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Characteristics of a good teacher: A case study at University of Gdańsk

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Nguy n Duy Khang
University of Gda sk

Characteristics of a good teacher: a case study

at University of Gda sk

Abstract:
The aim of this paper is to find out the characteristics of a good
teacher in a specific course at a higher education institute
from the perspectives and evaluation of the learners. This empirical
research has been done with surveys and an interview to get participants’
perspectives about the teachers’ characteristics at University of Gda sk.
From the participants’ viewpoints, a wide range of characteristics have
been found during this research in identifying the good teachers at the
research context. These characteristics indicate the image of a good teacher
in their beliefs which are related to many different orientations from
personal traits to teaching. These students’ perspectives contribute but not
limit to the general understanding about a good teacher.
Keywords: characteristics of a good teacher, good teacher, portraits
of a teacher, good teachers at University of Gda sk, effective teaching

313
Introduction
“The mediocre teacher tells.
The good teacher explains.
The superior teacher demonstrates.
The great teacher inspires.”
By William Arthur Ward1

This paper starts with one of the famous quotes from William
Arthur Ward about the values that a great teacher can bring to the
educational world. Each teacher has his or her own characteristics and
teaching philosophies; however, only those who inspire students can be
qualified as the great teacher. This quote shares the similar understanding
with the characteristics of teachers in Vietnam. However, the challenging
globalization and technology development have brought the current
generations of teachers to chaos about teaching; and the image of teachers
are strongly to current educational crisis in Vietnam. As a result, my
decision to study pedagogy abroad and the ambitions to possibly change
the current system of education are pushing me to experience and research
to understand the issues. That leads my research to focus on the notions of
effective teaching to answer the common but very complicated question
"what makes a good teacher?"
From an Asian perspective, good teachers possess a variety of traits.
Teachers are the ones who can inspire and emancipate the actual and active
learning. Learning the experiences from good teachers which will
strengthen my knowledge about what characteristics a teacher should have,

1
A famous American writer (1921 – 1991).

314
inspire, and emancipate students is also the concerns to the concept of
a good teacher. In addition, having different mindsets and educational
involvement of various systems has affected the methodology to conduct
research in the context of Poland.
Having good teachers is one of important criteria for quality
commitment of University of Gdansk. In a research conducted in 2010,
421 students from all faculties of UG evaluated that about 24.3% of
teachers are “to wietni nauczyciele”2 – excellent teacher. The traits of
these good teachers may share the knowledge and awareness to other
teachers in similar contexts.

Theoretical backgrounds
Each individual has his or her own characteristics. Being a teacher
may be easy but being a good teacher can be understood differently
by various people. For that reason, the common characteristics of a good
teacher have been researched in many contexts. In some cases, good
teachers have shared that they have two-ways communication and plenty
of roles to be associated with qualifications of effective teaching. Good
teachers have also been attached to a great deal of professional qualities,
knowledge, or the lecturing skills. Therefore, the concept of good in
teaching has been used as effective, competent, qualified, great, productive,
or successful.

2
T. Bauman (2011). potrzed
nauczycieli akademickich i oczekiwa studentów: raport z bada . Publikaja
Europejsk w ramach Europejskiego Funduszu
Program wdro enia nowoczesnych elementów
skim (UDA-POKL.04.01.01-00-180/80-02). ISBN
987-83-7531-201-0.

315
 Prior knowledge and beliefs from Vietnamese perspectives provide
me the traits of a good teacher with knowledge, the love of teaching, some
special characteristics, and the art of being a good actor or organizer in the
class. Along with these characteristics, a good teacher need to analyze and
meet the needs of students, constantly keep information up-to-date,
motivate learners, and get them involved in the class activities and lifelong
learning process. In Vietnamese culture, it is not easy to become a good
teacher. The teachers should understand about the learners’ demands, have
different skills of flexibility, creativity, and capability of “an ignorant
teacher”3. One special characteristic which may not exist in other context
is enthusiasm. Vietnamese teachers can be seen as good if they have this
quality because the job requires teachers more than what the society can
compensate. If a teacher just does what have been listed in the mandates,
teaching is simple the action of “pouring knowledge” no matter who are
the students, why they learn, how to see their progress. Vietnamese
traditions of teaching careers allow teachers to believe that good knowledge
of the teaching fields, of teaching methods, and of daily life can lead
students to “the right ways”4 with good knowledge5. The new strengths of
educational globalization nurture the idea of classroom is a place for skill
development, not transfer of knowledge. This has turned Vietnamese
society to different educational crisis and activated the debate among

3
The skills of being an “Ignorant teacher” here indicate the capacity that the teachers have
to play “ignorant” sometimes when trying something new and good for students.
If these new things are not recognized by others, there will be troubles. People are not very
open to believe what they have never experienced before. So, if a teacher wants to facilitate
students’ skills development, he or she sometimes must be “ignorant” to also ignore the
rules.
4
As the models of morality.
5
Traditionally, people need knowledge and their children to be able to read and write.
Before 1975, only 5% of the population was literate. Knowledge will decide and the
notions of skills are recently adopted.

