The bell rings, and I sit down in my old English classroom with my former English teacher. I pull out my lunch and water bottle and the conversation begins, ranging from classes to future plans to family life to any recent books we’ve read. I love being able to have a relationship with my teachers apart from the class, and I love being able to continue these relationships throughout the years.
Throughout all of the classes I have taken at PHS, the ones I have been most passionate about, most driven in and most excited about are the ones in which I share close bonds with the teacher. In such a class, our relationships spans to include not only academics but also growth as a student, care for the whole student and interest in life outside of school. When I am able to talk about anything, from a fluffy conversation about a shared guilty pleasure TV show to goals for my future, I feel as though I’m being heard, as a student and as a real person. It is in these classes that I participate the most, take risks and feel the most passionate and truly interested in the subject.
According to New York University student Emily Gallagher, teachers play an important role throughout middle and high school to motivate students and to increase self-awareness and confidence. When students and teachers share a relationship that encompasses warmth, closeness and positivity, students thrive in their own peer relationships and in their academics. When teachers know their students on a deeper level, it is much easier for them to cater to students’ personalized needs, and when students know their teachers well, it is easier for them to ask for help.
With such relationships, students are much more likely to have higher GPAs, graduate high school and pursue future education.Throughout my years in Piedmont, I have been wildly impressed by how deeply teachers care about their students and the steps they take connect with them.
However, nothing is perfect, and both teachers and students could make better efforts to get to know each other. I urge teachers to create more deliberate situations in which they can connect with students and get to know them on a deeper level, such as through lunches together or assignments focusing more on personal reflection than the academic subject. I urge students to keep open minds about their teachers and be willing to get to know them outside of academics, as there is a wealth of knowledge and support awaiting them.
Since all students are different in their personalities, temperaments and learning styles, each and every student’s learning experience, as well as the classroom as a whole, may improve if teachers take more time to understand and respect the smaller nuances of their learning styles.
This would also allow teachers to effectively challenge students in new ways and help push them out of their comfort zones.
Though there are many benefits to spending the time to create deeper connections between teachers and students, it is true that both parties are extremely busy.
Teachers often teach five classes, which could easily result in 150 students per year or even per semester. The time it takes to get to know 150 people would be substantial, but I believe it’s worth it.
With a personal connection, one’s experience in high school or in any educational pursuits would soar, and improve much more than any test or assignment could provide them with.
The bell rings, signaling the end of lunch and the beginning of next class. I walk out of the room with a feeling of trust and support within the school and excitement for learning that has been unparalleled by any other source.
