There have been a few select types of teachers I have experienced in my career at Southington High School, which is about 50 minutes from the college I attend now. Each type of teacher has changed me and helped me grow in specific ways. The truth entails- there is really no "one size fits all." Today, as I settle into my fifth day at my new home away from home, I wanted to reflect on these three types of teachers.
The first type is the one that becomes like a second parent to you. I experienced this kind of teacher at first when I was a freshman, and then again when I was a junior. The first teacher entered my life when I was going through a lot of issues. In April of 2015, my dad was diagnosed with stage 3 thyroid cancer. At the time, it was beyond devastating for me. Although thyroid cancer is typically highly treatable, the thought of someone I loved and cared about having cancer did not sit well with me. I worried constantly.
I was able to keep my grades in school up, but my anxiety over his condition always seemed to cloud my thoughts. But, my freshman year Honors English teacher really stepped up and taught me a lot. At the end of the year, she gave me a bracelet that signifies strength, and I still have and wear it to this day, over 3 years later.
She truly showed that she cared about me and was willing to help me through my struggles. She knew that, despite what I was going through, I came to class every day and tried my best. I am still in contact with her today and we talk frequently, and I am glad to say she is like a mom to me.
The other teacher came during my junior year in my APUSH class. At the beginning of the year, myself and said teacher tended to butt heads a lot. 16-year-old me was convinced I knew everything, but I was in for a surprise. Over the course of the year, I bonded with this teacher more, and she understood and respected my sensitivities given that I came from a family of a police officer. She was always very receptive to my needs, so much so that I had her write my letter of recommendation at the beginning of senior year and visited her frequently. To me, she embodies strength, wisdom, and patience. I am still in contact with her as well, and she became a crucial part of not only my junior year but my senior year as well.
The second type of teacher I had that really changed me was the funny type. In freshman year, my civics teacher always walked into class singing some tune she heard on 93.7 which, mind you, is the hip-hop and R&B station of Connecticut. She always produced random algorithms and songs to help us learn the material, and her rather bizarre persona was always entertaining to wake up to.
The same can be said for my AP Politics and Government teacher in senior year, who I bonded with through relentlessly roasting him (in my defense, he did the same for me). Having humorous teachers helps to make the class go by faster AND gives you more of an appreciation for the subject and the way in which the teacher tackles it.
The third type of teacher I had that changed me was the type that, at least on the outside, seemed difficult to work with. My senior year AP Language & Comp teacher is probably the best example of this. Throughout the year, we often would go back and forth on numerous subjects, and he wasn't ever afraid to call me out for a mistake or outrageous comment. Although this angered me at the beginning of the year, I learned to embrace it and grow from it. It wasn't until the end of the year that I truly thanked the teacher for being the way he was to me. It helped me grow and control my comments more.
Hopefully, in college, I will be able to form some of the same incredible connections I had in high school with my professors. After all, it is so important to understand that your teacher/professor is a human, too. They want you to succeed, but you have to be willing to work for the success. As the saying goes, "you can lead an elephant to a pond, but you can't force it to drink." The same can be said with teachers. Go thank a teacher today!