316
traditional teaching of transferring knowledge, a hybrid of traditional
teaching and massive propaganda philosophies of communism, and
contemporary teaching of what is good for students’ development with the
balance of all elements in knowledge, skills, morality, and freedom in
education and emancipation.
Much research has been conducted about common characteristics
of a good teacher. Different terms have been used as “good
characteristics”6, “qualities”7, “effective teaching”8, “qualified teacher”9,
and “productivity”10. Actually, every teacher is academically responsible
to instruct students into the right way. An effective teacher is required not
only professional qualities, but also knowledge and the lecturing skills.
Two-way communication and the facilitation of the learning process

6
Thompson et al. (2004), Highly Qualified for Successful Teaching: Characteristics Every
Teacher Should Possess. Retrieved on 1st Jan, 2013 from
http://www.usca.edu/essays/vol102004/thompson.pdf
7
Rice, K. J., (2003). Teacher Quality: Understanding the Effectiveness of Teacher
Attributes. Retrieved on 1st Jan, 2013 from
http://www.epi.org/publication/books_teacher_quality_execsum_intro/
Levis, F., Zhang, Q., and Watkins, D. (2007). Conceptions of the good tertiary EFL
Teacher in China. TESOL Quarterly 41(4). 781-790.
8
Brophy, J. and Good, T. (1986) Teacher behaviour and student achievement'.
In M. Wittrock (ed) Handbook of research on teaching. New York: Macmillan.
McBer, H. (2000). Research into Teacher Effectiveness. Online source, retrieved on 1st
Jan, 2013 from http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/4566/1/RR216.pdf
Witcher, A., Onwuegbuzie, A. J., & Minor, L. C. (2001). Characteristics of effective
teachers: Perceptions of preservice teachers. Research in the Schools. 8. 45–57
Walls et al., (2002). The characteristics of Effective and Ineffective Teachers. Teacher
Education Quaterly. Winter 2002, 39 – 48.
Kojastemehr, R. & Takrimi. A. (2009). Characteristics of effective teachers: Perceptions
of the English teachers. Journal of Education and Psychology, 3(2), 53-66.
Cruickshank, D. R., Jenkins, D. B., & Metcalf, K. K. (2003). The act of teaching. New
York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
9
Berry, B. (2002). What it means to be a “highly qualified teacher. Southeast Center
for Teaching Quality. Retrieved 1st Jan, 2013, from
http://www.teachingqulaity.org/resources/pdfs/definingHQ.pdf
10
Harris, D. (2009). Point/Counterpoint: Teacher value-added: Don’t end the search
before it starts. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management. 28(4). 693-699.

317
are always expected from both sides. A good teacher should not only care
about the teaching contents, but students. With the love of the job,
the teacher focuses on students and adjusts to drive them to the aim
of learning outcomes. In other words, a good teacher knows and varies their
teaching techniques to suit students’ demands. However, the perceptions
about a good teacher are not the same from different perspectives.
Hogan11 describes some practical implications for teachers’
professional self-understanding. These implications indicate a corner
of what a good teacher should do in emancipating one’s thinking and
action. The actions are worth for a teacher to consider in the career
development.
Reviewing our attitudes to our own learning
and to customary conceptions of teaching and learning;
Seeing learning and teaching as a journey with many
stages, but no final destination;
Coming to see each person as a learner with some kind
of potential(s);
Improving our capacity to get students’ learning actively
under way and to sustain it in different circumstances;
Building enduring relationships-of-learning with students
and colleagues.
In a different work of sharing teaching experience, Alatis utilizes
the definition for good teacher as competent teachers with non-
discouraging personalities using non-defensive methods and techniques,
who cherish their students and hold them in unconditional positive regard,

11
Hogan, P. (2005). Learning Anew: Development the professional self-understanding
of teachers. Kwartalnik Pedagogiczny. Number 3 (197). 69 – 83.

