Enthusiasm in Education by Benjamin

Enthusiasm in Education by Benjamin - January 2015 Scholarship Essay

The most effective teachers I have ever had did not teach the same subject, in the same style, or in the same school. There have been teachers that changed my life in the classroom, and teachers that changed it outside of one. The only thing that all of these amazing individuals had in common was the genuine care they had for their students. My advice for any teacher to improve their students’ learning is relatively simple. Care about your students and have some passion around the subject you teach. To focus on the students’ grades, or their participation in the classroom need not be the initial goal. Those will come with time.

If a subject is approached in respect to trying to reach a specific standard, it will become a place where students do the minimum amount of work to get by. They will not absorb the content or value their learning. When the standard is instead, a level of respect, the students will rise to the challenge. When a teacher can create a respectful relationship with students, they will learn the material rather than memorize and regurgitating it. Discussion and interaction on a personal level with students allows them to feel valued and heard, rather than a subordinate who needs to “check off another box” for the teacher.

Pay attention to each student’s needs in regard to how s/he learns. Take the time to explore this with the student and make appropriate adjustments. By interacting with students, they are more likely to respect the teacher and work to understand the subject being taught.

Students are more likely to take interest in a subject if the teacher has energy around it and engages the students to join him/her in learning more about it. A teacher's enthusiasm is easily conveyed to students. Be creative, go beyond teaching from a book or an outdated film clip! Some subjects work very well as games or discussions, whereas others may require a certain amount of lecturing. Find a balance an approach it with different learning tools. Some of the most watched videos on the internet are TED Talks, which are almost entirely lectures. These are interesting though, because the lecturer cares immensely about the subject that they are discussing and they often include visual aids or interaction with the audience. The speakers share their love and passion about a topic with their audiences and the messages become profound through brief, thoughtful presentations. The speakers approach the presentations with a respect for the audience members and participants respond in kind.

Though it may be difficult at times for a teacher to engage students or to care about a subject, trying to do so will result in a more rewarding learning environment for everyone involved.