by Rory Donaldson

Cooperation before instruction.
Motivation begins with success.

These are the the two great maxims master teachers never forget.

A master teacher is one who has mastered how to manage the classroom and accelerate, in virtually all students, their ability to read, write, listen, speak, organize information and and succeed at math - regardless of special learning challenge, learning style, or age.

Master Teachers can't imagine teaching a course where the fundamental skills aren't emphasized and accelerated. When taught by a Master Teacher, even a course in "How to Fix a Bicycle" will accelerate a student's ability to read, write, listen, speak, organize information and do math - as well as the three behaviors associated with success:

1. How to start on time
2. Stay on task
3. Complete assignments

With an eye on these fundamental skills and behaviors, Master Teachers have a fighting chance of helping students experience success in the classroom and with homework. Fewer and fewer students fall through the cracks. How to become a Master Teacher is the entire emphasis of www.brainsarefun.com.

ADDITIONAL QUALITIES OF THE MASTER TEACHER

Master Teachers share many common elements. With these elements in place, any lesson can be turned into an effective lesson, all teachers can become masters of their trade:

1. Master Teachers have stopped confusing teaching with learning.
2. Placement tests assign students to appropriate skill groups.
3. Behavior is established before academic instruction.
4. Rules for behavior are taught and drilled to mastery.
5. Teacher behavior is recognized and accepted as the critical variable to student success.
6. The curriculum is recognized as a critical variable in effective instruction and is continually evaluated against results.
7. Skills and information to be learned are broken down into their component parts and the component parts are drilled to mastery.
8. The teacher accepts responsibility for student learning.
9. Lessons are highly scripted, follow a prescribed format, and are explicit about what is to be learned.
10. Reading mastery is recognized as the core academic competency.
11. Teachers and students are required to perform quickly and accurately.
12. Errors are corrected immediately.
13. Good behavior is regularly rewarded (rarely with candy).
14. Low-performing students are never ignored, and are never tricked by questions to which they haven't first been taught the answers.
15. Phonics and sound blending skills are the basis for reading.
16. Computation is the foundation of mathematics.
17. Carefully rehearsed scripts keep teachers and students on task.
18. All students are regularly tested to insure mastery of the material.
19. The class does not move on until proficiency or mastery is achieved by at least 70% of the class. Appropriate interventions are developed for the remaining 30%
20. Mastery is evaluated by specific, regular testing.
21. Quick and easily managed interventions are readily available.
22. There is a principal who has the time and resources to devote to being the academic leader of the school.
23. Teachers receive ongoing training, in and out of their classrooms, and regular evaluations.
24. Classes are not allowed to be disrupted by students who choose to sharpen pencils or engage in  other "off task" behavior.

See link: GREAT TEACHERS - What makes them so?

On top of everything else: Master Teachers never, ever, ever give up. And above all, Love!