Advice from a Student to Teachers by Alyssa

Advice from a Student to Teachers by Alyssa - January 2015 Scholarship Essay

If there is one thing I have noticed throughout my years at school, it is that teachers are not given enough credit. I can think of countless times in class when a fellow classmate has murmured a snide comment in reply to a teacher’s homework assignment or the eye rolls that have become common occurrences when a teacher “interrupts” a student’s conversation to continue the lesson.

Teachers don’t deserve this kind of treatment. After all, their job is to teach, and their goal is to promote inner growth and healthy habits students can carry with them for the rest of their lives. While the student audience can often be difficult receptors, there are measures teachers can take to make learning a bit more attractive to students, especially to today’s generation.

As a student, I have paid attention to the different teaching styles of my educators over the years and which classes made me want to sit up and listen. A few things that have stood out the most to me are both integral and simple. The most essential measure teachers should adopt is establishing a bond with their students at the beginning of the year. I find myself most welcomed and eager to learn when I recognize the teacher as both a superior and a friend. Classes become much more interactive, and students feel more comfortable asking questions. This is the key to connecting with students on a deeper level. It’s almost like offering the olive branch: “Hello, I come in peace. I’m not trying to make your life miserable.”

Another elementary, but effective, measure to incorporate in teaching is choice. Just recently, my chemistry teacher gave my class the option to take our test before Christmas break or after. The majority chose to take it before break so we wouldn’t have to worry about studying on our time off from school. This may seem irrelevant, but students’ reactions to options prove its effectiveness. It satisfies students to be able to have some control over their studies; it definitely felt good to know I was in charge of the date of my test. So no matter how small the matter, it is beneficial for teachers to find areas where they can offer choices. It not only motivates students, but holds them accountable for their work as well.

Because we had to cover more material in a shorter amount of time, I was driven to pay closer attention in class, take more detailed notes, and participate more actively in class discussions. This leads me to my next piece of advice: provide incentives. These could be in the form of extra credit, extended time for homework, or a pizza party at the end of the year. Like with my chemistry test example, the incentive motivates students to try their best and accomplish greater tasks because the end goal is attractive. As long as the incentive is beneficial to both the student and teacher, it is a superb way for students to stay on task and ultimately learn more efficiently.

These three measures are things I have selected from real teachers, from whom I have learned self discipline, respect, and an eagerness to excel. If all teachers adopted these tactics, learning would become much easier and more fun for students without sacrificing any fundamental teacher duties. Teachers who take these approaches not only make subjects more interesting, but also challenge us to think for ourselves. A comfortable, friendly environment, the ability to choose, and plenty of incentives help me, as well as most students I've observed, learn the best.