A great teacher can make or break a class. I’ve been at NIU four years now and seen it all — teachers who actually care about the class and those who merely use it to fill time between their research activities.

I say “teacher” because there are good professors as well as instructors and adjunct teachers. I have yet to find a teaching assistant who has truly inspired me, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

A number of faculty members recently received awards for excellence in teaching and leadership. I’ve had the honor of being in a class with a couple of recent award-winners, including Steve Franklin and Joseph Bonomo, both in the Department of English.

I want to salute great teachers at NIU. There are individuals here whose comments, smart lectures and classes are engaging, with policies that are fair and conducive to learning.

Not every teacher is equally good, however. This may be because teachers at the post-secondary level aren’t required to have the background in educational philosophy and methods.

Great teachers can challenge students with different levels of abilities. When in doubt, it is better for a teacher to assume students can push themselves further than to have low expectations. All too often, both teachers and students look at a general education course as something to just endure, so the material gets glossed over. Giving most students an ‘A’ might be easy for the teacher, but students won’t put forth the extra effort to do well if they aren’t challenged.

Great teachers provide more value than the textbook alone. I’ve had more than a couple classes where the teacher’s lecture comes almost verbatim from the text. What’s the point of even showing up? Teachers need to elaborate on the material, explain applications, context, and make connections between ideas. Ideally, they should encourage a thoughtful discussion where students can become engrossed in the material. A sense of humor doesn’t hurt either.

Great teachers know how to create fair assessments that actually measure students’ knowledge and skills. A simple multiple choice test isn’t going to cut it. Those who teach “subjective” topics such as art should give students a clear and fair rubric for grading. Those who give actual tests should consider using short answer and short essay questions instead of a simplistic Scantron, despite the ease of grading the latter option.

Great teachers are organized and know how to communicate. They have a clear course of action and do what they say they’re going to do. They show up for their office hours and hand back papers or tests in a timely manner. If they want the respect of students, they should respect their responsibilities as teachers.

Great teachers truly love their field and want to convey that passion to students. This excitement makes all the difference. I can forgive other faults if a teacher shows he or she loves the material.

Great teachers encourage a dialogue that is meaningful. They should help students become active in the learning process by asking thoughtful questions and posing thought-provoking examples. Students will retain material better if they aren’t “spoon-fed” routine lectures. Critical thinking is the most important skill for students to learn. They’ll remember those skills long after a class fades from their memory.

Not all great teachers get awards. I can only hope, however, there will be so many equally great teachers here at NIU someday that the awards will be meaningless.

To the great teachers at NIU, thank you for your work and dedication. To the rest, shape up and follow their example.