Listen up, teachers! We asked our readers what kind of qualities they look for in a good teacher, and here are some of the best responses. Don’t forget the candy ... and please, do something about your hair!
1 The power of persuasion
Persuasiveness is really important in a teacher. If teachers are persuasive, students will concentrate and learn well. Otherwise, students may not learn anything useful, and they might even stop listening.
Chan Pok-man, 11, Law Ting Pong Secondary School
2 Patience is a virtue
Patience is the most important thing for a teacher. There are students of different levels in a classroom; some who understand everything with minimal effort, and others who might require repeated explanations. For example, I am really weak in maths. If my teacher was impatient, I might have failed my tests, so I am really thankful to him for being so patient.
Zechariah Yim, Tak Sun Secondary School
3 Everyone loves a comedian
A teacher who jokes around all day, a teacher who turns your frown upside down. A teacher who always puts a smile on your face, and a teacher who keeps the class awake and entertained. Now, that's what I call a great teacher!
Kristy Poon, 10, Beacon Hill School
4 An inspiration to learn
The best teachers are those who can inspire their students. Some of the greatest teachers I have had are those who have made me excited to come to school and learn more each day. I have also found that really great teachers push their students to grow by not giving "easy" marks.
If a teacher has new skills to share with you and is able to connect with you on a deeper level, you will thrive and learn so much from them.
Jacinta Chen, 17, Hong Kong International School
5 Who's the fairest of them all?
Teachers play a guiding role in our daily life.They are kind and patient to students. A good teacher needs to be fair to every student. That's what makes a great teacher.
Rain Chan, 14, Tak Nga Secondary School
6 Happy to help
Really great teachers should be kind and considerate. They help the students with their problems, and without complaining. Also, they should prepare some interesting things in class, so students will enjoy the lessons.
Joan Lau, 13, SKH Tsang Shiu Tim Secondary School
7 Some extra encouragement
A great teacher needs to be kind to his or her students, and encourage them if they do badly in their exams. A great teacher should also be creative, and invent some fun new teaching methods.
Liu Man-ki, 13, SKH Tsang Shiu Tsim Secondary School
8 Kind and classy with candy
A good teacher listens to you. They also have a good sense of humour, along with a secret stash of candies, cookies, jelly beans or other yummy stuff to be given to students. They also have a nice hairstyle and wear fashionable clothes. If they look weird, the whole class will laugh at them.
Hillary Lo, 11, Sha Tin College
9 It all comes down to passion
Knowledgeable. Effective. Well-organised. Top-class presentation skills. These are all the qualities of a great teacher, but to me, the most important element is being passionate about their job. Such teachers won't mind spending extra time with their students who will be eager to learn. They will also be determined to enhance their teaching skills and have a great influence on the lives of their students.
Corey Chung, 13, SKH Tsang Shiu Tim Secondary School
10 A safe bet
The best teacher I ever had was my English teacher. Although he is very serious, he is the only teacher who would bet on whether or not our entries would appear in Young Post's Top 10 column! What a great guy!
Vincent Chan, Law Ting Pong Secondary School
For next week's Top 10, tell us what is the worst surprise you've ever had? Send your answer, along with your name, age and school, to reporters.club@scmp.com with "Top 10: surprise" in the subject field. The best answers will appear in next week's Top 10 page!