Things That Make A Great Teacher Or Coach

Some may not agree with me, but I think one of the highest callings to get in life is to be a great teacher or coach. If you think back to your childhood, think about who stood out in your life and took a great part in molding you into the person you are today. It could be your parents, grand parents or a teacher that helped you through a tough time in your childhood.

Teachers and coaches have important roles in all of our lives, as they not only teach us the subject that they are experts at, but they also take a part in teaching us the art of life.

Take a ballet teacher for instance. We all think that her main job is to produce a prima ballerina and make you win lots of medals and get distinctions in all your exams. The job of a good teacher is to get the best out of you that she possibly can, as well as instill things like discipline, love of the art, awareness of your body and how to look after it, and through her love of the art, she will instill the same love and understanding in you.

The job of any great teacher or coach is to understand what motivates each individual and to help each to act in the pursuit of a greater good and make sure they learn to make use of their full potential. The most important lesson of all to be taught is how to behave ethically, because unethical behavior undermines respect and trust, without which, the teacher would be powerless.

A great teacher must direct his pupils towards the path of hard work and sacrifice, as this is the sure route to lasting success. Actions that do not improve you are actions not worth doing.

Great teachers are constantly learning and getting better at their subject. They are able to take something complicated and turn it into something simple that is easy to understand. They are able to inspire their pupils to achieve what others consider impossible.

Great teachers have a tireless but also balanced work ethic. They love what they do and expect their students to work just as hard as they do. They also realize that life is not all about them and do not care who receives the credit for various successes, providing everyone is working in the pursuit of perfection.

A great teacher or coach does not judge himself by what she earns or how many wins their teams have produced. They judge themselves by how many lives they have changed and how many they have inspired to go out and be the best that they can be.


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Michel Maling enjoys writing and blogging and enjoys teaching the art of
dance. Visit her blog at http://balletdancing4u.blogspot.com