Among the characteristics which they did not like in teachers they named the following:
Undesirable Characteristics
- Grouchiness.
- Wandering in method.
- Indifference to need for help.
- Too close holding to the text.
- Distant attitude—aloofness.
- Partiality.
- Excitability.
- Irritability.
- Pessimism—"in the dumps."
- Indifferent assignments.
- Hazy explanations.
- Failure to cover assignments.
- Distracting facial expressions.
- Attitude of "lording it over."
- Sarcasm.
- Poor taste in dress.
- Bluffing—"the tables turned."
- Discipline for discipline's sake.
- "Holier than thouness."
Desirable Capabilities
They also reduced to rather memorable phrases a half dozen desirable capabilities:
- 1. The ability to make students work and want to work.
- 2. The ability to make definite assignments.
- 3. The ability to make clear explanations.
- 4. The ability to be pleasant without being easy.
- 5. The ability to emphasize essentials.
- 6. The ability to capitalize on new ideas.
- 7. The ability to be human.
A number of years ago Clapp conducted a similar survey among one hundred leading school men of America, asking them to list the ten most essential characteristics of a good teacher. From the lists sent in Clapp compiled the ten qualities in the order named most frequently by the one hundred men:
- 1. Sympathy.
- 2. Address.
- 3. Enthusiasm.
- 4. Sincerity.
- 5. Personal Appearance.
- 6. Optimism.
- 7. Scholarship.
- 8. Vitality.
- 9. Fairness.
- 10. Reserve or dignity.
George Herbert Betts, in his stimulating book, How to Teach Religion, says there are three classes of teachers:
"Two types of teachers are remembered: One to be forgiven after years have softened the antagonisms and resentments; the other to be thought of with honor and gratitude as long as memory lasts. Between these two is a third and a larger group: those who are forgotten, because they failed to stamp a lasting impression on their pupils. This group represents the mediocrity of the profession, not bad enough to be actively forgiven, not good enough to claim a place in gratitude and remembrance."