Extraordinary Teachers

Stephenson, Frederick J., Jr., (Ed.) (2001).  Extraordinary teachers:  The essence of excellent teaching.  Kansas City: Andrews McMeel.

Extraordinary Teachers is a collection of 36 reflective papers about what constitutes excellence in teaching, based around six key attributes of extraordinary teachers.

The Six Attributes

1. Extraordinary teachers have great passion for their work.
2. Extraordinary teachers know what to teach, how to teach, and how to improve.
3. Extraordinary teachers excel at creating exciting classroom environments.
4. Extraordinary teachers connect exceptionally well with students.
5. Extraordinary teachers challenge students to meet their full potential.
6. Extraordinary teachers get extraordinary results.

The contributions come from winners of The University of Georgia’s Meigs Award winners, who represent the top 2% of teachers at the university.  Contributors have an average of 31 years of teaching experience.

 I. EXTRAORDINARY TEACHERS HAVE GREAT PASSION FOR THEIR WORK

Passion for:

They possess a deep sense of the importance of teaching, feel responsible to help students, are themselves serious students, and have an intense desire to master the craft of teaching.  They find teaching deeply satisfying and meaningful.

II. EXTRAORDINARY TEACHERS KNOW WHAT TO TEACH, HOW TO TEACH, AND HOW TO IMPROVE

Extraordinary teachers see their task, not as merely imparting information, but as trying to prepare students for life.  Extraordinary teachers learned how to teach, no thanks to their graduate programs, which didn’t prepare them for teaching.  There’s no single blueprint for an extraordinary teacher: each has his/her on teaching style and they all excel because each can be themselves.

Top teachers look everywhere for help.  They have the courage to risk and experiment. They try, modify, and try again until they get it right.  They practice, practice, practice.

III. EXTRAORDINARY TEACHERS EXCEL AT CREATING EXCITING CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENTS

Students look forward to their classes.  Extraordinary teachers have boundless energy and enthusiasm that is contagious.  They keep their material fresh.  They make students understand why material should be learned.  They set a positive tone for learning from the very first class meeting.  They manage their classrooms skillfully, but they share control with students.  They talk with, not at, their students.  Their classes are planned and well-organized, but they’re not slaves to a learning plan.  Most are skilled entertainers with a good sense of humor.

IV. EXTRAORDINARY TEACHERS CONNECT EXCEPTIONALLY WELL WITH STUDENTS

Students trust them and work with them rather than against them. Teachers connect students not only with the material but with each other. 

OK, that’s it (you didn’t think we’d give the whole thing away, did you? ;->

Want to submit a book summary?  Email it to cogsim@cogsim.com.  If we post it, we'll credit you.