What makes a good teacher?

The other day, as I was cleaning out old graduate work (since, being a Master now, I don't need any of it!), I came across a few items I drafted in class that I thought I would share.

I wrote this first item on October 2, 2008.  I had five minutes to free-write about what makes a good teacher.  This was my response:

A good teacher is someone who not only makes his/her students feel comfortable in the classroom but who also encourages students to participate actively.  Thus, the classroom environment becomes one in which, regardless of outside circumstances, everyone is an equal member of the class and has the opportunity to contribute as much as anyone else.  A good teacher strives to achieve this goal, while at the same time not letting the students forget where they come from.

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What do you think makes a good teacher?  Are there different criteria for a teacher by profession and a teacher by nature?