less likely to judge others.

• Empathetic — the ability to walk in someone else’s shoes does not come easily to everyone. An empathetic teacher will be better able to guide his/her students by understanding their unique situation.

• Inspiring — an awesome teacher uncovers hidden talents in students and motivates and encourages them to be greater than they already are. This teacher sets high expectations for all students and spends the time to encourage them. This great teacher does not sideline the underachiever but instead works harder to help this student maximise his/her potential.

• Nurturing — students love to feel cherished. Teachers who show love to their students are sure to be appreciated.

• Patience — not all students will understand the material being taught on the first try. Teachers who do not give up but instead take the time to explain in simple terms over and over again if necessary, usually obtain good results.

• Respectful — Awesome teachers respect their students, fellow teachers, parents and administrators both in school and outside. Students feel safe to express their feelings and also learn to value other opinions. In demonstrating respect, these teachers earn respect.

• Humility — this is a big one in my opinion. Great teachers do not need to impress with their knowledge. Instead, they are modest and certainly not afraid to admit that they do not know the answer to a question. That teacher then promises to find out the answer and does. These awesome teachers want their students to learn and to even surpass them in knowledge. They are not arrogant.

Work Ethic

• Prepared — Great teachers must spend time preparing for their class. This includes writing lesson plans, designing activities, drafting tests and quizzes before class time.

• Organised — Organisational skills lead to efficiency and maximises instructional time. Teachers must be good planners so as to complete their syllabi in the prescribed time period.

• Continuous learner —Great teachers must keep abreast with the latest research in their subject matter. They should seek out professional development that will teach new instructional skills.

• Communication — Teachers must be able to communicate with peers, administration, students and parents and should not be seen as aloof and unapproachable.

• Dedicated — These teachers show up and spend the necessary time to impart knowledge to both the slow and fast learners. They do not hesitate to go beyond their contract in order to provide assistance to students.

I applaud the outstanding teachers out there and I hope to encourage the not-so-great teachers to step up their game and become awesome. I know the financial rewards may not be so great, but always remember that you are influencing lives and are most definitely making a difference.

Dr Karla Hylton is a graduate of the biotechnology programme at the University of the West Indies. She operates Bio and Chem tutoring, a Kingston-based teaching programme which specialises in secondary level biology and chemistry. Reach her at (876)564-1347,