Search the Internet for the qualities of a good teacher and a whole range of ideas are thrown at you. Some contain very outmoded ideas, such as that teaching is about the'transmission of knowledge' to students. I have no doubt that such ideas hold sway in government departments! Most people in schools can recognise a good teacher almost instinctively, yet tremendous effort is made at national levels and amongst schools' managers to impose systems that are meant to'improve' teaching.