It is a fascinating question, and one on which there has not been universal agreement.

So we’ve set up a website called (logically enough) Outstanding Teaching which seeks to answer the question through a series of detailed articles and short tips.

Among the key points that the site raises is the fact that the best teachers are often labelled ‘Outstanding’ because they are superb at establishing rapport with different personality types.

It is argued that teachers can have well over one hundred interactions with children/young people in any given day, and these young people have a range of personality types.

As a result, some of the personalities that we interact with are so completely different from our own that we need to adjust our whole approach in order to communicate with these young people.  It is in interactions with these pupils that we see outstanding people skills being demonstrated by the best teachers.

The very best teachers, it is therefore argued, are able to use their skills to hold attention and enlighten across all personality types.  They know (almost automatically, it seems) when some personalities need a firm hand and when others require extra encouragement.

But although such skills can seem automatic they are not – for they can be learned – especially where the teacher is able to demonstrate a flexible attitude to those in the class.

A further argument that can be put is that the best teachers work beyond teaching their subject and impart skills and attitudes that help learners to be active and independent.

It has also been said that some of the current generation of students and pupils want everything delivered on a plate.  However when a teacher imparts a skill or attitude beyond the subject or the topic the teacher can become a more memorable teacher.  The teacher helps the learner to face future challenges ahead, and again this is a sign of an outstanding teacher.

These are just some of the introductory points that are to be found on the new Outstanding Teaching website.

The question that then arises is, how do we move from being good teachers to outstanding teachers? – and this is what the site then reveals.

I do hope you find it useful – the site is at… http://osiriseducational.co.uk/outstandingteaching/