"A good teacher is first and foremost a good person, skilled in the art of teaching." - paraphrased from Demosthenes, the great Greek orator.

Each year we honour members of various professions who are considered the best; what you might call the Most Valuable Players, "MVPs," of their fields. You see articles about CEOs who bring about great turn-arounds in their companies, or athletes who lead their teams to glory, the top sales persons, the most outstanding superintendents - even teachers occasionally receive acclaim for their contribution to society.

But who are the really outstanding teachers?

The Gallup organisation, under the guise of Selection Research Institute, SRI, has published volumes on the characteristics of the really good teachers. Those teachers are the ones with a true sense of mission, who have real clarity as to why they joined the profession, who do lesson plans with all children in mind, who are objective in the way they treat students, who treat students as individuals, etc.

Those who follow the more empirical approach would look at teachers who bring about positive results on standardised tests, who consistently bring their students to mastery and proficiency in O-level tests or in the International Baccalaureate. Some are lauded for the work they do in preparing students for the SATs and ACTs, and for challenging students beyond their potential.

We all know that the very best teachers have high expectations for their students, and expect their students to succeed at a high level of competence. These teachers have built up a repertoire of techniques that add variety to the classroom, and more importantly, can be used to meet the varying learning styles of their students.

The really good teachers keep the end in mind; that is, they know what will be assessed and they know how to gradually build a student's knowledge and skills sequentially, in order to bring about success. Students learn to feel gratified at what they have accomplished, and become eager to learn more.

There is no doubt that these are all valid criteria, and should never be discounted. However, the right side of our brain would lead us to believe that the truly outstanding teachers are those who are loved by their students and who reach a level that cannot really be measured.

Outstanding teachers know how important their role is, outside, as well as inside, the classroom. Research tells us that students learn more from teachers they like and respect. Therefore, good teachers spend time getting to know their students, and establishing a strong positive rapport with them. When students greet teachers genuinely and positively outside school, this shows that a relationship has been established which goes beyond the typical classroom.

More than likely, when you think back to your own educational experiences, the teachers you truly remember are the ones who touched your heart, took a personal interest in you, or were there when you needed the extra attention - the teachers that you willingly hugged because you loved them just as much as they loved you.

I have had the opportunity to experience this latter "brand" of teacher. Oh, she works very hard to make sure her students are growing academically, spends countless hours after school preparing lessons and correcting papers, and takes standardised testing very seriously. But while walking in a shopping mall one Saturday evening, I saw the real fruits of her labours.

Students, past and present, greeted her with hugs and smiles every ten feet. She could hardly accomplish her shopping tasks. She even got "mauled" by one former student who was recently expelled from school, but who was returning the following semester, due in part to the encouragement this teacher had given her.

I was overwhelmed at the affective feedback being given this teacher. But I should not have been surprised, because this teacher is in education for all the right reasons and motivations - her students.

These are the teachers who really count because they have taken their "vocation" so seriously. These are the teachers who will be remembered years from now, but who would actually be embarrassed to receive public recognition for their contributions.

To all of you out there who fall into this category, congratulations, and thank you! You make a difference in the lives of children academically, emotionally, and holistically. You are the teachers who promote excellence on the part of your students, who make children proud of their accomplishments and who find satisfaction in the growth of your students.

You are the teachers whose students know they are truly appreciated, and they reciprocate that feeling. You are the teachers who work with parents in such an effective partnership, to bring about vibrant, healthy children who will go on to accomplish much; but more importantly, who will lead happy and successful lives as adults. You change the world, one child at a time!

International schools, which are often a home away from home for the globetrotting student, are in special need of teachers who care both inside and outside the classroom.