Who of your teachers would you reward with a trophy given a chance? Would your gratitude be on the premise that they taught you well or that they inspired and believed in you? As some of the most influential role models for developing students, teachers are responsible for more than just academic enrichment.

It is on this premise that Rita Piersonsays, "Every child deserves a champion – an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be.”If you want to be a great educator, you must connect with your pupils and reach them on multiple levels, because the best teachers are committed to their students’ well-being both inside and outside the classroom. By forging strong relationships, educators are able to affect virtually every aspect of their students’ lives, teaching them the important life lessons that will help them succeed beyond term papers and exams.

Inspiring students is integral to ensuring their success and encouraging them to fulfill their potential. Students who are inspired by their teachers can accomplish amazing things, and that motivation almost always stays with them. Inspiration can also take many forms, from helping a pupil through the academic year and their short-term goals, to guiding them towards their future career. Years after graduation, many working professionals will still cite a particular teacher as the one who fostered their love of what they currently do and attribute their accomplishments to that educator.

A great teacher makes learning fun as stimulating, engaging lessons are pivotal to a student’s academic success. It is not a eulogy you are giving so lighten up and have some sense of humor. I have been to classes where students sit stiff, with i-have-been-through-hell kind of faces as though laughter was a taboo. Some students who are more prone to misbehavior, truancy or disengagement are more dependent on an engaging humorous teacher. Making your classroom an exciting environment for learning will hold the students’ fascination; if anything, students learn best when they are both challenged and interested. It’s part of motivating students, which may not be easy, but benefits students immeasurably in the long run.

It is not always easy to change a student’s life, which is why it takes a great teacher to do so. Some just need an extra push like the student whose math grade is just a few points shy from the A grade; others may be going through something troubling in their personal lives and need someone to talk to. Whatever the student needs to help them excel, a life-changing teacher will be there for them. My favorite moments in school were those when one of my teachers would give us a pep- talk mostly about life. He ensured we knew that we couldn’t do anything in life without math and in that way, we just fell in love with the dreaded subject!

Inspirational teachers are a source of advice for students weighing important life decisions. Educators can help their pupils pursue higher education, explore career opportunities and compete in events they might otherwise have not thought themselves able to. Students often look up to their teachers as mentors with experience and knowledge, and, as an educator, you will almost definitely be asked for advice at some point during your career.

It is upon this background that you are commissioned to inspire. Even after death, we’ll still be living legends whose contributions to the society are unimaginable.

The writer is a lecturer at The Adventist University of Central Africa