There are a number of skills and attributes a person must possess to be an outstanding teacher; he or she must excel as a classroom manager, develop multiple strategies for instruction, and hold strong knowledge of content area.. Yet for all those to be affective a teacher must be able to connect with students. If he or she cannot, a wall will stand between the teacher and the student; the teacher will fail. An outstanding teacher demands, earns, and reciprocates respect. An outstanding teacher understands who their students are, what cultures they are the from, what socio/economic class are they living in, and how that affects their lives in and out of the classroom. A respected teacher understands it is important to create a positive classroom environment in which students feel safe to take risks, and are free from the fear failure. To be an outstanding art teacher, the instructor must understand he or she must help students to be creative thinkers, to assist them form concrete concepts of math (blue + n = yellow), and be supportive of reading programs (comprehensive reading or writing sheets referencing Van Gogh).An outstanding teacher should not only be a role model and leader to his students, but also his or her peers. Teamwork, collaboration, and academic integrity construct positive environments, which creates not only a supportive professional environment, but also a reciprocal atmosphere for all the students in the school.
