As a senior with 14 years of experience with good and perhaps not so great teachers, I have discovered that teaching is about forming relationships because I believe that students learn better from the teachers that put in effort to know their students. A teacher who knows what a student struggles with will be able to teach better and have a more positive impact on his or her students.
There are many characteristics of a good teacher, but each student has his or her own preference and opinion. Typically, students do better in class when they get along and feel valued by their teachers. Teachers are the structure and backbone of today’s education and it is up to them to coach students on how to be successful in the future. I believe that a teacher needs to know the difference between caring about a student and wanting the best for them versus prying them for information and getting over-involved. It is nice to have a teacher who cares about you and your wellbeing, but it is exhausting having a teacher who is invasive and asks about stuff that isn’t necessary.
Another big characteristic is interest in students’ passions. A teacher must find the balance between prying for information about a student/being nosey and caring and finding interest in things that his or her students care about. I feel like with any relationship – whether it is with a friend, a significant other, or even a teacher – it is important to take interest in each other’s passions while also maintaining professionalism. A student will try harder and take a class more seriously when they know the teacher appreciates their hard work in hobbies outside of school.
Something that should be a given, but sometimes is very hard for some teachers to grasp, is the ability to show compassion and empathy. Teachers must understand that students have a lot on their plates and sometimes finishing the many assignments they’re given isn’t their top priority and it doesn’t have to be. Students go through so much, like college admissions, family issues, sports, extracurricular activities, jobs, social lives, mental health issues and, on top of that, school work. A teacher’s job is to teach their students and if a teacher is leaving their students stressed and unable to do things they are passionate about, it will disrupt a students ability to learn to their best.
It is encouraged for students to be involved and participate in things outside of school but it is seen as lazy when a student is struggling due to lack of time management. Teachers have to remember that we are kids; we are developing teenagers with anxiety and out-of-reach goals. A good teacher is crucial in the journey of becoming a good student. Without a good teacher, it is almost impossible and unlikely for there to be good students and good future achievers. Being a teacher is a very under appreciated and underpaid job, which leaves teachers overworked. I believe that it is important that students and teachers must work hand-in-hand to become both good students and teachers. The better a teacher is, the better the student will be and vise-versa.