Characteristic of Good Teacher

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  The process of increasing knowledge and changes in human behavior is through the process of education. The main activity of education is learning. Learning can be done anywhere and anytime. One of the learning places we often see is at school. In school learning activities, teachers are the most important points for the implementation of the learning process as an educator and improve the pattern of human thinking. Therefore, teachers are required to have good and professional character in their main tasks of educating, teaching, guiding, directing, training, assessing, and evaluating learners.  

 Teachers are positions or professions that require special skills and cannot be done by people who do not have the skills to perform these activities or jobs. Although people who are good at speaking in a particular field may not be called teachers. To be a teacher requires special conditions, especially as a professional teacher who mastered the intricacies of education and teaching with a variety of other knowledge that needs to be fostered and developed through a certain period of education (M Uzer Usman, 2010, p. 5). A good or professional teacher is an effective teacher in teaching which must have a personal and social character. 

  According to Suparlan (2002) quoted from Al-Ghazali in his book entitled Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din the character in religious education states that “The effective teachers must have personal and social characteristics as follows: a) have sympathy for students, consider and serve them as their children. b) Following the behavior and sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) and he did not demand remuneration for his service. c) Do not give learners any advice or justify them performing a task unless he or she is fully trained and experienced on a subject matter. d) Can determine the learners to abandon bad behavior by giving advice rather than by scolding them. e) Never underestimate the knowledge in front of the learner. f) never forcing something that the learner cannot possibly achieve it. g) Provide easy-to-understand material for the less intelligent learners.”  

  Good teachers not only give high value to their students, the value is only a measure of how much knowledge they have. But the teacher must also be able to increase the students' knowledge even if only slightly. The teacher must also be able to pay attention to the differences of each student, because students in the classroom like crayons that have different colors. As well as students, they also have different behavior and different thoughts. Because every human who has been born in this world is not the same one with each other.

  According to Bullock (2015) quoted from Beizhuizen and Ciascai in their journal said that “Good teaching characteristics related to 3 things that is: 1) Ability view, a good teacher is defined by skills, knowledge and experience. Teacher’s understanding of the concepts being taught and skills needed to communicate and assess students. Based on this view, a good teacher is described as able to keep order and give clear instructions. 2) Personality view, the personality view emphasizes a good teacher’s balanced and mature personality with characteristics such as kindness and enthusiasm. Good teachers are identified as kind, friendly, helpful and patient under this view. The personality perspective defines a good teacher based on characteristics and traits, rather than by knowledge or ability. 3) Teacher-Student relationship, it is related to the teachers’ ability to functioning in a social group and take on the social responsibility of a teacher. Under this view good teachers treat all students equally, listen and care about student problems and get to know each student as an individual.”  

  From some of the above views, being a good teacher not only has knowledge and experience but also must have good traits that can be imitated by students. A teacher is a leader. The way of thinking, attitudes and behaviors that are reflected in the daily life ahead and beyond the classroom, and be exemplary models for children who educated. A person who cannot lead themselves, it is impossible to be a good teacher.

  Many teachers today simply teach because they are paid no matter what method they use and no matter what material they are describing. As well as the many teachers who have bad traits so students could easily imitate these things and also make the students difficult to establish a relationship with the teacher. There are still many teachers who force their students to master the material they provide, and punish as sanctions. This action does have a good purpose but on this side greatly affect the mental nature of students. But if a teacher does have a lot of knowledge they can use other methods so that students can easily understand the material they provide. This is why the view of Ability, Personality and Teacher-student relationship is needed by a teacher.

  Being a good teacher is a very easy thing, because the teacher is just like the others, both have a positive purpose, which helps to reach the dream achieved by the students. They will not be satisfied before they hear and see the success their students have achieved (Sam P. Wiggins, 1957, pp. 79-80). Just like the parents who have raised their child, they certainly will not feel happy before they see their child succeed.

  A teacher in general only mastered the subject matter and skills or good teaching skills. Nevertheless, good teachers should also be able to manage classes, motivate good attitudes and also be attentive to students. And familiarize yourself with good behavior toward students such as patient, unemotional, and wise. Because it is one way to get used to being a good teacher.  In fact, there are many ways to become a good teacher, one of them by having good characteristics. Because the teacher is the most important role in school, with there are good teachers and teaching in an effective way it will be able to grow a good generation. 

  References 

Bullock Mia. (2015). What Makes a Good Teacher? Exploring Student and Teacher Beliefs on Good Teaching. Retrieved from http://www.smcm.edu/mat/wp-content/uploads/sites/73/2015/06/Bullock-2015.pdf 

Suparlan. (2002). Menjadi Guru Efektif. Yogyakarta: Hikayat Publishing 

Usman Uzer Moh. (2010). (2nd Ed) Menjadi Guru Profesional. Bandung: Remaja Rosdakarya 

Wiggins P. Sam, (1957). The Student Teacher in Action. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.138900