What Makes a Good Teacher by Sumaiya

What Makes a Good Teacher by Sumaiya - October 2016 Scholarship Essay

When I was little I would always find myself enamored by the world around me and asking myself all kinds of questions. As the years went by, this curiosity has continued to build and I often find myself researching the latest advancements in science and technology and reading up on scientific publications. I have always been interested in the sciences, especially biology. Throughout the years that interest progressed into a passion to not only learn more, but to use my knowledge to benefit others as well. Thus, if I was to teach any subject, I would choose biology in order to share my passion and excitement about the subject with others.
I have found that the best teachers are those who are excited about what they teach. They tend to share that excitement with their students, teaching the class with great rapture and getting students interested in the subject. As a Running Start student I have found that my favorite professors absolutely love the subjects that they teach. For instance, my biology professor always teaches us with so much enthusiasm; to her teaching is not just a job but an opportunity to share her love for biology with us. Often we listen to her spewing random but intriguing facts about the subjects we are learning, connecting the material from the textbook with our everyday lives. She gets us excited and wanting to learn more.
The best teachers are also passionate about what they teach and have experience working in the field. Although they are conversant with the subject they are teaching, when they have experience in the field they tend to know even more about that subject and thus are likely to teach it better. My Junior year chemistry professor is the perfect example for this. She would teach us lessons straight from the textbook, but would always give us examples from her job as a science researcher. This helped capture our attention and gave us a whole new perspective on the topic we were studying.
Of course, not only should teachers be passionate about what they teach, but they should want to help their students succeed. For the past five years I have been teaching religious studies at various mosques in Redmond and Sammamish and I find it important for my students to learn new things and enjoy what they are learning. I incorporate different projects, games and hands on activities into the curriculum to keep them excited and motivate them, encouraging them to show their best. Along with that I also tutor math and science. My friends are always coming to me with their questions; they know that I will do whatever I can to help them. If there is something I don’t know, I help them find the answer anyways; this way it is a learning experience for both of us. I have learned that I should never be the dead end on the path to acquiring knowledge; whatever knowledge is gained it is important to share it with others.
Seeing that these are the characteristics that an excellent teacher reflects, I would best reflect these characteristics as a biology teacher. Biology has always been one of my favorite classes. I constantly find myself wanting to learn more and reading up on the latest research in science and technology. During the summer, I was also an intern at the Institute for Systems Biology where I experienced first hand what working in the science field is all about. After this experience, I constantly find myself relating what I learnt during my internship to what I read about in my biology class and am always sharing my experience with my classmates.
Therefore, if I were to teach any subject I would choose biology. As a biology teacher I would strive to evoke feelings of excitement in my students. I would also be able to tie in my experience in the field, making the subject easier to understand and further stoking their curiosity. On top of that I have the will and determination to help others and share my knowledge with them, helping them on their path to success. These are all characteristics teachers should reflect and as a biology teacher I would be able to reflect all these characteristics and more!