318
are the best teachers” 12. Hativa et al13 found that all dimensions of effective
teaching were not used at all time by excellent teachers.
In Patricia Miller’s (1987) work, a proposal of ten characteristics
of a good teacher gets many teachers involved in their professional
retrospect for their teaching adjustments which result in the increase of
effectiveness in their teaching situations. The top three most important
features are enthusiasm, creativeness, and having paced and humor. It
could be a shock to any teachers when having good knowledge is at the 8th
place on the list. In addition, Young and Shaw (1999)14 conducted
questionnaire to twenty nine faculty members and 912 students in 31
classes in a study at an 11.000-student university about effective teacher.
The focus of the questionnaire was about twenty five characteristics
of a good teacher. They are (1) knowledge about the subject matter,
(2) effective communication skills, (3) enthusiastic about teaching,
(4) well-preparation for each class, (5) providing a comfortable learning
atmosphere, (6) the ability to adapt to student needs, (7) capability of being
tolerant of others’ ideas and views, (8) respects, (9) being warm and
friendly, (10) a good sense of humor, (11) motivation students to do their
best, (12) self-confidence, (13) the instructor genuinely enjoyed teaching,
(14) having concerns about student learning, (15) the ability to explain
material clearly, (16) identification of important ideas, (17) having good

12
Atatis , E. J. (2004), The Psychic Rewards of Teaching: An interview with James
E. Alatis,in the form of an interview by William P. Ancker, English Teaching Forum.
42(2). Republished in the version after fifty years. 50(1) in 2012.
13
Hativa, N., Barak, R. and Simhi, E. (2001). Exemplary University Teachers: Knowledge
and Beliefs Regarding Effective Teaching Dimensions and Strategies. The Journal of
Higher Education, 72(6). 699 – 729.
14
Young, S., & Shaw, D. G. (1999). Profiles of effective college and university teachers.
Journal of Higher Education, 70, 670-686 (Accessed for reading with 13 days online
at http://www.jstor.org from Jan 7 to Jan 20, 2014).

319
examples to explain concepts, (18) the instructor’s accessibility outside
of class, (19) the appropriate amount and level of assignments,
(20) the appropriate evaluation methods, (21) the increase of interest
in the subject matter, (22) well-organized course, (23) the updated and
worthwhile materials for the course, (24) the improvement of
understanding of concepts in the field, and (25) the value of the course to
learners.
Ways of increasing knowledge about teaching have been searched
by educators and researchers. One of the supposed good ways is “to learn
from outstanding teachers about how they think about teaching, about their
pedagogical knowledge, and about their instructional behaviors”15.
Hativa et al. reviews a list of characteristics of exemplary teacher as
follows:
“… exemplary teachers are highly organized, plan their lesson carefully,
set unambiguous goals, and have high expectations of their students.
They give students regular feedback regarding their progress in the course,
make specific remediation recommendations, and assume
a major responsibility for student outcomes. They make course content
relevant to students by giving examples and connecting course goals
to the expectations and experiences of their students. They treat students
as individuals in the classroom, encourage them, challenge them
intellectually, use a variety of teaching strategies to add interest, and create
a positive classroom environment. Exemplary teachers enjoy teaching,
show enthusiasm for the subject, have excellent command of the language
and good delivery, inject humor, and introduce dramatic elements. They
make an earnest attempt to promote students’ learning, and actively

15
As in Hativa et al. (2001).

320
involve them in the learning process through questions and discussions.
They offer clear, organized, and interesting presentations, and they
communicate positive regard to students and motivate them…
In sum, exemplary university teachers are well-prepared and organized,
present the material clearly, stimulate students’ interest, engage them,
and motivate them in studying the material through their
enthusiasm/expressiveness, have positive rapport with students, how high
expectations of them, encourage them, and generally maintain
a positive classroom environment.”

In brief, effective teaching requires not only the teachers’ belonging

qualities, but also the students’ demands on satisfying with their learning
outcomes as well as all connected with the goal16 of each lesson. In this
study, I would like to define my own term of good teachers as “A good
teacher knows his or her students well; facilitates the successful learning
process; provides effective supports during and after lessons with the love
of teaching, the lecturing skills, inspiration and knowledge; and is able to
self-study and change for educational purposes. Good teachers have the
characteristics associated with different orientations: (1) personal
orientation, (2) expertise orientation, (3) student orientation, (4) teaching
orientation, (5) communication orientation, and (6) professional
orientation.

A case study at University of Gda sk

Finding the characteristics of a good teacher is the main goal
of this study. Research is a case-study design with a qualitative data

16
As in Brown, G. and Atkins, M. (1988, eLibrary 2002).

321
collection using triangulation17 method for data validity. The research
question of “what makes a good teacher?” will be answered using three
different sources of information (1) ideas from students in pedagogy in
early education, (2) ideas from students not majoring in pedagogy, and (3)
ideas from an interview of international student at University of Gda sk
in the academic year 2014 – 2015.

Participants
Participants in this study include 24 students majoring pedagogy
in early education, 28 students in other majors, and one Erasmus student
at Faculty of Social Sciences.

