A good teacher is like a candle - it consumes itself to light the way for others. Of the many people who shape our lives, a teacher or mentor is certainly the most important. While a dedicated and learned teacher can inspire his pupils to learn creative things, an ignorant mentor can mislead his students. That is why teaching is considered to be a noble profession. Just as a patients life depends on the surgeon operating on him, a students entire life is dependent on the way his teacher guides him.

We live in a world where we get very little time for our loved ones, thanks to our fast paced lives. Attending to our children asks for time. And frankly speaking, we dont have enough time these days. What is the way out?

The answer lies in effective and responsible mentoring. If teachers start understanding their role and responsibility, children will surely proceed on the right track. This does not at all mean that all the teachers in the world are ignorant. There are many teachers who are known for their dedication towards teaching children.

Just being experts in a particular field of study does not make a good teacher. Teaching is not limited to having sound knowledge of math or science. There are certain important traits that should be present in a teacher. Let us look at some of those qualities.

In-Depth knowledge of the subject

It is important that a teacher know his subject in and out. So if you are looking for an online math tutor, he should definitely be an expert in math for the grades he teaches. The same goes for an online English tutor. Even tutors specializing in homework help or assignment help should be clear with the concepts they teach.

Ability to transfer knowledge efficiently

A good teacher should be able to help a child learn new concepts without feeling burdened. It is all about transfer of knowledge in a way that can be grasped by the childs brain effectively. As different children have different learning needs and ability, the job of a teacher becomes a little difficult.

Positive Approach

It is important for a teacher to have a positive approach towards teaching. If a teacher portrays a question as difficult, the child will become tense.

Effective Communication

Communication gap is one of the major reasons for children not being able to understand what their teachers teach at school. Teachers should speak to their students in a friendly manner. If the child would be scared of his teacher, he would never be able to express his problems in front of the teacher.

Good Listener

Often, the best teachers are the ones who listen to their students attentively. Allowing the child to speak his mind can be a good way to build rapport between the teacher and the pupil.

Understanding of Child Psychology

This is the most important factor for being successful at teaching. If you can understand the way your student thinks and interprets new ideas, you would surely be able to teach him effectively. Conventional teaching methods sometimes fail to take child psychology into consideration. Modern methods of teaching, however, focus on pedagogy and understanding of child psychology.

Sometimes the child is too scared to express his problems to a school or private teacher. Online tutoring, however, does away with this issue. A child feels more comfortable with an online tutor. Online tutors can consolidate on this aspect to make education and teaching a more interactive process.