In high school, I had almost no interest in the sciences. I struggled with learning that kind of information; it was a lot easier for me to write an English paper than memorize the parts of a cell. Still, my school required that I take biology, in order to ensure I was prepared for state standardized tests (which is an issue for another day). I suffered through that class, and I didn't get along with the teacher, but I passed. I survived and moved on, assuming that the science fields just weren't for me. I was a writer and a musician, built to thrive on the humanities.
Six years later, I was required to another biology course for my undergraduate major. I dreaded it for months; I knew I had no business being in science-related classes. I had flashbacks to my high school class, and how incompetent that class made me feel. But it was required. So I sucked it up, sat in the front row, and hoped I would at least be able to pass.
My high school class and college courses were remarkably similar. They were both survey-type courses, covering the cell, photosynthesis, DNA, human anatomy, etc. I walked into both classes expecting to be put into a miserable sleep.
Except this time I wasn't.
I suddenly understood photosynthesis, and I could explain basic genetics to classmates. I became so interested in the lessons on climate change and ecology that I asked the professor for MORE reading! Biology had become my favorite class, after I had spent six years actively avoiding it at any cost.
So what was the difference? It wasn't the material. It was the professor.
This professor made every attempt to connect the lessons to my life and show me why I should care. She also used that connection to demonstrate concepts in ways I could understand. It was also easy to see she wanted to be there, and that means a lot in an introductory-level course. But the biggest difference, by far, was her attitude toward learning.
In high school, my teacher gave no chances for make-ups or re-takes, and would respond to most questions with: "I talked about that already, weren't you listening?" It was clear that this teacher blamed students for not absorbing information up to their standard.
My college professor, however, saw I was struggling and wouldn't leave me alone until I explained what I didn't understand. She told that she felt if a single student didn't walk away understanding the lesson, she hadn't done her job. This professor allows make-up points on every quiz and exam, because she is more concerned that her students learn the information rather than how well they can spit it back on a scantron. It made an enormous difference in how students approached the class.
There are a lot of critics of this type of teaching, claiming that re-takes, make-ups and extra help are making it too easy for students to pass classes these days. They're right. It is easier to pass, because I feel comfortable asking questions and genuinely learning the material. I don't feel overwhelming pressure to get every question right on a test the first time. I don't feel defined by a letter grade. As a result, I found interest in a subject I thought I should avoid. I'm even taking a higher-level ecology class as an elective, because I actually want to learn about it. More importantly, because the same professor is teaching it.
Sometimes, it's not about the class, or the lesson. It's about how a teacher connects and engages their students so that they walk away having gained something. It's not about what they're teaching, but why the students should be listening. Standardized tests and letter grades are not enough of an offering. If schools really want to improve, they need to start giving their students a real reason to show up and pay attention. They need to inspire true learning, and not just obedient test taking.
