Which secret ingredients make a good teacher? Perhaps it is a teacher with just the right combination of strictness, kindness and understanding, with a sprinkle of good humor. 

Polly Varadi taught classes ranging from kindergarten to grade 6 for a period of 45 years in the Laval region. She wanted to become a librarian initially due to her passion for reading and books; however, she also enjoyed teaching and children, so she decided to make teaching her lifelong career. 

Varadi believes it is integral for a teacher to get involved with children by piquing their curiosity, sharing ideas, being open and honest, quick with compliments and warmly encouraging them. “Humour is a great tool for working with kids,” says Varadi. “There are some teacher traits that children really don’t enjoy; being yelled at, bullied, embarrassed, belittled or having a teacher who displays favouritism.” As adults, we can certainly understand this as we would not appreciate these traits in our spouse, a colleague or friend.

A student can be positively influenced by a teacher who makes learning easy and fun. A good teacher can even affect a child’s future in life-altering ways. For example, if a student is quiet and lacking confidence, a teacher can help the child feel more confident with encouragement and inspiration. Listening to children and what they say makes them feel important and being respectful to children goes a long way. 

Well-known rap singer Annakin Slayd was a student in Polly Varadi’s class. Varadi believed in Slayd and told him he would be a great writer one day. Varadi signed his yearbook and wrote the following passage; “If you are shooting for the sky, why not shoot for the stars? Shoot for the impossible.” Varadi had such a positive influence on the singer that he sang about her in his song entitled “Go Publique”.

Varadi feels that she had the best years to teach due to challenges that teachers must face today; competing with cell phones, electronic devices and more intense family and social pressures. There are also increased hours at school and schoolwork to complete at home.

Varadi once asked her 6th grade class in 2008 what the ingredients were for a perfect teacher.  Here is their humorous response;

A Perfect Teacher
Allows pets in class
Lets us go outside during class time
Lets us play on the computer
Has a clean class
Lets us listen to the radio
Gives us 30 minutes of nap time
Lets us skip classes we don’t like
Lets us go to the bathroom when we want
Lets us talk in class
Teaches fun stuff

Doesn’t scream at us
Doesn’t make us read
Doesn’t give us hard homework
Is not mean to us
Doesn’t give us tests
Doesn’t give us lines to write
Doesn’t make us clean the class
Doesn’t issue report cards

Just a tad exaggerated, n’est ce pas? Perhaps teachers should write a poem about which ingredients make the best students!