Passion: An Ideal Classroom by Clara

Passion: An Ideal Classroom by Clara - October 2014 Scholarship Essay

I have attended several schools in my time as a student, none of which were perfect, and I've come to realize that what I'd look for above all else in an ideal classroom is curiosity. If the students have a desire to learn, effective teaching is most possible.

There are, of course, many other aspects of an idea classroom besides the students' genuine thirst for knowledge. A dedicated teacher who truly values their stents' opinions and feelings is vital to any learning environment. If a teacher is good at their job and a student wants to learn, nothing else matters--not the textbooks or funding available.

Perhaps mine is an oversimplified version of an ideal classroom environment. I could go on about the merits of comfortable chairs, quality textbooks, and having a teakettle on hand at all times--but those things are secondary compared to the relationship between a teacher and student. That is the foundation of good education that makes a difference.

In the past, I have been in classes where my fellow students did not want to be there. They didn't care if they failed or passed. It didn't matter to them whether they learned anything. I have had teachers who didn't want to be there as well. But there have also been wonderful classes in my academic history, with teachers who committed themselves to educating their students beyond what was asked of them, and students who loved coming to class.

A passion for education seems overlooked at times. Students go to school because it's expected of them, and some teachers don't care if what they teach has any lasting effect. In my vision of an ideal classroom, the perfect learning environment, no one is just going through the motions. The students have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, and that is how true learning begins.