There are many skills and attributes necessary to be an outstanding teacher. Above all, I believe to be an outstanding teacher, I must have high expectations of my students and also demonstrate that I genuinely care and respect my students. Attempting to understand the needs of students is also essential because it allows a teacher to plan and deliver lessons that are appropriate for students’ skill levels. An exceptional teacher also consistently assesses their students’ progress and changes instruction methods based on the assessment data they collect.
The best teachers are also interested in collaborating with others to better meet their students’ needs. In addition to an ability to gauge student needs, an outstanding teacher must also be committed to designing creative and engaging lessons, which provide active learning opportunities to students. Finally, I believe an outstanding teacher must be committed to professional development to continue learning how to become an even better teacher. Above all, I believe an outstanding teacher's primary goal should be to encourage students to become lifelong learners themselves.
