Memorable Teachers

I pitched a question into twitter this morning: what was the best class you ever took, at any level, and why?  A wide range of fascinating answers came streaming back.  My favorite was:

The common denominator from the many responses boiled down to one thing: an exceptional teacher. My life has been full of them and as I continue my journey, I seek out those that will expand my horizons. Later I pitched this in to twitter: What makes for an exceptional teacher?  This is what you said:

jessc098 passion! The best teachers are good because of their passion. It’s contagious.

JeanSFleming Enthusiasm + rigor + a sense of the possibilities

davidscohen creative patience, creative passion, creative perception and creative persistence.

garmahis energy, drive, passion, interest in students, flexibility

homebodyblogger being able to recognize, reach and teach those who have different learning styles

jayfrawley – to teach by example, not from a pedestal of all knowing, but from the heart. @lizstrauss has this down pat.

JeanSFleming Wonderful! The teachers who mattered most to me were the ones who showed some passion and personality, and demanded much.

lawrenceswiader For me an exceptional teacher has always been a person that inspired one to look beyond the classroom for answers.

chrisrbrown passion for what he/she teaches

kombinegroup Tough love, basically.

ScottEO One that raises interest in the subject, so the student pursues it on his own without the coercion of grades.

ecoblips the most exceptional teacher is always the perpetual student

Morticia626 an exceptional teacher teaches the material while allowing students to maintain their individuality. Also to adjust their methods when necessary to meet students’ needs. Also, teachers should not bring their politics to school with them …

ajmunn Exceptional teacher: Vocation vs job. Listening, learning and adapting to audience learning styles. Patient, clarity. Dialogue

MadameSoybean A good teacher is one that does not forget what it was to be the student.

blancastella an exceptional teacher sees what a student can teach him or her.

laura_jeanette Passion to see students learn, not just make the grades.

Finally, this link was also shared to the Hobart Shakespeareans.  It’s worth a look.

pencilbox : What makes for an exceptional teacher? whatever this guy does http://is.gd/nKDe

To all of these fabulous replies, I’d like to add the particular talent of John Barlow, a music professor who regularly taught classes in cultural studies while I was at Wesleyan.   John owned the word “play” in all of its many meanings.  We can play a tune, play in the sand box, preform a play…and in all of his classes he designed exercises in play.  It was John that showed me the way to approach the I Ching and introduced me to the pragmatism of C. S. Peirce.  In both cases they were introductions.  I recall him challenging one class to create the list of ten books we would not leave behind for an extended visit/incarceration on a deserted island.  The challenge was not to list our favorite books, but to consider which books would be most useful, most engaging on repeated readings, most capable of stimulating life within an isolated mind. It was the first time I delved into the full meaning of context : with text.  It forever changed my sense of what made up my favorite books.

I’d love to hear your stories on this topic below.