This phenomenological study took place at a Christian liberal arts university in Missouri. Specifically, the study assesses ten undergraduate students’ perspectives regarding the characteristics of the best teacher of their academic lives. Ultimately, 17 characteristics emerged as standards for great teaching. The results indicate that the most powerful learning environment is one in which the teacher is dynamically connected to the subject. Our results strongly support Parker Palmer’s (1998) argument that the subject matter itself is “the great thing” (p. 117) that focuses the authentic teacher in the community of truth. Consideration of these characteristics in relation to how teachers honor their subject matter may serve to enhance the learning experience for everyone