Research instruments
One survey is used two times to collect ideas from Polish students
and an interview to explore in-depth information about what makes
a good teacher. The only one opened-question in the survey is “what makes
a good teacher?” In case of collecting perceptions from pedagogical
students, the survey was delivered to students in a classroom in 5 minutes
in the Fall semester of 2014-2015 at University of Gda sk. Each student
was delivered one piece of paper with the question on it and wrote about
the characteristics of a teacher. The second survey was conducted by asking
random students who were available around the lobby of the Faculty on Jan
14, 2015. The researcher asked random students the question on a piece of
paper in English or Polish. Those readable answers in Polish have been
translated to English for analysis. Data collected from

17
Seale Clive (1999). Quality in Qualitative Research. Sage Publication: In Qualitative
Inquiry. 5(4). 465 -478.

322
both surveys have been coded referring the terms in the definition
of a good teacher.
The interview was conducted with the same purposes of finding
the characteristics of a good teacher. A set of question has been designed
for this interview. It was conducted in the Winter semester 2014 - 2015
at University of Gda sk. The interview lasted in around 20 minutes
in the Faculty of Social Sciences. This interview was taken place after a full
semester of study exchange in Gda sk. The interviewee is from the list
of Erasmus students at UG this year and agreed for an interview.
The interview is structured to get information for thoughts about teachers
which may encounter differences with the interviewee’s context,
any proposal to change for a better future teaching, what makes good
teachers, and others.
The interview was conducted in a quiet hall in the Faculty of Social
Sciences. The researcher introduced the purposes, importance of the
interview, and the main theme. This interview was recorded by an MP3
recorder and then transcribed for data analysis. The interviewee understood
well that the recording will be transcribed and the name of interviewee will
be anonymously used with pseudo name in this study.

Results and findings

This part will discuss the results from the surveys and the interview,
and also point out the findings of the study in association with each research
tool.

323
The surveys
The collected data have been coded in accordance to the aforementioned
definition of a good teacher. The conveyed features from these surveys are
categorized to one of the six orientations, described as in the following
table. The detailed analysis and findings will be discussed accordingly to
the type of participants. Notes: Bold items with a start *: more than one common
idea from one group/ Underlined items: have controversial ideas relating to
characteristics of a good teacher

Pedagogical Count NOT pedagogical Count Similar

students students Characteristics
with more than
one common idea
Personal Like students 1 - Like students 1 - Be open-minded
orientation Be like “second 1 - Be polite 1 -Be an idea-person
parent” - Be open-minded 3 -Be flexible
- Be assertive* 2 - Be lenient/ 1 -Have sense
- Be open-minded 4 sympathetic of humor
- Be lenient/ 1 - Be friendly 1
sympathetic - Be an idea- 2
- Be friendly 2 person
- Be an idea- 2 - Be intelligent/ 1
person smart/clever
- Be intelligent/ 6 - Be patient 1
smart/ clever* - Be flexible 2
- Be patient* 5 - Have sense of 2
- Be honest/ 2 humor
trustworthy*
- Be flexible 2
- Be nice/smiling 1
- Have sense of 2
humor
- Be optimistic* 2

324
 - Be energetic* 2

Expertise - Having 2 - Having 5 -Having

orientation knowledge/ knowledge/ knowledge/
(qualification) competence competence competence
- Have well- 1 - Be confident 1
qualified with knowledge
expertise
- Have problem- 2
solving skills*
- Have good 1
adaptation skills/
and ready for
changes
- Be confident 1
with knowledge
Professional - Be able to self- 2 - Be demanding 1 - Be able to self-
orientation study/self- - Have 4 study/self-develop
develop experiences* - Be fair (justice)
- Have the sense 1 - Have personal 1 - Have passion
of time principles and 2
- Be fair (justice) 4 power
- Like the job/ 3 - Be able to self- 2
satisfied with the study/self-
job/ have the develop
heart with it* - Be fair (justice) 1
- Have passion 2 - Like the job/ 7
- Be well- 2 satisfied with the
organized* job/ have the
- Don’t judge 1 heart with it
- Be an 1 - Have passion 1
exemplary - Be well-
teacher organized
Communication - Interact with 1 -Interact with 2 One common
orientation students/ talk students/ talk idea with less
with students with students* vote: Interact with

325
 - Be good 1 -Communicate 1 students/ talk with
listeners effectively students

Teaching - Make the 1 - Make the 3 - Make the lessons

orientation lessons easy to lessons easy to easy to learn/
learn/ explain in learn/ explain in explain in an easy
an easy way to an easy way to way to understand
understand understand - Provide effective
- Have good 2 - Provide effective 2 teaching/
classroom teaching/ understandable
management understandable lessons/ knowledge
skills lessons/ transferred is
- Provide effective 2 knowledge understandable
teaching/ transferred is - Be creative in
understandable understandable teaching
lessons/ - Not follow much 1
knowledge on the book
transferred is - Be well- 1
understandable prepared
- Not Follow 4 - Be creative in 7
much on the teaching
book* - Teach adaptive 1
- Be well- 8 to students
prepared* - Develop 1
- Be creative in 2 students interests
teaching - Teach what is 1
- Teach adaptive 3 practical
to students* - Have a good use
- Use 1 of didactics and
good/successful psychological
methods* knowledge
- Develop
students interests
Student - Be aware of 7 - Be aware of 7 - Be aware of
orientation students’ students’ students’
need/care about need/care about need/care about

