Est pueris carus qui non est doctor amarus.
(Medieval)

He is dear to children who is not an unpleasant teacher.

(pron = ehst poo-EHR-ees KAH-roos kwee nohn ehst DOHK-tohr ah-MAH-roos)

Comment: This is not a difficult concept, but sad to say, not all teachers
necessarily feel this way. I was advised by more than one older teacher when I
began teaching "not to smile until Thanksgiving". Their concern was that if I
come across as friendly "they will take advantage of you." Their advice,
however, seemed to be that by not smiling, I could take advantage of my
students' inability to figure me out for at least a few months. The
arrangement was adversarial at best.

Teaching, though, is not an arrangement. Teaching and learning comprise a
relationship. The Latin word "amarus" can be translated "bitter", or "shrill".
Those are much better images. Who wants to spend time with a bitter or shrill
person? And in the context of learning, if students don't want to be in my
room, it matters little what I am teaching.

Larger than teaching, this proverb suggests that any person is dear to others
who is not unpleasant to be with.