‘One Great Teacher’ Narrative of Education

8 Replies to “‘One Great Teacher’ Narrative of Education”

1. Hi Amara! I’m so glad you brought up this interesting topic. I actually feel like I had a single teacher who set me up to be engaged for a lot of my academic journey, but also, that it mattered that I continuously had good teachers who supported me and encouraged me after that to keep me engaged. My first grade teacher really inspired me and taught me a lot of what I know not as much academically, but socially- how to speak to adults and please and thank you and that sort of thing. I’ve found that continuous efforts to connect with a student on an individual level is important- I always felt loved and appreciated by my teachers when they came to my dance performances and soccer games, showing their support for me, and was more motivated to learn from them, knowing that they really cared about me not just as someone to teach but as a person. I think peer relationships are strengthened within the classroom by random grouping and pairing for assignments. I remember when my teachers paired me with someone I was not necessarily close with already, I would build a relationship with that person since we had to collaborate.

2. Hi Amara! I agree with Tess with the feeling that I had a single teacher who set me up to be engaged in my academic journey. Seventy percent of teachers are white women so imagine my surprise to have a young kindergarten teacher who looked like me (a black woman). At the time, I did not really appreciate it other than the fact that she was young and pretty which I thought was so cool. But looking back, I see how impactful having her as a teacher was. I only had a few black teachers throughout my academic journey so far but I have appreciated every single one. The love my black teachers showed me just felt so familiar and safe. I always felt like they cared about ME, not my academics. I think my relationships with the teachers kept me invested in my education which helped me excel. With my students now and in the future, I will continue the trend of showing them that I truly care about them.

3. Hi Amara! Thanks for your post – it was really interesting to read about the correlation between teachers and lifelong achievement and involvement for students. I truly believe my kindergarten teacher set me up for success and is the reason I want to become a kindergarten teacher today. I have had so many incredible teachers over the years and I am so thankful for that. It is because of my teachers that I have felt prepared for whatever stage came next in my life and how to navigate social relationships with my peers. Some approaches I have found to improve student-teacher and peer relationships mostly involve getting to know your students, showing them they are important and that you are here for them, and trying to find things in common. I saw similar patterns in my education when my teachers would try to get to know me on more than an academic level. They would spark conversations about things I do outside of school and try to establish rapport with me. Taking note of these interests and incorporating them into your instruction is a great way to make students feel seen in your classroom and to build that student-teacher relationship.

4. Hi Amara, I think this is a great point to bring up as a discussion topic! Though I am not a teacher in an elementary school, I do still think I can clearly see the importance of student teacher and peer collaboration and relationships. I think that a strong relationship between all those in the classroom is crucial for creating effective communication, ensuring students feel heard, and encouraging them to comfortably seek help or ask questions. If a student feels like they cannot ask a question or ask for help they will not have an understanding of a concept and it will be a chain reaction and cause them not to be able to fully understand the rest of the material built off of that concept. I also think when students have a positive rapport with their teachers, they are more likely to engage in class discussions, share their thoughts, and actively participate in learning. Additionally, I think peer relationships and collaboration play a strong roll in a positive learning environment because it can not only better academic learning but also nurture teamwork, empathy, and understanding among classmates. These skills are critical to development especially in younger grades. I think that approaches such as small group discussions, hands-on activities, and multimedia presentations would be helpful in building social and academic skills. I also think that types of peer tutoring would be beneficial in communication/social skills, engaging for multiple students, and academically. I have found that when I am able to teach something to someone else it means I have successfully learned it and this would help academically for all parties involved.

5. Hi Amara! Thank you for sharing this article that considers the correlation between teachers and long-term achievement/engagement in school. Through my education, I feel fortunate to have had many great teachers but I don’t have one I single out as the one great teacher. I believe that building strong relationships with students and fostering a strong classroom environment are crucial things teachers do that impact their students’ learning. Going beyond academics to connect with students personally, incorporating that into teaching practices, and maintaining consistent expectations that help students set and achieve their goals are all important components of engaging students. I would be curious to read a study on the impact of peers on your education. I consider classroom dynamics overall and the impact that has on learning but peer influence in that process is an interesting component to consider.

6. Good morning Amara. I agree that creating a successful learning environment takes a team. Providing a welcoming and supportive classroom environment is a start and one that allows students to share their opinions without fear of being ridiculed by classmates or the instructor. One that allows the students’ answers to be wrong and encouraged to try again with guidance. In my opinion, Dr. Stohr-Hunt does all these things seamlessly and makes it look so easy.

   Some approaches that I think would improve student-teacher relationships are greeting your students by name, so they know you know who they are, and you are developing a teacher-student relationship with them. Being available to answer questions or to provide additional enrichment for those that need to be challenged more. Asking the student questions. Being approachable, positive, providing encouragement, and believing in each one of your students. It makes a difference if the instructor comes across as competent and knowledgeable in the subject matter being taught and can instruct using many different formats to engage with students.

   Some approaches that I think would improve peer relationships are pairs or small groups, classroom discussions, and activities or projects to collaborate. Sharing our thoughts to a classmate’s blog post is one example or getting to know one another, perspectives, and learning. A student’s interest and willingness to learn changes despite positive relationships with teachers at an early age. This can be attributed to various factors, (e.g., changing friendships, transitioning from MS to HS, home environment, etc.) many of which are out of a teacher’s control. However, providing a safe, consistent space for the student to continue to have a growth mindset is best.
   It makes a difference in engagement by a student if there is acceptance, inclusion, respect, and if they have that sense of ‘belonging’ in the school environment.

   Yes, I see similar patterns in my education. As students migrate between educational stages, teachers can keep them engaged by weaving the theme of what they’re currently learning, into other subjects they’re being taught. For example, science, technology, art, math, language arts, etc. can incorporate the “theme” or overall arch into their grade-level subjects. It is all inter-connected.

7. Hi Amara, thank you for your insightful post! I have had many teachers who have inspired me to be academically engaged, but the first teacher that comes to mind is my Kindergarten teacher. To this day, I remember her patience with me and her kindness when teaching my class. In turn,, everyone respected her, and she was well-liked in my slight grade. I try to model my relationships with my teachers much like that one, but obviously have had to make some adjustments to this behavioral model once I got older. Mutual respect is vital in today’s classroom; it should be going both ways. Teachers should always respect their students on both an academic and personal level, as should the students and their teachers. Respect helps foster engagement, promoting a student’s desire to learn in the classroom.

8. Hi Amara!
   This was a very interesting topic to read about. I always think about this when I think about what grade level I want to teach because I think the relationships you form are just as important. I currently want to teach 2nd grade and I think it is because of how much I loved my 2nd grade teacher. I was always a student who was well-behaved and did not want to disappoint my teachers and this stemmed from their own passion for teaching me as i got older I felt like these relationships fizzled out and I no longer felt the same way about disappointing my high school teachers, simply because I didn’t feel they cared as much.

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