326
 students/ 7 students/ students/
understand 3 understand understand
students/ be 9 students/ be students/ be
sensitive to sensitive to sensitive to
students 2 students students
- Be 1 - Be helpful/ 5 - Be helpful/
helpful/available 1 available to available to
to students students students
- See students as - See students as 1 -Inspire/
individuals* individuals encourage/ help
Inspire/encourage - Inspire/ 2 students improve/
/help students encourage/ help motivate students
improve/ students improve/
motivate students motivate students
- Let’s students - Let’s students 1
talk* talk
- Make students - Be respectful to 1
listen oneself and
- Make lessons be students
attractive to - Facilitate 1
students student-centered
- Have 1
relation/connectio
n with students
Table 1: Summary a good teacher’s characteristics from pedagogical
and non-pedagogical students

Table 1 describes the lists of characteristics which students

in pedagogy and other majors provide during the study. Since the survey
includes an opened-question so it may have one good characteristic or more
which means the ratio of having the same ideas is not popular.
Also, the research population, as one of the limitation of this research,
has not influenced much on the ratio of having the same ideas.
Therefore, which feature was nominated twice by students will be

327
considered to be popular. So, if each feature with more than 2 similar
nominations
from each type of participants will become “common characteristics
of a good teacher”.
Adapting the ideas of figuring common characteristics of a good
teacher in this research context, the two surveys have indicated the
following features:

Personal Expertise Professional Communication Teaching Student

orientation orientation orientation orientation orientation orientation
-Be open- -Having -Be able to -Make the lessons - Be aware of
minded knowledge/ self-study/ easy to learn/ students’ need/ care
-Be an idea- competene self- Common ideas explain in an easy about students/
person develop not found way to understand understand students/
-Be flexible -Be fair -Provide effective be sensitive to
-Have sense (justice) teaching/ students
of humor -Have understandable -Be helpful/
passion lessons/ knowledge available to students
transferred is - Inspire/
understandable encourage/ help
-Be creative in students improve/
teaching motivate students
Table 2: The common characteristics from the surveys

The survey to pedagogical students

The research shows the interesting results that the perceptions
about the good teachers are different from those who study pedagogy
and who follow non-pedagogical programs. For example, in the personal
orientation, many different traits have been mentioned by pedagogical
students as common ideas such as being (1) assertive, (2) intelligent / smart
/ clever, (3) patient, (4) honest/trustworthy, (5) optimistic, and (6)

328
energetic. Among those, being intelligent/ smart/ clever has the most
agreement from pedagogical students which means the teachers-to-be may
see themselves and teachers to be intelligent for this job.
According to their common ideas, a good teacher should also have
problem-solving skills, like the job/ be satisfied with the job/ have the heart
with it, be well-organized, be well-prepared, teach adaptively to students,
use good/successful methods, see students as individuals, and let students
talk; but not to follow so much on the book. In different orientations,
when the count of 2 similar ideas from different students will be considered
as common in this research, some characteristics have been nominated
as the most popular features such as (1) the ability to
inspire/encourage/help students improve/ motivate students with 9 voted
ideas, (2) being creative in teaching with 8 votes, (3) being aware of
students’ need/care about students/ understand students, being
helpful/available to students, and being sensitive to students – all three with
7 votes, (4) being intelligent/smart/clever with 6 votes, (5) being patient
with 5 votes, and (6) being fair (justice), fair, and open-minded with 4
votes. For that reason, these ten features can be counted as the common
characteristics of a good teacher from the pedagogical students’
perspectives.

The survey to non-pedagogical students

With different perspectives, non-pedagogical participants show
that their nominated characteristics for a good teacher have some
differences from those from pedagogical students. The most prominent
features which have more common agreement have been focused as (1)
having passion, being creative in teaching, and being aware of students’

329
need/care about students/ understand students/ be sensitive to students, all
three with 7 votes, (2) being helpful/available to students and having
knowledge/competence, both with 5 votes, and (3) experiences with 4
votes. In sum, these six features can be categorized as the common
characteristics of a good teacher from perspectives of non-pedagogical
students.
In addition, some characteristics have been indicated by
pedagogical students but not those from other majors and vice versus, for
example:
From non-pedagogical students: Be respectful to oneself
and students, facilitate student-centered, have relation/connection
with students, teach what is practical, have a good use of didactics
and psychological knowledge, be demanding, communicate
effectively, and be polite.
From pedagogical students: Be like “second parent”, be
assertive, be nice/smiling, be optimistic, be energetic, have well-
qualified expertise, have problem-solving skills, have good
adaptation skills/and ready for changes, have the sense of time,
don’t judge, be an exemplary teacher, be good listeners, have good
classroom management skills, make students listen, and make
lessons be attractive to students.
Though these differences do not lead to the strong conflicts
among these perceptions about a good teacher, the points of views have
shown that “different pedagogical experiences” have trained the
participants with different concerns, aspects of the teaching careers, and
what to be good. For example, pedagogical students think that a good
teacher should be like “second parent” and be able to “make students

330
listen” - attract students’ attention. And non-pedagogical students believe
that a good teacher should have experiences18 more than being an
exemplary19 person.

