365 Characteristics Of Good Teachers

John Dabell

I trained as a primary school teacher 25 years ago, starting my career in London and then I taught in a range of schools in the Midlands. In between teaching jobs, I worked as an Ofsted inspector (no hate mail please!), national in-service provider, project...
Read more about John Dabell

Are you a good teacher?

Good teachers are effective teachers. They are also great but never outstanding as outstanding doesn’t exist. But what does a good one look like?

Everyone seems to have an opinion about what makes a top teacher, a great teacher and what effective teachers ‘do right’. There can never be any real consensus or ‘absolute’ that we can template although research points to some key features. I’ve collected together 365 insights to demonstrate to people outside of the teaching profession, what these cherished characteristics are.

‘Good’ teachers have a positive outlook

1. work with passion and are enthusiastic
2. bring their best to the school every day
3. make the most of each and every minute
4. revel in the opportunity to be with and to teach children
5. are energetic, dynamic and accentuate the positive
6. are time stealers extraordinaire and steal ideas
7. have a healthy sense of humour and perspective
8. are happy to be at school and love teaching
9. genuinely enjoy teaching
10. convey a love of their subject
11. convey a love of teaching as a worthwhile profession
12. are intentional with their time and effort
13. see themselves as helpers of learning
14. hold positive expectations of their own actions
15. approach situations with a ‘can do’ and ‘will do’ attitude
16. accept their inadequacies but strive to improve them
17. encourage input from others
18. listen deeply and give credit to others for their contributions
19. are keen to uphold the school’s values
20. see themselves as essentially dependable and capable
21. communicate effectively with others
22. believe in their own worth, ability and potential
23. are self-confident, motivated and happy
24. strive for openness, honesty and genuineness in learning and relationships
25. do things with P.R.I.D.E. (perseverance, responsibility, integrity, determination, excitement)
26. model forgiveness
27. have presence
28. walk the talk and practise what they preach
29. act as role models with high ethical standards
30. are empathetic
31. are ‘Elephant’ teachers
32. act naturally in a range of situations
33. use their personalities to energise the curriculum
34. promote and cherish mental and physical wellbeing
35. don’t make dramas out of minor events
36. safeguard their emotional energy and protect their own welfare
37. are optimistic and see problems as opportunities
38. are responsive to changing circumstances
39. don’t allow anyone to take away their excellence
40. filter out the spam and challenge toxic people
41. expect the best
42. look for marginal gains
43. build alliances
44. are pogo-stick teachers and see the wider picture
45. go for gold and enthuse others to do the same
46. give of themselves freely and often
47. know when to unplug
48. are not faultless
49. see mistakes as an opportunity and not a threat
50. work hard but don’t become workaholics
51. have self-doubts
52. count their blessings!
53. get out of their comfort pits and zones
54. are hardy teachers
55. don’t aim for perfection
56. have superpowers
57. lookout for their colleagues
58. build visions and find time to innovate
59. are grit spreaders
60. charge at obstacles and goals with total commitment
61. drown out the bad with the good
62. empower others, start an uplifting dialogue and encourage public ‘shout outs’
63. practise being brave and take risks
64. are cheerful, determined and tenacious
65. S.U.M.O (Shut Up, Move On)
66. wear different glasses and see the world differently
67. are committed to achievement and active citizenship
68. spread collegial care and support to everyone
69. set boundaries
70. avoid burnout
71. are cheerful in adversity
72. make lemonade when the fragile system gives them lemons
73. know how to get their mojo back and reignite their confidence.
74. choose their battles
75. know how to deal with impostor syndrome
76. side-step guilt
77. can’t imagine doing anything else
78. know they are trusted
79. get some sleep! 
80. ignore emails after hours
81. commit to a well-being oath

