Teachers can have a powerful and lasting impact on their students. Think for a minute about a teacher you had that made a positive impact on you. What about that teacher makes them stand out? Maybe it was their personality, perhaps it was the thought provoking assignments they gave, or maybe it was that they noticed you and got to know you. The reasons can be numerous, and are often personal to each individual.
When I think of my favorite teacher, I immediately think of a couple teachers I had. First, I think of Mrs. Shimmin, who was my second grade teacher. She made learning fun, was engaging, knew when to be silly, and made each student in her class feel loved and important. Another teacher I think of often is Mr. Downs, my AP English and Literature teacher my senior year of high school. His class was anything but easy; I remember many nights, working until the early morning hours to finish term projects, but he pushed his students and challenged them to do better. Through his class and instruction, I learned a lot about what I was capable of. He knew us each individually and was kind. He was understanding when the demands of high school and life were too much. He loved all of his students, and we all knew it. The last teacher I think of is Dr. Smith, who taught several of my education courses in college. She made her classes fun and engaging, and made sure to get to know each of her students, which is often a rare thing in a college course. I’ve been graduated from college for 15+ years now, and I still keep in touch with her. She still encourages me to do my best and shares in my happy moments.
As I look back on what I remember most about my favorite teachers, there seems to be a common theme: kindness and love. It didn’t matter the subject taught or the age or grade at which I was taught. What mattered most was how I felt while being taught by these individuals. These teachers encouraged me to be and do my best both in and out of the classroom. They truly cared about who I was as a person. I wasn’t just a number on their roster.
Isn’t what what we all need? To feel loved and cared for, no matter where we are? Since we spend a good majority of our time in a classroom during our child and teen years (and often into our young adulthood), teachers who create positive impressions are so important.
So how, then, does a teacher go about connecting with their students and working toward those kinds of positive impressions?
One way is to create connections with each individual student. Get to know their names, what they are interested in, and what their family life is like. Know when their birthday is and acknowledge it when it comes. If they are in any kinds of sports, drama, music, or other programs at school, try to attend those events and support them. If you can’t make it to their school sponsored events, be sure to ask about how they went. Ask them about what they did over the weekend or holiday break. Remember when they have big (or small) things going on in their lives, and remember to ask about those things. Simply put, take some time to really get to know your students. It’s an investment worth making, and is an investment with a great return. A little effort goes a long way!
Another way is to give meaningful feedback on their work. So often, students who are struggling are the ones who get the most attention when it comes to feedback on assignments. But in reality, every student loves to hear what they are doing well at, and would also greatly benefit from the teacher taking a little time to discuss what they can to do improve.
In addition, teachers can also find ways to incorporate their students’ interests into lessons and assignments. For instance, when asking my students to write a persuasive piece, I would always make sure to select topics that they would feel more passionate about. Seventh grade students won’t be very invested in writing about who to vote for in the upcoming gubernatorial election, but they certainly will be invested in writing about whether or not they should be allowed to bring their cell phones to class or who the best current musician is. Gearing lessons and activities toward student interests will engage them and will make an impression on their growing minds.
There are many ways for teachers to connect with their students, and often times, these will be personal to each teacher. But what matters most is that teachers are making an effort to connect, impact, and care for each student in their classroom. Because after all, don’t we all just need a little more love and care?
