What Makes a Successful Teacher?

Author(s): FRANK J. LOWTH

Source: The Journal of Education , OCTOBER 2, 1933, Vol. 116, No. 15 (OCTOBER 2,
1933), pp. 392-393
Published by: Sage Publications, Inc.

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/42849066

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 returning to the position ofresponsibility
many of the attributes that classify re- and interest for the
her as a professional worker welfare and close study of each
sponsibility of the old-fashioned
rather than a mere tradesman or teacher, not in methods, prepara-
child and family under her juris-
wage earner. The pendulum tion is and ability to teach, butdiction.
in

What Makes a Successful Teacher?

By FRANK J. LOWTH Here are presented eight factors bearing on
Principal, Rock County Rural Normal School this problem. Six more will appear in
Janesville, Wisconsin our next issue .

a sense of proportion. She is

WHAT is a is teacher success? success-
is a teacher When
success-
"A teacher's attitude toward
able to put first things first, and
ful? There are many standardslife and toward her fellow- she is distinctly not one of those
of success. To some people workers
the and others has much persons who is unable to see the
test of success is the acquisition
to do with the type of success woods because of the trees. In
to which she attains. Is she
of worldly goods. On this basis, other words, the great mass of
the accumulation of wealth is generous in her judgments or is details with which she must deal
she narrow and provincial?
the criterion by which men and
What does she expect of life? does not destroy her perspective.
women are judged. To others What does she consider her She sees life whole and she sees
the mark of a successful career debt to society? These are it clearly. She is fair, she is
is fame. To secure a name, to critical questions in estimating frank, she is firm. She does not
a teacher's life philosophy."
become noted, to secure a place have to raise her voice to accom-
on the honor list, that to some is plish her ends. She radiates con-
the distinction badge. However, fidence and enthusiasm.
account of weaknesses and or-
the teacher belongs to that large
•

and noble group of workers whereganic or functional derange- Third . - The successful teacher

service rendered to society setsments. Especially, it means an has a good background of gen-
the individual' apart as one whoabundance of nervous energy. If eral knowledge and information.
has been truly successful. A a teacher is to have an influencingShe has at least a good degree of
personality she must have plentygeneral intelligence. She is a
teacher succeeds when she is able
to change boys and girls from good blood and a sound nerv- high school graduate and she has
of
where they now are to some- ous system which will stand the had at least two years of training
wear and tear of the business of
thing better. The true test is beyond high school, as a rule.
the development of those human teaching. The teacher needs Certainly to there are successful
qualities of mind and heart in have a good share of what we teachers who have not had a
hoys and girls which will enable call vitality in order that she may great deal of preparatory educa-
them to make the most of them- be cheerful and optimistic. Health tion, but these persons are usually
selves. If the children learn to is of basic importance and should strong in personality, and what
be secured at all costs.
truly live and to make an honest they lack in general scholarship
living because of the teacher's
•
is counterbalanced by much read-
efforts, she is then a success. Second. - The next requisite ing andis study and careful daily
What are some of the deter- a personality of the positive preparation. No truly successful
mining factors in this highly im- variety. A good teacher is never teacher' can bank on the knowl-

portant achievement of becoming negative because the influence edge which she now possesses as
a successful teacher, in the best of a negative person cannot be adequate for the years which lie
sense? Several essentials will be strong and determining. A suc- ahead. A good teacher can
considered. cessful teacher must be a leader, scarcely get along without con-
•

•
and a true leader always pos- stantly adding to her store
First. - No teacher can do her sesses certain definite qualities of
knowledge, to her mental a
best without health of body personality such as self-control, professional equipment. She f
and mind. By health is here decisiveness, determination, andit necessářy to read books
meant the normal, effective func-the like. These attributes are magazines practically every
tioning of the physical and evidence of a positive personality. and to take summer school
the spiritual self in order The good teacher is kind,courses
sym- now and then.
that work may be done with pathetic, patient, and has a proper •

very few or no days off on sense of humor. She also has Fourth. - A successful teacher

