Most people can remember a teacher they had growing up that they consider a “good” teacher. I have heard many different stories from friends and other teachers about their experiences, and all of their stories have commonalities. One important thing that these stories had in common was that the teacher showed empathy for them as a person and not just a student, as well as attempted to understand their learning style. Showing empathy for your students helps immensely because it builds trust, and the investment that a teacher puts into getting to know their students, give them a better chance at succeeding in their class. Kids learn in different ways, and not all teachers are as good at adjusting their teaching styles and lessons to insure that all students succeed. I have shared with many of my friends what my teachers were like in Jr. High. These years stand out to me because I had a lot going on in my family life, which affected my ability to focus and learn in class. I was fortunate enough to have a lot of good teachers, that took the time to get to know me and helped me stay focused and on track in class. One teacher in particular really helped me in Jr. High, he was my science teacher Mr. Isaacson. I really struggled in science, so if he did not take the time to breakdown the material for me after class, I do not think I would have passed Biology. It took a lot of extra work, and I scraped by with a C+. The time he took to help me, allowed me to stay focused and not get discouraged. He never made me feel like I wasn’t smart or that I couldn’t succeed. Which brings me to the next commonality that I hear a lot from stories that I think is worth mentioning…

Most people say that the teacher they really liked challenged them in class, and kept the students engaged. It is important to teach the curriculum, but when a teacher is passionate about students learning, they will do more than regurgitate what it says in the book. Most good teachers allow the students to openly ask questions. Having an open discussion can help to get them interested in the material rather than just lecture to them and then expect them to test well and remember the information later. It can be very helpful for students (like myself) to openly discuss the material with other classmates and out loud with the teacher. Open discussions and group work can help students retain the information, and really understand the material when the teacher connects it to real life. For some quieter students, group work can help them open up and participate, rather than being put on the spot in front of the entire class. Group work can also help those students who may not have understood the material right away and were too nervous to ask a question in front of the class.

I think any teacher can be a “good” teacher by practicing these things in their classroom. And, it is never too late to change!