In my opinion, five of the most crucial virtues of teaching are:

• Patience
• Fairness
• Kindness
• Respect
• Integrity

Patience 

When working with children, patience is absolutely vital. Each pupil will have their strengths and weaknesses and it is up to the teacher to help them in any way possible. Therefore, it is very important to give the pupil all the time that they require in order to allow them to overcome this area where improvement is needed.

Fairness

Fairness is also a crucial characteristic to possess as a teacher. No pupil should be put at a disadvantage and singled out. This can ultimately damage their learning experience and knock their confidence. It is important, as the teacher, to ensure that the classroom is totally equal.

Kindness

In order to welcome children into the classroom and ensure that their learning experience is enjoyable, a teacher should be kind. School can often be a daunting experience for many young children, therefore it is the job of the teacher to be kind in order to allow children to be able to approach them and feel at ease during their time inside the classroom.

Respect

If a teacher is to uphold their authority in the classroom, it is important that they be respected by their pupils. However, the only way to be respected by the children you teach is to respect them in turn. It is also vital to respect every member of staff within the school you work in. Every staff member is part of a team and each member of that team must respect one another. This ensures that everyone can work effectively, essentially bettering the learning experience for every child.

Integrity

Integrity is also a key virtue to have as a teacher. It is important to be honest as a teacher and possess a good set of moral principles as this can effect the teacher’s decision-making in the classroom and ultimately effect the learning experience of pupils. Possessing integrity as a teacher may also suggest a certain level of commitment to the profession which, in my opinion, is vital to being a successful teacher.