As a college instructor I’m soaking in and trying to make a mental note of all of these suggestions on what makes a teacher great.

I try to be fair yet bend the rules when it’s required. I’m honestly interested in my students. I care about what happens to them. I want them to succeed. I understand that life throws curveballs at them.

I try to teach always with real life examples to make it make sense. So they can understand WHY we need to learn what we’re learning.

Looking back to my own childhood, what I appreciated in teachers was leniency. Of course. Who doesn’t love a chill, easy going teacher?

We had a substitute teacher who we could talk into letting us do pretty much anything, as long as we finished our work. Whenever we had her as a sub, we’d devise a plan and one of us would be the chosen liaison between the class and her. Usually it was me, as she and my Dad were first cousins. Plus I was sweet and innocent (on the surface).

One time our end goal was to be able to wander uptown, as a class, on a “field trip”. And so we did. She allowed it and came with us. The town was very tiny. Main street at one time had been bustling with several stores, a bakery, a couple of restaurants, hardware store and even a hotel. But by this time, all that was left was one store. Those who had spare change were allowed to go in and grab a chocolate bar or bag of chips.

Another time when we had this same, wonderful substitute, it was June and our end goal was to go to the river and swim. We pulled it off. We hurriedly did our work, the smarter kids helping the, well, not so smarter kids so it would be considered done. Off we went for a swim, in our clothing.

Isn’t it funny? No permission slips to be signed beforehand by parents or guardians. Nobody knew any medical insurance numbers. Or if anyone had allergies. Or behavioural issues.

We just walked to the river and swam. Then walked back to the school soaking wet in time to get on the bus and go home.

Eighties, small town, substitute teacher things.