For 24 years, the speaker, Azul Terronez, has been obsessed with one fundamental question: "What makes a good teacher great?". He has gathered an astounding 26,000 responses to this query, collected from a diverse range of educational settings – from the most deprived schools in Los Angeles to suburban institutions in Texas, and even elite private schools abroad. Despite the sheer volume of answers, he admits he remains perplexed by the question.

What he has learned, however, is that often, schools are too afraid to ask students what they truly think, partly assuming children won't take the question seriously. But by simply listening to students, profound lessons can be uncovered. This summary aims to share those lessons, offering insights into what truly makes a teacher great, as told by the students themselves.

Let’s delve into the first crucial insight: understanding the unspoken language of our students.

One of the most profound, yet seemingly silly, answers the speaker ever received was: "A great teacher eats apples". Initially, he dismissed it as nonsense, but when it kept appearing, he realised there had to be more to it. His experiment of actually eating apples led to a powerful discovery: students would smile, offer him apples, and it wasn’t until much later that he grasped the true meaning.

The apple, it turned out, was a symbol for the relationship. It represented a teacher willing to receive a gift from them, fostering goodness and trust. He hadn't been listening properly for a long time.

Similarly, when students say "A great teacher is chill," they're not just being casual. What they truly mean is: "Don't take it too serious. Be calm in all situations. Don't get overwhelmed". Students have their own unique way of communicating what they want us to know. Like navigating conversations with his own grown children, the speaker learned that seemingly simple answers like "Fine" could mean vastly different things, from "It was pretty good" to "Don't ask me, you wouldn't understand anyway". If they said "OK," it often meant "It wasn't good at all, and you should probably ask me more questions, but don't expect me to answer".

Kids want adults to think like them and understand what's inside their heads. They want us to see their world. However, they don't want us to act like them; they want us to be calm, protect them, and keep them safe. This demonstrates a clear need for adults to spend more time truly listening to students.

This leads us to another fascinating pattern in what students value: a teacher's own journey with learning.

Among the many responses collected, a significant pattern emerged: when asked what makes a good teacher great, students often said, "A great teacher loves to teach." However, 70 percent of the time, that quote or answer was followed by: "A great teacher loves to learn".

This insight is particularly significant because students don't observe this happening. They see teachers instructing, but they wish their teachers would learn alongside them. This is contrary to how teachers are typically hired – as content experts, expected to possess all the knowledge, rather than being learners themselves.

Imagine the impact if a teacher entered the classroom, admitted they didn't know exactly what they were going to do that day, but expressed excitement to learn with their students. Or if students witnessed their teacher struggling through a concept they didn't know and eventually discovering the answer. Students yearn to be inspired by the fundamental idea that learning is important. Yet, they often don't see this crucial aspect of learning modelled in schools.

This desire for authentic learning experiences leads us to challenge the very definition of a "teacher" in the eyes of students.

Another striking response Terronez received was: "A great teacher isn't a teacher". Initially, this was offensive to him, as he identified strongly as a teacher. However, he soon understood what students were trying to convey: a great teacher isn't confined to the classroom.

Think about an enduring thing you possess – something you learned and still use today, like riding a bike. Terronez recalled learning to ride a bike at age five when his mother simply pushed him until he could balance and ride. This experiential learning led to a skill he retains to this day.

Now, imagine trying to learn to ride a bike in a classroom setting. It might involve memorising parts of a bike, writing a research paper on its history, and taking a final exam. Terronez jokes that at five years old, he would have simply chosen to walk.

This analogy highlights a critical point: this is precisely what is often done to children in schools. They are placed in a classroom, told what to learn, and instructed that it's important, but students know that this doesn't equate to true learning. This disconnect is why students can become disruptive, bored, or disengaged. What students truly desire are teachers who facilitate real learning experiences, transcending the traditional classroom model.

This deep desire for authentic connection extends to how teachers understand students' lives outside of school.

Students also conveyed that "A great teacher understands that they have a life outside of school". This isn't just about acknowledging their existence; it's about recognising that their life in school is significantly different from their life beyond its walls.

Terronez shared the story of Yvette, a student with a tough reputation who initially intimidated him. Over time, Yvette became a great leader in the classroom, excelling in homework and participation. So, when she suddenly stopped turning in her homework, Terronez was disappointed and confronted her. Yvette's explanation was profound: she usually did her homework in the bathroom, the quietest place at home, but the electricity had been turned off that week, and her candle had burned out.

In that moment, Terronez realised he had missed the point. He had heard her words when she said, "I'm trying, mister," but he hadn't truly listened. This experience taught him that great teachers notice when there's a struggle. They don't make assumptions about what kids can or cannot do. Instead, they wait, watch, and rescue them when they're stuck. In contrast, good teachers may hear, but they don't truly listen. The unforgettable lesson from Yvette reinforced Terronez's commitment to listening deeply to student responses.

This deep listening often requires teachers to step outside their comfort zones, leading us to another key attribute of great educators.

One of the most perplexing answers Terronez received year after year was: "A great teacher sings". But he couldn't sing, and the answer mystified him for a decade. The meaning only became clear when Danny, the class clown, included it in his otherwise serious responses.

The next day, instead of simply reading the daily agenda seriously, Terronez decided to sing it in a grand, operatic style. The students' eyes widened, their mouths dropped, and then, to his surprise, the classroom erupted in cheers and applause, even a standing ovation. Danny approached him afterwards, patting him on the shoulder and saying, "I told you a great teacher sings".

This seemingly simple act revealed a profound truth: great teachers make themselves humble before their students. They are willing to take risks, to put aside their fear and try something new, even if it makes them vulnerable. They trust that they will be supported if they fail. This stands in stark contrast to the expectation that teachers are always experts - never learners or risk-takers in front of their students.

The Future is in Listening

Terronez argues that schools should fundamentally rethink how they hire and train teachers. Instead of solely seeking "deep understanders of content" or "knowledge keepers," he posits a transformative idea: what if we hired teachers to be deep understanders of students?

A significant barrier to this transformation is the glaring absence of formal listening instruction in education. Students spend years learning to read and write, and perhaps a semester on public speaking, but receive "virtual zero years of formal listening instruction". This is despite listening being one of the number one essential skills for business and life in the wider world.

The future is in our classrooms. Within them are the potential Maya Angelous, Mother Theresas, and Elon Musks of the world. If we simply took the time to ask these students "What would make a good teacher great?" and then truly listened to their answers, we could profoundly transform schools and education itself. The power lies not just in asking, but in the radical act of listening and understanding.