A Good Teacher is and Inspirational Teacher. by Amanda

A Good Teacher is and Inspirational Teacher. by Amanda - July 2014 Scholarship Essay

I’ve always thought that the best kind of teacher is one that inspires me to want to learn more. A teacher who can make his or her subject fun is well-liked by the students, brings out the best in his or her students, and is generally very good at his or her job. It’s not how much time that teacher spent in school to get their teaching degree, or how much they enjoy their subject matter. What matters is what the students gain from that class, whether it be school related, skill related or anything under the sun! If you learn something valuable, that’s what really matters.

As I entered my junior year of high school, I personally dreaded Chemistry. I don’t enjoy atoms or reactions or chemicals or experiments. The only thing I looked forward to in that class was the teacher, whom everyone absolutely LOVED. His name is Mr. Richie. He was probably the coolest teacher in the building, but I still had my doubts. How could chemistry ever be fun or enjoyable? Mr. Richie easily proved me wrong, and his class became one of my favorites.

Mr. Richie was always joking with the class. Unlike many other teachers, he got on our level, yet was still professional enough to keep the class on task and learning. He was always available for questions, and would offer help as much as he could. He was funny, yet his class was challenging. I think his personality balanced out the difficulty of the class. It wasn’t always easy. I remember many early mornings sitting with classmates trying to figure out a couple formulas he had assigned. Before we knew it, he was at our table giving us helpful hints so that we could gain more credit on our homework. Being in his class was always fun. I learned a lot from him, and learned to enjoy a subject I though could be unbearable. To this day, I think all students dread the droning, lecturing professors who seem to have the personality of a potato.

Mr. Richie’s personality was not only shared with his class, but he shared his love of chemistry with the youth of my town. We had a Chemistry Club that would go to the elementary schools and put on chemistry performances, talking about science and how cool it could be. The children were always entertained, and honestly, so was I! Students would be split into small groups to make a toy that related to science. Whether it be an oil and water stick, a bouncy ball, or goop, the kids always enjoyed their little souvenir, and we, the students, were always proud we could share our joy for learning.

Mr. Richie inspired me to try to enjoy any class I enter into, and to find the fun in each. College could be full of terribly boring professors, but sometimes the most boring subjects turn out to be the most fun, and it’s all because of the teacher.