392 JOURNAL OF EDUCATION

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nas a wholesome philosophy of cratic atmosphere. It is not
ticular .objective for a particular
life and she has a sound workable lesson or group of lessons. The
necessary for such a teacher to
philosophy of education. have formal socialized recitations
procedures will be determined
• (the
by the objectives in the mind ofkind no teacher should ever
the teacher. There may be a have, anyhow), because the dom-
A teacher's attitude toward life
and toward her fellow workers drill exercise or there may be inating spirit of her school is
and others has much to do with reading to find certain facts oralways social. In a school where
the type of success to which she mere pleasure reading.
again the teacher is animated by the
In arithmetic there may be spirit of service we do not find,
attains. Is she generous and
magnanimous in her judgments a group of problems and the that fatal formality which is still
purpose is only to state the solu-
or is she narrow and provincial? exceedingly comition in school-
What does she expect of life? tions and not to do the computa- rooms. The democratic teacher
tion. One child may need drill, can scarcely be merely a hearer
What does she consider her debt
to society? Is she willing to another
live child may need to do of book lessons. Such a ^deadly
wholesomely and helpfully, andreference reading. Procedure and deadening process is entirely
varies
is she willing that others should with objective. foreign to her nature. So, in
this successful teacher's school
live their lives, also, with free- •

dom and a measure of happiness? we find an atmosphere of free-

Sixth. - A good, successful dom. Live problems are dis-
These are critical questions in
teacher must, as a matter of cussed and vital life-giving activi-
estimating a teacher's life phil-
course, be a successful manager.
ties and projects are in evidence'.
osophy. As to her own profes-
sion, she needs a basis of sound
She both plans her work andA socially-minded teacher guides
works her plan. She looks ahead,
children into effective, democratic
psychology and sound principles.
knows what needs to be done, citizenship.
Regardless of her religious views,
and then arranges her program
her teaching procedures should •

accordingly. She is not lost in

be based upon a correct view of
a mass of details. She separates Eighth. - A successful teacher
the learning process. She must
the wheat from the chaff. She can get along with other people
be an ardent believer in the doc-
is always in a position to directcomfortably and happily. She
trine of growth and development.
the situation because she has a does not go around with a chip
She should recognize the ultimate
general comprehensive view on oí
her shoulder. She makes al-
fact of a physical nervous sys- the entire extent of her work. lowances for the weaknesses and
tem, changes in which result in
Moreover, she is master of the mistakes of others, and she can
the building up of habits, skills,
situation hour by hour, and therediscuss common problems with no
attitudes, and all the rest. If she
is a general atmosphere of con-show of irritation or selfishness.
has a good working educational
sistent progress. It is not possi-Such a teacher adjusts herself
philosophy all of her techniques
ble to have such a desirable state readily to varying human situa-
will be modified thereby.
of affairs unless the teacher's
tions. She meets parents, patrons,
•
mind is alert to grasp all the
andde-
board members easily and
Fifth. - A successful teacher
tails of her work and fuse them
courteously. She does not per-
has a practical working together
famili- into aa integrated, pur-
mit any inherent shyness to get
arity writh sound teaching-learn- poseful whole. A good manager the best of her. In' a truly
ing techniques and adapts has her in-
imagination. Her mind is sportsmanlike way she is willing
struction to the needs of the in-
clear and she always keeps in the to live and let live, to give and
dividual child. This statement
foreground those large mattersto take, as a matter of course, all
does not mean that use is made in
which are vital in bringing aboutin the day's work. People quite
a blind sort of way of those mani-
the pupil learnings for which all naturally like to talk with such a
fold devices found in teachers'
the machinery exists. A good teacher. Parents and children do
magazines and in many books.
manager sees both the woods and not hesitate to bring up their
Rather, it signifies that there
the trees. personal problems for considera-
i? exact knowledge of the objec- •
tion, because they know that the
tives to be realized so far as
teacher will give them x a fair
actual learning is concerned, Seventh.
and - A successful teacher
hearing. Human relationships
that various means are used to is socially minded and has a genu-
constitute a large part of a
accomplish desired results. ine
Forspirit of service. She enjoysteacher's life, and it is indeed
example, the end sought may working
be with and for people. fortunate if she has habituated
related meanings, ideas, knowl-
She has a true regard for human-
herself to getting on well with
edge, or it may be skills, habits
ity and desires to do good. Be- ail sorts and conditions of folks.
cause she is of social tempera-
or abilities, or ideals and appre-
ciations may constitute thement her school has a true demo-
par- To be continued in next issue

OCTOBER 2, 1933 393

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