Remember the Past by Madeline

Remember the Past by Madeline - January 2015 Scholarship Essay

Every school has different learning environments, different classes, and different teachers. Our educational world is not one that is perfectly standardized. I cannot speak for every student and teacher out there, but I do have one piece of advice for teachers: switch shoes with the students.

Many times, I feel like people forget what it is like to be on the other side of the equation. We work so hard to get to one side, that by the time we look back, we forget the path we took. Both sides are equally as challenging to find solutions for, but I believe that if teachers placed themselves back in the desks, students would learn better. Lectures provide very useful information and without them I would most likely be lost. They help me to grasp the concepts, but sometimes the pattern needs to be broken. Working through activities and with other students helps reinforce what has been taught.

Also, students want to have a relationship with their teacher. We want to know that we can ask for help when we need it, and not be afraid that the teacher has no idea who we are. If teachers looked back in their education, they would probably see similar trends. They wanted the same thing from their teachers as students want now for the purpose of bettering their education. I think schools need a mirror to create a stronger learning environment. Teachers need to see what the students want and take into consideration their own education growing up. Students need to see the classroom from the teacher’s view as well, and realize it is hard to please everyone. This is not a hard concept; we all just need to remember the past.