‘Good’ teachers are always child-centred

1. enjoy the company of children
2. meet, greet and make every child feel special
3. reject self-fulfilling prophecies and avoid labelling
4. value the uniqueness of each child and never belittle
5. believe in the worth, ability and potential of every child
6. maximise raw potential and tap the untapped potential
7. never underestimate pupils’ capabilities
8. study their children and find each child’s ‘sweet spot’
9. observe and listen carefully to children to discover their educational needs
10. ask children “What is kind? What is specific? What is helpful?”
11. help and support children to grow and flourish
12. commit to establishing a positive relationship with every learner
13. never patronise or talk down to children
14. never break promises
15. encourage an open and trusting learning environment
16. encourage children to take risks and ask ‘big questions’
17. encourage a growth mindset
18. take care of children’s mental health
19. encourage children to raise expectations of themselves
20. normalise mistake-making as a natural part of learning
21. challenge children in multiple ways
22. help children to speculate, think aloud and help each other
23. give children time to think
24. help pupils redefine ‘failure’ as a stepping stone towards success
25. help children become critical thinkers, problem solvers and effective learners
26. hold positive expectations of every child and don’t blame them for their behaviour
27. have a constant awareness of how children are experiencing their learning
28. see pupils as pupils and not mini-adults
29. understand and value a child’s point of view
30. honour the dignity and integrity of every child
31. provide constructive feedback and avoid slack praise
32. eat together and learn together with children
33. show a caring attitude
34. develop character and responsibility
35. have shining eyes and a lively tone of voice
36. are seen by children as approachable and valuable sources of advice
37. have high standards for all children every day
38. understand that they will not always see immediate results
39. contribute personal stories and celebrate the successes of former students
40. develop personal, mature relationships with children
41. are generous with their smiles and make children laugh
42. have faith in children to do well
43. keep things positive
44. use their own autobiographies to empower learning and personal development
45. take time to explain things from more than one angle
46. help children when they are ‘stuck’, upset or troubled
47. do not give up on children and do not give into children
48. make children feel clever
49. make allowances, forgive and forget
50. insist that work is a high standard
51. nudge and push children into doing better
52. know what goes on ‘beyond the gate‘
53. help children to be creative, original and use their initiative
54. give children strategies to succeed
55. react calmly when things don’t go ‘right’
56. make children feel secure and protect their mental health
57. inspire and inculcate a love of learning in children
58. maintain discipline
59. are alert and responsive to different feelings
60. extend the range of pupil learning experiences including homework when appropriate
61. help children become independent, resilient and skilful learners
62. are aware of the Matthew effect
63. encourage children to be learning detectives
64. understand the overlapping waves model of cognitive development and see learning as a gradual ebb and flow
65. let parents know when their child has shown a particular interest in a topic or skill
66. encourage children to identify the difference between opinion and diagnostic advice
67. help children to achieve more than they thought possible
68. let children know they are not their test results
69. see ourselves through our children’s eyes

‘Good’ teachers enjoy teaching!

