We have all had THAT teacher–The teacher that scares us into not wanting to come to class every day, the teacher that never seems to be willing to help, the teacher who just seems to not want you to achieve, and the teacher that fuels you with stress and anxiety. As unfortunate as it is, there are teachers that exist that probably should just consider a new profession.
Whether a teacher is effective can truly make or break the success of the students. I can easily think of plenty of strong teachers I have had in my education. Growing up in a strong school system, I know that my town takes pride in their staff as well as the professional development that is put into place in order to ensure that the students are getting the best education possible. However, that does not mean that I can not pick out a few teachers who I would call a "bad" teacher. And to them, I say thank you.
While it may seem confusing why I am thanking teachers that caused me constant stress, I have valid reasons.
As a junior in college enrolled in an elementary education program, I have entered a semester full of methods classes teaching me how to teach effectively, rather than what content to teach. In the first week, we have been reflecting on teachers and experiences we have had and how it has affected our feelings and progress in specific subjects through the years. We have started to define what it truly means to be an effective teacher. Contrary to popular belief, it is difficult to narrow the definition down to just one simple sentence. To begin to tackle such a daunting definition, I started to reflect. As I reflected, those "bad" teachers came to mind. I dug back into my past and attempted to remember how these classes made me feel. What made me so stressed? What made me go home in tears? What made me not enjoy the presence of the teacher?
In the moment, I may have been itching for the day I stepped out of their classroom for the first time. I thought they never taught me anything that would be useful in my future endeavors. But boy, I was wrong.
To my "bad" teachers,
Thank you for showing me what a student needs to achieve. It was not your negative attitude.
Thank you for showing me that a student needs to trust his or her teacher. Unfortunately, we never had that relationship.
Thank you for showing me that a student-teacher relationship should be built, not expected. You just made me feel like I was inferior.
Thank you for showing me that I want a community, not just a classroom. Entering your classroom did not always make me feel confident.
And a final note to my "bad" teachers: Thank you for showing me what I did not want to be. As a future teacher, I hope to be a positive influence on my students' lives. I want to create a comfortable learning environment where they not only respect me, but they trust me with their education and little lives. I want to be the teacher a student can come to for help no matter what the situation may entail. I want to make my students feel safe. However, I have realized that without my "bad" teachers, I would not have the same fuel I have to be a "good" teacher.
However, I would like to thank those "good" teachers. So to my former "good" teachers (whom I am friends with on Facebook and will be reading this): Don't get me wrong–you have had the more substantial and positive part to making me the student and future teacher I am today. So I thank you more than the teachers who knocked me down. You were the ones who reminded me to get up and pushed me that much further. I appreciate you today and every day for being a part of my journey. Here's to a new school year and the future teachers you are shaping without even knowing it. I can say thank you on behalf of all of us.