This document discusses the roles and characteristics of effective teachers. It begins with a Japanese proverb about how one day with a great teacher is better than 1,000 days of study alone. The document then explores metaphors that could represent the teacher-student relationship. It lists potential roles for teachers, such as facilitator, diagnostician, and provider. Key characteristics of good teachers are also outlined, including having cultural background knowledge, using different teaching methods, and encouraging students. The document concludes by discussing beliefs about learners and characteristics students should possess to be good language learners.