The Worth Of Teachers

It amazes me how one teacher can have such an impact on a person's life. No matter what the subject you're taking is, who your teacher is really matters. The way teachers teach and treat their students really makes a difference. A teacher that genuinely cares about their students and shows that we mean more to them than just measely teenagers that aren't worth the crappy salery they recieve are the ones that make the biggest impact.

For our nasty teachers, we have a fairly good example: I just finished a book by Mary Higgins Clark. Ohh, it was a thriller! The characters were all going back to their former high school for their twentieth anniversary thing. The main character, along with five former classmates, was recieving an award for being successful (Which, by the way, seemed weird to me because what does that have to do with anything? Oh well!). Anyway, among the six "honorees" was a man that had been the class nerd in school. Everyone had teased him for being the stupid kid in a family where every kid was a genius. The man had grown up bitter, friendless, and cruel. In the speech he gave, he teased one of his former teachers that had attended the reunion until he made her cry. He expressed no remorse however, because in school she'd always done the same to him.

Now, I know that he was a fictional character, but that's beside the point. The point is, that one teacher could have made a difference in his life. Instead, she joined in the ridicule and he was a very bitter person.

As for our amazing teachers, we have a non-fictional example: My english teacher this year is one of the most amazing teachers I've ever had. Even in the three weeks that I've known her, I love her class! The other night, I found out that I'm not the only one from my family that feels that way. My brother called from Arizona the other night and while he was talking to my mom, she told him that I had this particular teacher for english. My brother commented that there were only three teachers that he could remember that could ever get him interested in literature. For him, I guess that any teacher that could make him interested in literature as a kid was considered a miracle worker. Anyway, among the three names was my current english teacher. He said that when he'd ask her unexpected questions about a book they were reading, instead of brushing him off she would think about it and then do whatever it took to make him understand, whether it was just talking it out or giving him other examples in other books for him to read. Even now, he's never forgotten it.

So I guess this is just a thank you to all of the teachers out there that take the time to care. This year more than ever I've realized the impact teachers have on student's attitudes towards school and life in general. So thank you to all the Mrs. Witt's and Mrs. Francis' of science/biology, the Mrs. Drussel's and Mrs. Pierce's of english, the Mr. Wilson's of social studies, and the Mr. Kyte's of math. You may never know the impact you have on your students, but your passion for the subjects you teach and/or your general interest in your students help to shape who we'll one day become.