The interview
As one of the analysis on the ways to re-define the good teachers
through effective/good teaching, the characteristics of teachers in
Sociology have been identified through the perspectives of an international
student in the Erasmus Exchange program from Greece.
“Amazing, good, and great” are used to indicate the teachers
in her classes of Sociology. Surprisingly, one of the reasons
is “the relationship with students”. This relationship is more like human
to human and this type of relationship with the care about students
do not exist in her knowledge prior to the educational journey in Poland,
which implies the values of a good teacher to a Greek context. It is
important when a teacher assumes his or her students as human beings, not
as a simple subject in education. This idea is strongly compatible to
20
idea that one of the important conditions for teacher
training is to help perceive students as human beings.
“...They are amazing, really, they are amazing. Why? they are really next
to us…”
“...They are next to students, helping, giving advices, giving directions
for Poland because [you] know that you are foreigners,

18
As a characteristic in professional orientation from non-pedagogical students
19
As a characteristic in professional orientation from pedagogical students
20
her Education (As a matter
of Pedagogics). In European integration through education: traditions, the present
and the future. Edited by Ryszard Kucha. Pp. 569 –
University Press: Lublin.

331
you are out of your country, out of your border, you want helps
and really, I can tell you that I can admit that the teachers are helping us.
They are helping us not only like teachers to students, like friends,
like human beings…”
Among the provided examples, the UG teachers possess some
different characteristics. Since the interviewee is from different culture,
her ideas are involved both the experiences and interactions - in this
research context and her homeland. The characteristics of a good teacher
mentioned by this interviewee will be counted and numbered from and
within this part.
The interview illustrates that some teachers possess different
personalities in comparison to teachers in Greece. (1) They are closed
to students to help them learn and (2) have better experiences. This derives
from a fact that they are active, be open, eager to get international students
involved in the class. The interviewee witnesses the common actions to
these characters. When the teachers can show a level of (3) respect to
students as equally and show politeness, greeting, involvement, and (4)
good relationship with “shorter distance”21, (5) the assessment is obviously
positive.
“...they show us that they respect us. So, for me, it is amazing
to be a student here even though I like my university
and my country...”
“...They give us hospitality, yes; even though, the Polish are really-really
closed like humans, like individual. You can imagine
that I am studying in a field really demanding, to see social daily life
in totals. So, imagine me here, seeing so closed persons, so closed

21
Indicates the distance among students and teachers.

332
individuals in the university, even in my country, it is closed because
it 300 students not 20…”
The interviewee also tries to prove that teachers are good from
(6) the conditions that UG provides for the academic community in Gda sk
with less number but more diverse students in a class. However,
it is undeniable to take into account that (7) the sociology teachers
have inspired an international from Greece to the love of learning and
being in this academic institution. These ideas are consistent to Rancière22
about the distance in teaching of a master, Curry (2004)23
about the principles of good teaching practice and (8) interaction among
teachers and students, and in (9) teachers’ essential skills of reasoning,
developing complex relationships, and (10) having moral judgement,
In addition, a good teacher is that he or she agrees not to accept
the routines. Here, (11) the Sociology teachers accept more challenges
with Erasmus students with possible cultural and language barriers as one
of the sources for teaching experiences, research, and professional
development. The teachers are in touch with students24 using one of the
most convenient and latest technologies to support the teaching activities
which are compatible to one of the demands for teachers in European
contexts as in A. Grzywa-Bilkiewicz,25. Moreover, “enriching educational
experiences including diversity experiences, technology, community

22
Ranciere, J. (1991). The Ignorant Schoolmaster: Five Lessons in Intellectual
Emancipation. Stanford University Press. California.
23
Curry, L., J. (2004). The Transition from faculty teaching to student learning in
American Higher education. Horyzonty Wychowania. ISBN 1643 - 9171. Pp. 225 – 234.
24
In association with the 8th feature related to interaction among students and teachers.
25
Grzywa-Bilkiewicz, A. (2004). The systems of teacher education in selected EU
countries of the European Union. In European integration through education: traditions,
the present and the future. Edited by Ryszard Kucha. Pp. 585 - 589. Maria Curie-

