Good vs Great

Option 1: In his book, “Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap . . .and Others Don’t”, Jim Collins maintains that good is actually the enemy of great; that is, we have so few GREAT companies because so many are willing to settle for being GOOD companies. He extends the examples to schools, indicating that we have so few great schools primarily because we have good schools. The book, too, speaks to the shade of difference between good and great teachers, stating that most teachers do about as well as they know how. Maintaining anonymity, identify two teachers who are settling for good and two teachers who always strive for greatness. What is the obvious difference between the two pairs? Write your insights and reflect on what the great teachers are doing differently than those classified as merely “good”.

Option 1 Response
What does it mean to be a good teacher? What does it mean to be a great teacher? Every district has their share of good teachers, but it that GOOD enough?

A good teacher is one that presents the material the students need to know…while a great teacher is one who inspires students to do their best and learn and reach their potential. How do teachers “measure up” in my district?

*Love what they do:
• Great teachers are not doing it for the money or glory. They teach because it brings them a feeling of satisfaction knowing they are contributing in a meaningful way to the futures of others.
• Good teachers are only doing the job and covering the material. They’re always ready for payday.

*Admirable:
• Great teachers are models of who we would like to someday be. Great teachers help show us the way.
• Good teachers tend to lead their life away from education as theirs and have no regard to how their moral decisions will influence students.

*Fair and Just
• Great teachers treat their students equally, yet giving them the individual attention they need. No child is left out or behind!
• Good teachers show their preference in students and blame the problems that arise on other factors like home life, friends, attitude, etc.

*Committed:
• Great teachers go above and beyond the time requirements of a good teacher, and are willing to help students whenever needed. Great teachers are very committed to the curriculum, and have a long-term desire to learn in the hopes of becoming even better teachers.
• Good teachers are there to get the job done as easy and quickly as possible. No early arrivals or late departures for them.

*Prepared:
• Great teachers are prepared. They know what needs to be done to teach the curriculum and have the students meet their potential. They follow through with the needed re-teaching and acceleration. These are also the educators that make an effort to stay abreast of educational topics and trends.
• Good teachers make no effort to have lesson plans done, “fly by the seat of their pants”, and do not take into consideration the learning styles, and academic needs or levels of the students. There is no professional development for these teachers who find what they’re doing to be adequate since their teaching has worked for years.

*Professionalism:
• Professionalism is the sign of a great teacher. They know that as someone who is responsible for helping students learn, they must take their work seriously. Great teachers dress well, have good hygiene, and treat their students with respect.
• Good teachers wear the latest fashions students are wearing considering the need to be liked by the students an excuse.

In conclusion, many studies show the single most important factor determining the quality of the education a student receives is the quality of his/her teacher. With all these qualities necessary, it's no wonder that it's hard to find great teachers.

"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." - William Ward, author of Fountains of Faith, one of America's most quoted writers of inspirational maxims.