PearlPilot

I will start off with a couple from my own experience...(of being a student)

1. No matter what, do not panic (or show that you are panicked)
2. Even though the time warrants to say the words "oh _____ " don't say it

multipilot

One of the top qualities a CFI should possess, is a positive and proactive attitude. If the CFI enjoys what he/she does and is enthusiastic about flying, the student will more than likely have a positive perception as well.

In my experience, CFIs that are there just to build hours don't make good CFIs and end up doing more damage to students than they do good.

I'm not saying that building hours as a CFI is a bad thing, just as long as he/she enjoys where they're at while they're CFIing.

reloader30cal

I good CFI sticks to the basics:

Teach student how to fly visually first without any reference to instruments(for PPL & COM).
Alway give thorough pre and post flight briefings- Students learn on the ground and practice in the air. A cockpit is a terrible learning environment.

RomeoSierra

Ive just started mu first cfi job 3 months ago and i learned really quick that every student is different and the way you teach things to them is different. So you need to adjust the way you teach to different students through out the day. Having 8 students my self im dead tired when my day is done.

Another way to help your students out is to always be in a positive mood and dont act tired or mad when you do the training with them.

Just remember positive training will usually result in positive results and negative or poor un motivated training will usualy result in more time spent with the student which means they have to spend more money in the fast growing aircraft rental rates these days.

Cubdriver

Well I do not have a lot of experience in teaching yet, but I agree with the above comments and would add that a instructor's primary role beyond insuring the safety of a flight is to assist the student in teaching himself. If you see it this way rather than as you giving them instruction, you will watch them more carefully for real indications of what are getting and what they are not, and if you let them come to you about how to improve rather than constantly evaluating and judging it stimulates self-evaluation and a genuine desire to improve. Obviously you still have to give critiques and make demands, but even that can be seen as helping them to help their self.

I had a really bad student one time and this poor guy could not make any progress no matter what I or anyone else did for him. He made me realize that the student has to be inherently interested and capable to learn. You are there to assist rather than to dispense wisdom. They won't remember it anyway. The only time I think a teacher really needs to be highly active is when a student gets hung up and by artful presenting the teacher pushes the student see the task in a different, more useful way.

Ewfflyer

Another one is the instructor must be able to let the students mess up. Especially letting a landing come in a little hard, sideways, etc.. Stalls that border or enter a spin, cross-country flights that go the wrong way.

In the end, as a CFI if we always make a quick correction and/or observation that immediately remedies the situation, the student really doesn't grasp the severity of thier mistakes. So I guess this ability also includes lot of patience.

My style is more "intensity" and exposure based type of training, because I feel it really drives the learning process and also show's the student all aspects of each phase of flight.