What makes a teacher a student’s favourite?

As we celebrate World Teachers’ Day, let’s look at positive teacher-student relationships and what makes a 'favourite' teacher.
World Teachers’ Day is celebrated every year on October 5. It was established by Unesco in 1994 to recognise the important role teachers play in education and society worldwide.
Through observation, I have realised how junior is one type of student who feels a strong personal connection to his teacher. He talks to that teacher frequently and receives more constructive guidance and praise rather than just criticism.
As a result, he very much trusts that teacher more and has of late shown more engagement in learning, behave better in class and has achieved higher grades.
Positive teacher-student relationships draw students into the process of learning and promote their desire to learn. This would be an ideal learning environment, and students would often consider such a teacher their favourite.
But what makes a 'favourite' teacher? Everyone who has gone through the school system has that one teacher that they favoured and even loved - and teachers they disliked or even hated.
In school, teachers represent authority. Some students view this from a confrontational perspective. It should not be surprising that they respond with a similar confrontational gesture. If a student feels challenged in a class and the authority figure is harsh, makes threats, is sarcastic, or is unnecessarily strict, that leads some students to feel the teacher is his or her opponent.
If you don’t show students that you care, they are not going to care. Many teachers have mistaken notions about caring. Some mistakenly believe they are being kind and caring when they please their students, or when they rescue them and protect them from all disappointment. This is not caring; it is being permissive.
The teacher must contrast firmness and kindness. It is not respectful to pamper students. It is counterproductive to rescue them from every disappointment, so they don’t have the opportunity to develop their 'disappointment muscles.'
Just like mature people, students also learn to appreciate. Most students would say that their favourite teacher is funny. From my own experience as a student, I can say that a funny teacher does not always have to make you laugh out loud in class; they basically make you smile.
Whether they deliver the classroom content with ridiculous jokes, juggling, dancing, exaggerating, or simply caring, the happiness will always be unforgettable.
If you ask any student to give you a reason why they like their teacher, the fastest answer would be that their favourite teacher is caring. A student might be in a large class of more than 20 students in class, but they still feel like an individual when the teacher recognises them thus.
A good teacher not only asks about their welfare but also wants to hear the answer. This teacher would do their best to try to support the student academically and personally.
Understandably, the current world is full of challenges and hardships, and it is hard to be happy. But teachers should wake up every morning happy. Great teachers still get excited about work; they don’t show that their mornings have been terrible. They show passion for teaching students to be excellent people through their favourite subject and embed what we all aspire to be – intelligent.
Students enjoy learning from someone who knows what they are talking about and is confident about it. No one wants to listen to an insecure teacher.
Students are human beings. They have feelings, and they have needs. And most of them are shortsighted and immature; it’s part of being a kid. They need to be engaged, to be liked, to feel welcomed, and they need someone they can trust.
Before you fill their brains with math, arts, or science subjects, show them that you care about them. Do not yell; speak softly. Look them in the eyes. Ask questions. Be their friend before being their teacher.
Of course, it is possible that they might never love you, but they will respect you, care about you, and many will consider you an inspiration. If they’re willing to do this, imagine how much they will want to learn from you.