Some teachers make the effort and others don’t
Powerpoints, worksheets, group projects, lab time, class discussions… that’s all well and good but what if the student still doesn’t understand? Students appreciate teachers who are willing to go the extra mile to help them outside of class. They are more likely to make the extra effort for a teacher they respect than for a teacher who puts no effort into their lesson plans. It’s a two way street.
The extra work that some teachers put in is much appreciated and others should follow that example.
There are so many amazing teachers in the district. So many teachers offer to help students outside of class and outside of set, required, tutorial times. This is especially helpful for the students involved in multiple extra-curricular activities. Even if the effort is slight, the impact is huge. Due to the teacher’s willingness to help students, the students in turn are more willing to take the extra time to do a better job on their work and make better test scores; a win-win situation for the teacher and the student. It improves the student’s comprehension level and possibly makes a huge impact on a student’s life and career.
On the flip side, there are teachers who not only teach from behind a cold, barrier-like desk, they are not available to work with students who are struggling or want to learn more about the subject. This leaves gaps in the students’ education and can cause a former interest for the subject to dissipate.
Teachers should make the effort to get to know their students and, if possible, help them when they can. Students appreciate teachers who are not only taking up work, but putting work in as well. Those teachers who are already putting in the amazing effort: keep doing exactly what you’re doing. And to those who aren’t: Look at some of your fellow teachers and follow their example.
There is a distinct line between the teachers that make an effort to help students learn and those who simply “teach”. This is a critical time in a student’s education and a helpful teacher can make a huge difference in the life of a student.
