What Makes a Good Teacher? (Essay Sample)

The arguments on the qualities of what makes a person a good teacher have attracted conflicting debates since time immemorial. Whereas some people argue that a successful educator is the one, who can make learners pass in examinations, others posit that a competent instructor should ensure that students develop holistically. Through the sharing of Prof Joseph (philosophy of law lecturer) and day to day experiences, the researcher opines that educational process should entail social, intellectual, and moral formation. The essay endeavors to examine factors that can make a person to meet the threshold of being described as a good teacher.
A competent instructor should enable learners to develop socially and morally. Since human beings live in a communal context, there is a need for students to learn how to respect each other, coexist as a community, and acquire leadership skills. According to Smith (2005), the social formation is the most critical dimension because it lays a foundation of success in life. Besides, a good teacher must help learners to develop academically. As Stronge, Ward, and Grant (2011) argue the academic formation is necessary for improving the cognitive ability of students. In this regards, an instructor should form learners to be critical thinkers as well as being analytical in life. Intellectual aspects are also beneficial because it enables people to acquire skills, values, and expertise that can enable them to earn a living.
In conclusion, a good teacher is a person, who can help learners to develop socially, intellectually, and morally. Holistic development is important because it helps in raising balanced people, who are capable of fitting into any society. Although academic excellence is emphasized in most curriculums, it should be supplemented with other aspects to enable learners to achieve success in life. The study recommends that educators and policymakers should adopt a holistic approach to education as this can enable a society to be more humane to all its members.