1. are well organised, prepared and reflective
2. have sound subject knowledge
3. teach like a champion
4. see teaching as white water rafting
5. are nets not spoons
6. have clever classrooms
7. champion children and fight their corner
8. make ‘invisible’ pupils visible
9. recognise that learning is emotional
10. teach hand, head and heart
11. believe learning should be challenging and joyful
12. find something children care about
13. build a class culture and happy classrooms
14. poverty-proof their classrooms if required
15. create situations in which children succeed
16. give oracy a high profile and commit to dialogical teaching
17. understand Assessment for Learning, responsive teaching and use the 5 Minute AfL Plan
18. see formative assessment as the bridge between teaching and learning
19. don’t obsess over ‘data’
20. think aloud and model steps
21. assess learning incrementally
22. commit to low-stakes, not high-stakes
23. expect ambiguity
24. use strategies that support inclusion
25. improvise, ad-lib, edit, tweak and tailor
26. avoid the formulaic
27. do not write detailed lesson plans
28. let children decide the direction learning takes
29. deliberately introduce alternative perspectives
30. deliberately introduce periods of silence
31. shun bullet-pointed lesson plans and off-the-shelf ready-made lessons
32. make learning as loud and colourful as possible
33. use exciting and varied approaches like concept cartoons
34. radiate excitement when they introduce a new topic
35. make learning memorable and make things stick
36. don’t use lollipops
37. are great storytellers
38. help children ‘get in the zone’ and in a state of flow
39. create a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere
40. use the APPLE model for prior knowledge (Appropriate, Present, Pupil Need, Learner’s Environment, Enhance)
41. are clear about what they want children to learn
42. concentrate on the things that pupils need to experience
43. tell children what they need to know and show them what they need to do
44. judge what can be expected of a pupil
45. are concerned about the quality of their teaching
46. detect things before they get out of hand
47. teach with patience and open-eyed courage
48. maintain a constant focus on children’s learning goals
49. make the best use of every minute
50. have a belief in their teaching and in children as learners
51. combine the routine and the probing
52. ask lots of questions, particularly ‘how and ‘why’ questions
53. ask questions ‘Columbo’ style
54. use open questions and Fermi questions
55. reason by analogy
56. give analysis, not opinion
57. strive to ensure that every child feels confident to approach adults without hesitation to ask questions
58. talk to children in a way that they can understand
59. overcome gaps in knowledge, understanding and skills
60. take careful account of the needs of individuals
61. promote deliberate practice so we can all achieve extraordinary things
62. encourage independent thought
63. encourage children to ask questions and engage in the learning process
64. challenge misconceptions
65. don’t gloss over ‘wrong’ answers but treat them as stepping stones towards a fuller understanding
66. establish a context for material
67. link learning to real-world issues
68. present new material in small chunks
69. use examples, details, analogies, metaphors and variety in modes of explanation
70. use wit and humour effectively
71. tactically tackle low-level disruption
72. presents facts and concepts from related fields and ‘joins the dots’
73. allow children to succeed
74. pay close attention to detail
75. are not slaves to differentiation
76. feedback and feedforward
77. don’t use verbal feedback stamps
78. build on and work with the knowledge that children already possess
79. can stimulate, direct and pace interaction with the class
80. make rapid assessments and can change direction to fit the needs of individuals
81. monitor progress and foster success
82. teach children how to monitor their own progress
83. demand and monitor independent practice
84. make sure children show their successes
85. don’t sit behind their desks
86. demonstrate their own thought and work processes when problem-solving
87. encourage children to summarise new learning in a graphical way
88. encourage children to achieve their goals
89. use a great deal of encouragement with a small amount of praise
90. nurture metacognition and teach children how to think, not what to think
91. teach children strategies and not just content
92. motivate children to create new ideas
93. foster innovation, new approaches and take risks themselves
94. don’t shut down learning but keep lines of enquiry open
95. encourage and appreciate diversity
96. do not stereotype or speak negatively of others
97. nurture and encourage empathy and respect
98. seek and encourage understanding of, and respect for, people of diverse backgrounds
99. are perceived as fair, especially in behaviour management and methods of assessment
100. encourage children to work in teams
101. encourage collaborative learning
102. help children to transfer learning into new situations
103. give children the confidence to tackle unfamiliar challenges
104. help children to Stop, Think, Act, Reflect
105. provide Dedicated Improvement and Reflection Time (DIRT)
106. use pose, pause, pounce, bounce
107. repeat, pause, repeat, linger, pause, repeat
108. don’t take centre stage and talk too much
109. present difficult concepts comprehensibly
110. offer support for difficult concepts
111. play devil’s advocate
112. scaffold and explain clearly
113. hold children accountable
114. let children teach one another
115. build memorable learning experiences
116. ensure praise is personal, sincere and linked to learning
117. know whether or not the class is following the material and check regularly that children understand
118. address underperformance
119. are sensitive to each learner’s mood and motivation
120. demonstrate creativity in teaching strategies
121. repeat what has already been learnt each day
122. regularly activate and reactivate learned knowledge
123. teach in a relaxed way without losing authority and respect
124. know that one size does not fit all
125. helps children take ownership over the direction of their own lives
126. inculcate a sense of mystery and suspense
127. awaken wonder within the classroom
128. are sometimes punks
129. are sometimes mavericks
130. teach purple cow lessons and teach like pirates
131. are lazy and keep it simple
132. work less than their children
133. celebrate the work of their children and their school community
134. promote healthy, cheerful competition
135. build a climate of emotional intelligence in class
136. creatively foster synergy between experience and dialogue
137. don’t spend hours marking
138. assess in the moment with plenty of verbal feedback
139. promote cognitive conflict and thought friction
140. don’t cap ‘low-attainers’ by denying them access to more challenging work
141. apply a ‘low threshold, high ceiling’ principle to open-ended tasks
142. don’t do PowerPoint
143. manage their marking workload and use the 5 Minute Lesson Plan

