Great teachers give us a sense not only of who they are, yet more importantly, of who we are, and who we might become. They unlock our imaginations, our minds, our energies. They change lives. Great teachers pose compelling questions, assign challenging home work, clarify choices, explain options, teach us to reason, encourage independent scholarship, suggest possible new directions, and urge us to move well beyond our previous comfort zones. The best of teachers have an uncanny ability to step outside themselves and become liberating forces in our lives.
Memorable teachers teach with a joy and passion and intensity that are contagious.
And that's the key. They can get excited about their subject no matter how many times they may already have held forth on it. They vivify their subject and absolutely avoid ever becoming mechanical or dry. They push themselves just as they push their students and in the end their courses become memorable learning experiences. Most students, past and present, yearn for teachers and mentors who will light a fire under them.