This paper reports a fragment from a recent investigation into student perceptions of effective teaching practices. The larger inquiry sought to ascertain which instructional methods, strategies, and activities employed by teachers are perceived as effective learning experiences by students. Specifically, this study focuses on the characteristics of effective methods of teaching from the point of view of eight high school seniors who were individually interviewed utilizing a format of open-ended questions and follow-up probes. Five distinct themes emerged related to classroom practice: (1) teaching methods can be effective for various reasons; (2) factors teachers should consider when framing lessons; (3) the teacher's presence; (4) the teacher's personality as a factor in learning; and (5) students' preference for whole class and individual methods as opposed to forms of group work. The findings discussed here bring together a manageable representation of the students' thinking and conversation. Informants' suggestions formed the basis for concluding that effective teaching is the coming together of method, context, student effort, and teacher commitment. The key factor in the classroom, however, remains the teacher's personality. (Contains approximately 40 references.) (LL)