Enthusiasm: The Key to Success by Lina

Enthusiasm: The Key to Success by Lina - January 2015 Scholarship Essay

There is nothing less inviting than a boring class. Every school has at least one teacher students dread having classes with, not necessarily because the class content is boring, but it is delivered in a non-engaging manner. On the other end of the spectrum, there is always one teacher everybody loves because of their teaching style; for me, it is the enthusiastic, knowledgeable teachers that make me want to learn.

I used to have a teacher that said, "Learning is not a spectator sport," which I believe is entirely true. If students are going to learn, they need to be engaged. I am a straight A student and generally pay attention in school, but if I am in a monotonous class, even I struggle to pay attention. I need to be engaged, involved, and intrigued by my teacher because it makes me want to learn, which in turn helps me learn better. For example, my AP Biology teacher is always excited about the material and it is clear that she loves what she is teaching; her enthusiasm makes me try to learn as much as possible. In addition, since she loves the material and wants us to learn about it, she finds a way to teach it to us effectively. It is quite clear when a teacher puts in a lot of effort into teaching something because they love what they do, as well as when a teacher does not want to be there and does not try; if a teacher does not want to be there, it makes students feel like they are a waste of time. The best way to reach students and help them learn is to teach with passion, engaging students and helping them strive to learn more.

In conclusion, do not be a teacher that lulls students to sleep, be a teacher that changes children's lives by inspiring them to be curious. Not all students are motivated to try, but I have seen unmotivated students be transformed into stellar students in a class that matters to them. Those classes are taught by teachers who clearly love what they do and make the material interesting. Think of the children's show "The Magic School Bus," if every teacher tried to be as enthusiastic as Ms. Frizzle, every student would reach their full learning potential.