To me, there are 4 things that make a good teacher. 
1.  A good teacher should know (and preferably love) his or her subject area.
2.  A good teacher should be able to earn the respect of his or her students by practicing what 
          they preach in rules, morals, and behavior.
3.  A good teacher should encourage a learning environment in the classroom; with emphasis 
          not just in the subject he or she teaches, but also in teaching students how to find and 
          learn information.
4.  A good teacher should try to pass on their love for learning to his or her students.

	These four items do not reflect the easy road to teaching.  There are four equal and 
opposite problems that these teachers will face.  

1.  A teacher who loves their subject will meet with the sting of students who abhor it.  
2.  A teacher who lives their morals and has the respect of most students will be taken aback 
          by the student who believes that no one deserves respect.  
3.  A teacher who encourages learning and emphasizes information gathering will meet with 
          students and parents who merely want easy answers and quickie grades.
4.  A teacher who tries to pass on their love for learning will have it thrown back in their face 
          countless times.  

	To me, the challenge of education (and the reason I enjoy it) is that while there will 
always be those students who resist learning in all its’ forms, there are also those whose eyes 
will light up - even if it is just once- and you will know that they learned.  These latter students 
are the reason you wake up and stand in front of a classroom everyday.