333
 26,27
service and senior classes” should also be a point to the portraits of
good teachers.
“...but here, everything is more, more social, more next to you, more in
touch with the others, you keep in touch with the professors.
The professors told you about, [how can tell you]28. Ok, we can go out and
together or the classmates to show you something…”
The excitement is mainly about (12) the attitudes of teachers
to action research with the presence of Erasmus students. The teachers
have the abilities to provide the occasions for their lifelong learning
and researching. It links among Poland and European contexts,
which is compatible to Phan29 in seeing action research as a good tool
for teacher.
“... imagine how impressive and fascinating is for the teacher to know from
Greece, from France, from Italy. Think, think for the university,
differences, like the fields, like for example, you are teachers
in sociology, how they are teachers in Greece in sociology?
They want to compare, to have comparisons and to see differences, Poland
- Greece, Poland - France. They are investigating, then even from us. Yes
for me, it is really good, it is really good.”
The teachers’ communicative skills are also good at UG. No matter
what kinds of language barriers would be, the communication goes well if
both teachers and students share the same eagers. 30 This good point is

26
Jane L. Curry (2004). as aforementioned.
27
In association with the 11th feature related to experiences.
28
A moment of hesitation to self-wonder how to tell the interviewer about her points.
29
Phan, T.,T.,V. (2010). Action research as a professional development tool for EFL
college teachers in the Mekong Delta. Unpublished MA thesis at Can Tho University.
30
In association with 8th feature of a good teacher related to interaction among teachers
and students.

334
linked to the similar roles of language mentioned in Barnes31
that the teacher’s language can function different and be interpreted
in several ways in order to guide the learners for the task, control over
manners, and demand for something or even to show the teacher power.
Here, it is about (13) using the functions of language to generate
the connection, relation, and mutual understandings for easy-going
learning environment.
“...even though from the language of the body, you can see
that they are more familiar language with students. You can have
a connection, a relationship with the students even though
you are working in the class. I can mention other thing, what they tell when
they enter the classroom. How in Poland when teachers come inside the
classroom, “good morning, how is your day, all of you?”
Certainly, “level of academic challenge emphasizing the
importance of academic effort and setting high expectation for student
performance”32 is necessary. As a note, “good morning, how is your day,
all of you?” explains that UG teachers are involving students at beginning
of their classes.
Another point is “mentor”, which is repeated in the interview which
the interviewee wants to emphasize on how important (14) “being
a mentor” is to students. Her positive belief is simply that when students
have a good mentor whom they can easily share what in their minds, they
learn better and better.
“...I want a mentor that is my requirement for the teachers,
I want you to be my mentor, because you have a mentor,

31
Barnes, D. (1976). From Communication to Curriculum. Penguin Education. Penguin
Books Ltd, Middlesex, England.
32
Jane L. Curry (2004). as aforementioned.

335
you can share what in your minds, you are a teacher,
you have knowledge. I want your knowledge, I want to be better
and better every day, and if I would like to be better and better, surely,
the education system will change, because [everyday]
you are getting better and better every time. Imagine, your teacher,
both you are better…”
In fact, motivation is also important. (15 Motivating students
is essential to the learning process so that it is one of the most important
criteria for being a good teacher. The data somehow implicates that UG
teachers are good at motivating students. It is meaningful in most teaching
cases that motivating or bringing curiosity to students is important.
This point of view has a common ideological share with Nguyen33
about conditions to change education and about the core of learning
with the roles to activate learners’ curiosity and desire of learning34.
“...if you don’t motivate your class, how they can experience and learn.
I need this for my teachers ….I would like they are sociologist, in my
country to motivate students, go into their minds...
I want something from my teachers, motivate me…”
(16) Bring the reality and practical things to class are also
advisable. That explains why students are fond of learning practical, not
theoretical knowledge, and this is compatible to Calderhead and
Shorrock35.

33
Nguyen, D. K. (2015). Ranciere’s the Ignorant Schoolmaster: lessons from an Asian
perspective. Presentation at a workshop of contemporary theories of education, University
of Gda sk.
34
Ranciere, J. (1991), as aforementioned.
35
Calderhead, J. and Shorrock, B.S., 1997). Understanding Teacher education. E-version
2005. The Falmer Press. London: UK.

336
“You are coming to class, you are coming to us, not only theoretically,
practically, what you must do this, this… you are a teacher.”
Besides, the school master –a teacher should be active in doing
research, conducting experiment, and experiencing practical knowledge
for many purposes and one of them is for the lessons to be practical
and various36.
“You can see how they are more practical, the teachers, they are doing
research, doing experiment, in one field, they are going to the road, and
they are, you can see that, the more active. practically active, in Greece, it
is more theoretically active, they want like books, they want to publish
book, here, I can feel this 1st semester that they don’t only want to publish
a book, to publish a book or something like this, they like to do something
practical and up to your hand, and it is really-really good.”
In short, somehow these 16 characteristics are quite important
in the job of a pedagogue. One feature may sometimes lead the teachers
to the stages of adapting other notions. For example, in order to bring
curiosity and motivation to students, each teacher himself or herself cannot
be passive, follow a specific routine of lecturing, stop learning
and researching for the lesson preparation and professional development,
or even forget the attitudes of having students as human beings.
All needs a start from the notions of boosting motivation and curiosity
because they are the core conditions of emancipation in any educational
and scientific forms.

