Dont Miss the Forrest for the Trees by Paul

Dont Miss the Forrest for the Trees by Paul - January 2015 Scholarship Essay

There are very few things in life that are as sweet as the proper relationship between a student and a teacher. If done correctly, the teaching occupation can be mutually rewarding and fulfilling for both the teacher and the students. Often times, the classroom is viewed as a place designated strictly for learning textbook material. The classroom should be a place of learning, but it is also so much more.

So often, the reality of the classroom is that the teacher has to fight the student to get the student to absorb the smallest morsel of knowledge. Teachers are much more effective if they are not opposed to the students but come alongside the students and build the students up. Students need to respect the teacher, in order to be taught in the most effective way. To gain a student's respect, the teacher must first give his or her respect to the student.

A teacher optimizes his or her experience for both him or herself and the students by simply making an effort to get along with the students. It will not always be ideal; there are some students that do not want to be helped, but the amount of influence that one has on another human being is never certain. It is way too often that school is a chore for both teachers and students, but with mutual respect, the learning process becomes much more efficient and rewarding.
-Paul Wodka