“Life as a teacher begins the day you realize that you are always a learner.” This quotation by an unknown speaker describes how teachers teach, but they also learn from their students as well.
I asked a few teachers from a variety of fields, what they learn from their students.
“One thing I learned is “Netflix and Chill” does not have anything to do with watching a movie,” English teacher Carla Hedstrom said.
Hedstrom noted students respond well to respect.
“Finding just the right book can turn anyone into a reader,” Hedstrom also said.
“I learn from my students constantly in a variety of ways,” said English teacher David Witt.
Witt said he is grateful for his students, who continue to teach him each and every year.
“Of course, I learn about my own teaching. When I try something that works, I know that I can develop that technique or those materials more fully. When something flops, I may try it one more time to be sure the failure wasn’t an anomaly, but there’s a good chance that the lesson simply isn’t going to work and needs to be altered,” Witt said.
Besides learning more about students and their ways, students also teach teachers about themselves.
“Because of my students, I not only learn the occasional content matter but also about myself as a person and a teacher. My students have taught me patience when I can see them still trying when they are frustrated. They have taught me persistence when they keep on trying and don’t give up. They have taught me to smile and laugh at specific situations and myself. They’ve taught me that I need to listen more frequently and more carefully, in order to become a better teacher and person,” science teacher Yvette Hart said.
Hart takes the time to improve herself as both a teacher and a person.
“My students have also taught me that building relationships is an important part of being a good teacher. I have learned that many of my students are experiencing life from a vastly different background than I have experienced. Consequently, they have taught me to look my own life differently. My students teach me to appreciate life on a daily basis.” Hart said.
