Alan Bailey teaching a group of students about hind limb lameness at Hereford College in England in 1987. Alan was an outstanding teacher.

I hope everyone has the privilege of being taught by a great teacher. If you haven’t, you have missed one of life’s great experiences. Much of what I know and was motivated to learn came from my association with great teachers. What makes a great teacher? How can we identify them? How can we please them? Learning and applying their teachings is their most favorite kind of pay.

I believe a great teacher sees each student as an individual that they can challenge to lead to mastery of their favorite. Getting the student to see him or herself as the teacher wants them to be is most important to good teaching. No one will change until they decide to. A great teacher helps a student see the need for a change of attitudes, habits and skills.

Great teachers seek to learn what motivates their students. They recognize that each person is different. The teacher seeks to learn what motivates each person to learn. Each student has a different background and compelling interests. The teacher seeks to identify these factors and then creates lessons that appeal to his or her individual interests.

Great teachers love their subject. They are the most curious and active learner in the room. They get the student curious enough to learn more about the subject. The teacher is the dominant force and example of excellence in the classroom.

Great teachers love their students. They see their potential and have faith that they can grow enough to achieve their goals. Students can feel the empathy and concern of the master teacher.

Great teachers are prepared. They study and practice the subject to be taught to the point of mastery. They command with authority. One can’t convey what he does not possess.

Great teachers have a plan. They know what concepts and skills they want to convey and what they expect from the students in each time they interact with them. They review often to be sure students have learned the material to mastery. Mastery means the student is no longer struggling. Teachers often rewrite and improve their curriculum after trying new things.

Great teachers teach with examples. Those they have experienced themselves are best. Others they have discovered that are memorable are also useful.

Great teachers check their information to verify its accuracy and truth to ensure its believability.

Great teachers are open to continuing education – learning new applicable information. They are the most interested student in the class.

Seek to identify and learn from master teachers. Life is too short to waste. This week’s podcast is with Alan Bailey, a master teacher of horseshoeing. Listen to it on Stitcher or iTunes.