WHAT MAKES A GOOD TEACHER GREAT?

What Makes A Good Teacher Great?

What do great teachers do that good teachers don't do? What are the unique attributes that make them truly outstanding? Each week, for the next four weeks, we’re going to examine one recipient of the "National Teacher of the Year" award. As we do, I believe you will find the connecting threads binding certain qualities and beliefs into something that will clarify our understanding of what makes these individuals truly special and a cut above. It is my hope, as you discover these threads, you will be motivated to take your teaching up a level.

I am pleased to introduce the first finalist for 2009. The quoted italicized text includes excerpts from the finalist’s applications for National Teacher of the Year.

Alex Kajitani—2009 California Teacher of the Year
Kajitani is an eighth grade mathematics teacher at Mission Middle School in Escondido, California. He has taught a total of nine years and been an educator at Mission, a school of 1,021 students, for four years.

"Teaching is not just what we do; it is what we are. We are a group of dedicated, passionate professionals who enter our classrooms each morning not only to teach our students about the world as it is, but for the world as it can be. We live on a planet shaped by war, hunger, disease, and the destruction of our environment. Yet we also live in a world in which we, as educators, can invoke in our students the determination and knowledge to create peace, equity, and compassion. As educators, we are not accomplishing this alone in our classrooms, standing in front of students and desks. By being teachers, and embodying the commitment that is inherent to living and working as teachers, we are inspiring, creating, and invoking in our students the pride and confidence to make this world a better place. Above all, we are doing it together."

This middle school math teacher is connecting the classroom with the world as it is. He embodies dedication, caring and determination, qualities many of his students will assimilate from his example. He is telling his students, they are the ones that can change it and he inspires them to eventually believe him. To equip them, he invokes pride and confidence, shows them the door and says, "I'm expecting great things from you. Go out there an do something great."

I’m going to continue digesting his powerful words and look forward to the additional insights we will review from the remaining three candidates.

I would love to receive your thoughts on each candidate.