‘Good’ teachers seek professional development

1. are intellectually curious and love learning
2. are critically reflective
3. commit to professional development in education
4. are experts on their own teaching
5. prioritise professional learning and reading 
6. are respectful of colleagues
7. build engagement among colleagues
8. have critical friendships 
9. are outward-looking connected educators
10. collaborate with passion and purpose
11. stay abreast of trends in education and research
12. are cultural anthropologists of their school
13. use lesson study to get better
14. openly display a thirst for knowledge and constantly strive to learn
15. work as team players and multiply each other’s strengths
16. focus on relationships, relationships, relationships
17. embrace reciprocal vulnerability without losing credibility
18. control the narrative, speak up and challenge
19. contribute to cultural breakthroughs in their school
20. are persistent and never give up
21. say ‘no’ when they have to
22. commit to having regular learning conversations with colleagues
23. have open and accessible paths of communication with colleagues
24. extend their learning outside their comfort zone
25. demonstrate leadership in teaching and learn from mistakes
26. contribute to curriculum design
27. ask “So what?”
28. use Smyth’s model of reflection
29. are curious and seek to find out what works and what doesn’t
30. contribute to debate and discussion
31. contribute their own writing on education e.g. blogs, articles
32. seek out pockets of intelligence and listen to podcasts
33. seek out positive and powerful voices in education
34. demonstrate creativity in teaching strategies
35. build links at national and international levels in education e.g. via social media
36. seek continually to improve teaching skills
37. seek to learn and incorporate new skills
38. seek feedback and criticism
39. have a ‘pay it forward’ mindset by giving help and receiving help
40. welcome different points of view
41. model the way for others by managing their workload and wellbeing 
42. keep up to date in their speciality
43. combine brainpower with horsepower
44. persevere with time management and commit to wellbeing
45. actively and constantly seek new opportunities
46. are pro-active and initiate rather than remain passive
47. look at research-based ideas to implement into their practice
48. debunk educational myths and legends
49. do less, not more and do it better
50. strive to make great impact
51. have a vision of the footprint they want to leave on the world
52. have a ‘giving’ mindset and share ideas and resources
53. reflect, monitor and adjust
54. Mark. Plan. Teach
55. conduct teaching, learning and assessment audits on themselves
56. are change agents
57. serve as catalysts for improvement
58. observe each other teach as part of a learning team
59. plan, organise, reflect and evaluate together
60. talk shop
61. know when to stop talking shop
62. avoid balkanisation
63. use different lenses
64. learn how to coach
65. learn how to manage
66. learn how to mentor
67. know that ‘good’ is good enough
68. seek help from more experienced staff and less experienced staff
69. visit the staffroom
70. establish links with sympathetic friends and family
71. lead by example and let others shine
72. give themselves a pat on the back and know they are fabulous.

These qualities and characteristics are just a sample of what good teachers do. There will be plenty I have missed and you could probably add 1,000 more things.

As this list shows, teaching is a highly complex and demanding job that really is multi-skilled and multi-dimensional. In another profession, anyone else expected to do all this would demand £200K a year. Teachers are worth so much more.