Australia’s Best Teachers: Experts and educators weigh in on the attributes of a great teacher

Everyone has a favourite teacher they remember from school. But what is it that makes them great?

Patient, persistent, always learning and adapting – these are among the top qualities of a great teacher, according to experts and educators across Australia.

There is a national focus on students’ academic outcomes but many of the attributes of the best teachers cannot be measured in test results.

Follow our Australia’s Best Teachers advocacy series, in partnership with Officeworks, Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools, Education Perfect and BigAss Fans, at this link.

New research has identified 10 personal attributes of top teachers, and longstanding educators have given their views as part of News Corp’s 2025 Australia’s Best Teacher series.

Now in its third year, it celebrates those making a positive difference in the classrooms and communities they serve.

Researchers at the University of Sydney spent three years interviewing almost 550 teachers, teaching graduates and experts to distil the qualities of a great educator.

Alongside academic qualifications and experience in the classroom, they found that the most important personal attributes included the ability to adapt, think deeply, work in a team and communicate clearly.

The best teachers were also motivated, resilient, patient, respectful, ethical and persistent in supporting their students.

University of Sydney Professor Alyson Simpson said the research considered “the person that the teacher needs to be, not just the act of teaching”.

“Some people think you turn up at 9am and go home at 3pm and you’ve got great school holidays, but being a teacher is so much more than that,” she said.

Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools executive director Edward Simons described the best teachers as acting “like rocket fuel” for students by “building confidence, shaping lifelong learners and lighting a path to a bright future”.

“Every day, in classrooms across Australia, teachers are inspiring young minds to discover their passion and purpose,” Dr Simons said.

Retired principal Kevin Richardson, who worked in schools across the country over a four-decade career, said students benefited most from “teachers who’ve cared and teachers who’ve believed in kids even when they didn’t believe in themselves”.

“They make kids feel worthy, capable, allow them to feel in control and that they matter to others,” said Mr Richardson, who retired as principal of Adelaide’s Immanuel College at the end of 2023.

He added that the best teachers “know their stuff”, are lifelong learners and highlight students’ strengths in a schooling system which “too often focuses on kids’ weaknesses”.

Walford Anglican School for Girls principal Dr Deborah Netolicky with students. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Walford Anglican School for Girls principal Deborah Netolicky, who holds a PhD in education from Murdoch University, said great teachers were constantly responding and adapting to student needs.

“They are passionate about their subjects and know how to apply and tailor a range of strategies responsively and purposefully to the students in front of them,” Dr Netolicky said.

“Great teachers are constantly diagnosing, assessing and responding to student learning, while applying a suite of intentional teaching strategies.

“They live and breathe their passion for their subject, for learning and for seeing young people learn and flourish.”

Dr Ed Simons, executive director of Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools

Being responsive to students and personalising learning were key to engaging teaching, said James Santure, who is head of product impact at online learning platform Education Perfect.

“A good teacher is one who meets each student where they are and helps them grow,” he said.

“They don’t just deliver content; they understand learning needs, adapt their instruction, and create purposeful opportunities for practice.”

Originally published as Australia’s Best Teachers: Experts and educators weigh in on the attributes of a great teacher