5 Important Characteristics to Become a Good Math Teacher

by Stacy Zeiger, studioD Google

Not all students like math, but a good math teacher has the power to change that. A good math teacher can help students who have traditionally struggled with arithmetic begin to build confidence in their skills. For students who are usually bored with numbers, a good math teacher can breathe new life into the subject. A good math teacher makes her class a place where students want to be.

Knowledge of Mathematics

A successful math teacher has an extensive knowledge of mathematics. She has taken multiple courses in algebra, geometry, statistics, calculus and other areas of mathematics at the college level and, possibly, even the graduate level. This knowledge allows her to confidently explain concepts and processes to her students. She is not constantly consulting the answer key in the back of the teacher's guide to help students solve problems. This confidence boosts her credibility and helps students trust in her ability to teach them what they need to know.

Teaching Strategies

Students learn in different ways, and a good math teacher understands that. She keeps up with the best practices in math education and regularly incorporates them into her instruction to help all of her students learn. She also understands there may be multiple ways to solve problems and uses those alternate strategies to help struggling students grasp difficult concepts. Her lesson plans engage students and help them feel confident in their mathematical abilities.


In the classroom, a talented math teacher does not take the "because I said so" approach or play the role of a know-it-all. Instead, she serves as a facilitator of learning, providing students with the knowledge and tools to solve problems and then encouraging students to solve them on their own. When students answer a problem incorrectly, she does not allow them to quit. She encourages students to figure out where they went wrong and to keep working at the problem until they get the correct answer, providing support and guidance where needed.


A skilled math teacher is seen as a leader in her classroom and in the school. Her students respect her, not only for her knowledge of mathematics, but for her overall attitude and actions. Students can tell she respects them as well. She has control over the classroom, laying out clear rules and expectations for students to follow. When students misbehave, discipline is consistent and fair.

Care and Concern

As any experienced teacher knows, teaching focuses less on the content being taught than the students being taught. A good math teacher cares about her students. She recognizes when a student is having a bad day or needs some encouragement and addresses the problem to help the student refocus on the material. While she holds students to high expectations, she recognizes that occasionally life gets in the way of homework and that studying sometimes take a back seat to family obligations. Therefore, she offers students second chances when warranted and takes time out of her own schedule to help students catch up.

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