36
In association with the 12th and 16th features related to research skills and bring to class
practical lessons

337
Limitations
This study has the limitation of small population for the surveys
and interview though the genuine collected data have shown the diversities
of different students’ perceptions about “what makes a good teacher?” at
University of Gda sk.

Conclusions
The surveys and interview display the factual sides and nominated
characteristics of a good teacher in the research context. Though
it is not to over-generalize that teachers at UG are good, from perspectives
of Polish students and a Greek student, a good teacher should possess many
characteristics and some teachers in Sociology at UG are good. The
findings are compatible with those mentioned in other academic research
and educational books. These features mentioned by different research
tools have shared the common knowledge about what
a good teacher should have. Although the research tools do not provide the
same amount of characteristics – 10 in the survey to pedagogical students,
6 in the survey to non-pedagogical students, 16 from the interview, and 14
with common agreements from both surveys, it can be concluded that
a good teacher has been portrayed differently from different perspectives.
However, the diversity of these features have shared the common
understanding or belonged to one of six orientations as aforementioned
definition of a good teacher.

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2
RECENZENCI
Prof. zw. dr hab. Krzysztof Jakubiak
Prof. zw. dr hab. Dorota Klus- Sta ska
Prof. zw. dr hab. Tomasz Szkudlarek
Prof. UG, dr hab. Maria Groenwald
Prof. EUH-E dr hab. Jolanta Kruk
Prof. UMK, dr hab. Danuta Plecka

Dr Wojciech Siegie
Dr Mariusz Snopek
Dr Piotr Zamojski

OPRACOWANIE REDAKCYJNE
Sandra Frackowiak

Margaretta Mielewczyk
Marta Pi ta
Agnieszka Ploetzing

KOREKTA
Bartosz Atroszko Margaretta Mielewczyk
Sandra Frackowiak Marta Pi ta
Nguy n Duy Khang Agnieszka Ploetzing

Anna Mallek-Bojke Phan Th Tuy t Vân

ISBN 978-83-64970-11-5

Uniwersytet Gda

Gda sk 2016
2
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Przedmowa ................................................................................................. 6

Aneta Baranowska
e ....................... 13

Bartosz Mazurkiewicz
Kryzys warto ci – ciche zagro enie dla rozwoju
wiata .............................................................................. 41

Proeuropejscy uniosceptycy analiza wyników polskich partii

eurosceptycznych na podstawie wyborów do Parlamentu
Europejskiego 2004-2014 ........................................................................ 62

Marta Stempie
Walka wewn trz globalnego ruchu d ihadystycznego zagro eniem
dla bezpiecze stwa mi dzynarodowego .................................................. 80

Hanna Sienkiewicz-Kaya
Pitfalls and dangers on the road to the Turkish-Kurdish
conflict peace process............................................................................. 101

Joanna Mendela
Ministerstwa Spraw
stwa
obywatelskiego w Polsce ....................................................................... 114

Mateusz Czajkowski
Funkcja ideologiczna i instrumentalna w nauce o polityce. Na
ameryka skiej .... 134

3
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Margarita Aliochina
......................... 194

Valeriay Borodina
The formation of Russia's image in the modern Western film.
Brief resume ........................................................................................... 214

Agnieszka Drabata
Z rozwa a nad integracj
intelektualnie w ponowoczesnej rzeczywisto ci .................................... 242

Aleksandra Dymowska
Obraz samego siebie preferencyjnych sprawców
przemocy seksualnej .............................................................................. 268

Sandra Fr
Miejsce i rola doktoranta na uniwersytecie ............................................ 293

Nguy n Duy Khang

Characteristics of a good teacher: a case study
at University of Gda sk.......................................................................... 313

Anna Kot
Nauczycielskie rozumienie autorytetu moralnego w perspektywie
hermeneutyki H.-G. Gadamera .............................................................. 343

Ewa Kubicka
w rozumieniu osób nale cych do subkultury skinheadów ....... 362

Anna Mallek-Bojke
Pedagogika muzealna jako dyscyplina z pogranicza
nauk pedagogicznych..…………………………………………………389

4
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Nataliya V. Obidina

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Anna A. Ogannisyan

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Marta Pi ta

ci
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Phan Thi Tuyet Van

The spiral of philosophies of education in developing
human holistically…..………………………………………………….484