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As one of the most honorable trade ones can choose, it is often widely regarded by society how teaching is also an occupation that is equally underappreciated. As the saying ‘teaching is not for everyone’ goes, teachers are often subjected to incredulous amounts of responsibility and pressure that is cleverly shadowed behind a wall of confidence and wisdom that rarely falter as they pass their knowledge to their students, receiving little to no reward other than the occasional ‘thank you', or a personal sense of gratification in reaping the fruits of their efforts. Like its peers, English teachers are no alien to this subject. But as a teacher of the linguist, often basic knowledge of the subject and theories alone are not sufficient—especially against a class that finds learning a new language to be intimidating and alien, or a culture that is unique to that of the teacher. This short essay will attempt to answer why passion, patience, and integrity are the traits that are most sought-for and vital for an English teacher or an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT). In no particular order, the first personal quality English teachers are advised to consider is patience. The patience of a teacher will constantly be under stress and tested, be it rowdiness, habitual distraction, a slow and/or difficult lesson, or that one particular student who constantly disrupts the class with their actions. But this does not extend just to the students, but also ‘to the parents and guardians of the students’ (Eva D., 2014), particularly during conferences or confrontation when voicing problem behavior and/or quarterly evaluation. Moreover, when teaching students with English as a secondary language, there will be times when establishing a rapport between teacher and students may be hindered due to communication, and losing patience may devolve an ideal classroom environment into something less feasible. As noted in Unit 19 of the ITTT textbook, the ‘behavior and attitude/personality of the teacher is perhaps the single most important factor in a classroom […]’ (ITTT, 2019) and thus, having great patience towards their students may contribute not just to the lesson in the long run, but also in classroom management and establishing a rapport between teachers and students. Integrity is the second trait that not just for English teachers, but all teachers should aspire to have. Integrity, by definition of Merriam-Webster online dictionary, is the quality of being honest and fair as well as the state of being complete and whole. With how the future generations are figuratively ‘in the palm of your hand’, a teacher is expected to teach its students at the best of his/her ability regardless. Speaking/standing up for what is right, be a positive influence, showing respect and punctuality, and many more are points that are to be taught side by side in class. Aside from garnering respect from students of all ages, it may ease classroom management. Do not be afraid or intimidated in admitting a mistake; an honest teacher is far more credible both as an educator and a person than a hypocritical teacher who believes they know everything. Lastly, passion. Echoing back to the saying that ‘everyone can teach, but not everyone can be a teacher’, passion is not something that one can develop but is one that a teacher already has to begin with. With the challenges and struggles an English Teacher may face, be it living a different culture or occupational hazards, personal traits such as patience, integrity, and more will be constantly under duress. Anyone can make a foolproof lesson, but delivering it as well as maintaining an ideal classroom environment is the responsibility of the teacher alone; a person who is not suited to the task may ‘break’ from the pressure and in turn, may negatively affect the flow, behavior, or overall mood of the class. In conclusion, passion, patience, and integrity are the three most important qualities of an English teacher. With patience, establishing a rapport with a student and their parents despite the difference in language and culture will be of greater ease. As the patience of a teacher will be constantly tested, so too is the need to maintain integrity as a flawed, but an honest teacher is far more trustworthy than a perfect, but deceitful one. Most importantly, passion is what will turn a run-off-the-mill lesson into a phenomenal one. Anyone may design a flawless lesson, but without passion, patience, and integrity the English teacher will falter and will fail to accomplish what he/she is supposed to do: to teach English. Word: 836 Resources E.D. (2014, August 19). Qualities of a Great Teacher [Web log post]. Retrieved June 16, 2019, from http://bog.voki.com2014/08/19/qualities-of-a-great-teacher/ Kinder. (2016, October 02). Teaching with Integrity. Retrieved June 15, 2019, from https://www.simplykinder.com/teaching-with-integrity/ The Teaching Council. (June 2012). Code of Professional Conduct for Teachers. Published by The Teaching Council. Retrieved June 16, 2019, from https://www.teachingcouncil.ie/en/Publications/Fitness-to-Teach/Code-of-Professional-Conduct-for-Teachers.pdf Unit 19: Teaching Special Groups. (n.d.). In International TEFL and TESOL Training. Retrieved June 15, 2019, from https://db.teflserver.com/eeap/index.php/units/#pdfviewer
