Most kids hate school, but there’s usually one person who makes it all worth the while. Everyone at some point will find that teacher who made an impact on them. Whether it’s random acts of kindness, using a comical approach, or just asking how the students day was, it’s the little things that a teacher can do to change a students life.
There’s a difference between a good teacher, and an impactful teacher. A good teacher can share helpful content and make sure that the student understands the material well. An impactful teacher is someone who makes a difference in the students life. Many students feel a major disconnect between school and their own lives and personal success. Check out Teachers of Tomorrow to get a better understanding of the role of a teacher in a students life. However, how are students supposed to know ant of this? How does any of this actually help us in the real world?
Ms. Christine Leventhal teaches forensic science at Darien High School. She also happened to go to school at DHS. When asked about a specific teacher that made an impact on her life, she brought up her biology teacher, who inspired her to teach science. She recalled his passion for the subject that he taught, and how he was able to touch students’ hearts with his love for science. When asked about one thing she tries to incorporate into her teaching, Leventhal responded: “I’m really excited about what I teach” and continued, “If I’m not excited about it then why should they (students) be excited about it?”
Many students have found that teachers with this mentality play an instrumental part in their lives. When a person sees someone finding meaning and value in the material, school becomes less of a ‘have to’ and more of a ‘want to’ environment.
Out of 10 senior students I spoke to, 75 percent of them had said they’d found a teacher who truly impacted them in some way during their time in high school. After asking several of them about what they think makes a memorable teacher, they answered with the following adjectives: thoughtful, kind, empathetic, engaging, and respectful. All of these, in their opinions, are what make a teacher stand out from the other.
Yeah, sure, there will be teachers who you’ll remember because of the amount of work they assigned, or because they passed you for their class. But just imagine that teacher that you’ll be telling your kids about in 40 years when flipping through your high school yearbook. That’s the person who’ll have made a difference in your life.
So students. Try to create those relationships with your teachers. Get to know them. You might just learn something incredible.
Teachers. You never know who might walk in that classroom door, so give it your best every day. You might just change someone’s life.
