A good teacher is a determined person.

Hear the words of Gilbert Highet, the scholar and classicist, who declared: “A good teacher is a determined person.” Simple though they sound, these words carry the weight of centuries of wisdom. For teaching is not merely the transmission of knowledge, but a battle of wills against ignorance, despair, and indifference. To stand as a teacher is to take upon oneself the task of shaping the minds and hearts of the young — a task that demands more than brilliance; it demands determination. Without that resolve, lessons fall like seeds on stone. With it, they break through even the hardest ground.

The ancients knew this truth well. Socrates, who wandered the streets of Athens, was not applauded but mocked, resisted, and even condemned. Yet he persisted, questioning, guiding, and stirring thought in all he met. His determination made him a father of philosophy, though he paid for it with his life. In the East, Confucius wandered from province to province, often rejected by rulers who would not heed his wisdom. Still he pressed on, convinced that his teachings on virtue and order would one day take root. These men were good teachers not because their path was easy, but because their determination never faltered.

The image of the determined teacher can be found in modern times as well. Anne Sullivan, who became the guide of Helen Keller, faced not only the blindness and deafness of her pupil, but the despair of a child locked in darkness and silence. With endless patience, unyielding will, and fierce love, she pressed on. Day after day, she traced words into Helen’s hand, refusing to surrender when failure seemed certain. In time, the miracle occurred: Helen connected the word “water” to the cool stream upon her hand, and the gates of her soul opened. Here was the embodiment of Highet’s words: the good teacher, the determined person, who does not yield until the flame of learning is lit.

Why must determination be the mark of the teacher? Because the task is not a single act but a lifelong struggle. The teacher must labor with those who resist, who doubt, who are distracted by the world. They must endure the slow pace of growth, the countless repetitions, the disappointments. Knowledge can be given quickly, but wisdom is formed only through persistence. The determined teacher sees beyond the moment, trusting that their efforts will bear fruit, even if not today, even if not in their lifetime.

Yet determination is not harshness. It is not the clenched fist or the iron voice. True determination in a teacher is steadfast love — the refusal to give up on a student, the unwavering belief that every mind can grow. This determination is heroic, for it demands sacrifice, patience, and endurance. The good teacher becomes a warrior not with sword or shield, but with faith in human potential, fighting ignorance with the armor of resolve.

The lesson for us is this: in every act of teaching, whether in schools, in homes, or in the daily sharing of wisdom, let us be determined. Do not give up when others falter. Do not retreat when faced with resistance. Be steady, be patient, and hold fast to the belief that your words, your example, your guidance, matter. For one seed planted in perseverance may grow into a forest that shelters generations.

Practical action flows from this truth. If you are a teacher, embrace setbacks as part of the journey. If you guide a child, persist in encouragement, even when progress is unseen. If you mentor a friend or colleague, do not withhold your belief in them. And for all of us, let us honor those teachers whose determination shaped our own lives, for their steadfastness is the unseen foundation upon which we stand.

So let Gilbert Highet’s words be carried forward like a banner: “A good teacher is a determined person.” For it is not brilliance alone that changes the world, but the fierce resolve to continue, to endure, and to believe — until ignorance gives way to wisdom, and the human soul takes flight.