I will begin this post by stating an obvious point:
Usain Bolt is an amazing sprinter.
As a runner who (more and more) plods through training runs and marathons, I am in awe of Usain Bolt’s speed, grace, and magnificence.
Month: August 2016
A Special Teacher! – Conclusion
In Part 1 and Part 2 of this series, I shared direct feedback, in the actual words of students, regarding the characteristics that compelled them to nominate individual teachers for a Teacher of the Week program that I experimented with about ten years ago.
It is my contention that we can learn the most about what matters in the classroom by taking the time to listen to students – and by valuing their feedback. Students live in the world of today. Their time is now. What takes place in the classroom on a daily basis impacts them directly. Students know what good teachers look like. We just have to take the time to listen.
A Special Teacher? – Part 2
This post is the second in a three part series that shares comments that came directly from middle school students in regard to the teachers they nominated for a “Teacher of the Week” program many years ago.
In the first installment, I shared comments, drawn randomly, about a plethora of teachers. I only printed one comment for each teacher, and, for the sake of length, stopped at twenty.
Following that exercise, I decided to categorize all of the comments from the students into categories. People tend to not be all that creative when completing forms, and the kids in the school were no exception. Many of the comment cards echoes similar sentiments. “Mr. Jones is helpful;” “Mrs. Mattingly is kind; “Miss Wyckoff is helpful.”
Yet, on occasion, some of the students provided some deep thought and in-depth comments on the cards. While these were categorized in my overall study of all the comments, the comments below also stood out as somewhat different from the rest.
For this installment, I will list, in the students’ own words, the most memorable comments that were left for their teachers. These speak to the ways teachers touch children’s lives in unique and special ways. On rare occasions, for clarity, I added clarifying details to the child’s comments. Finally, careful readers might note that certain teachers received numerous nominations below. This speaks to the varied ways that these teachers made special connections with their students. While the names have been changed, I was diligent in keeping the modified names consistent. Mrs. Violet, for example, was a beloved teacher. This characteristic shows when one searches through all of this data. I also don’t think it’s a coincidence that students writing about Mrs. Violet (and others) took extra time to write more clearly and share their most personal thoughts. Individuals go out of their way and give extra effort for the people they care most about.
Upcoming, next week, will be the third installment where I summarize all of the comments left from all of the students. I will close this three part series by drawing conclusions based upon the totality of this original and unedited data.
For now, though, once more, let’s hear from the kids:
“I am nominating Ms. Brown because she asks me what is wrong when I am sad.”
“I am nominating Mr. Tytell for always giving us study guides for our test and helping review.”
“I am nominating Mrs. Violet because she’s the best. She strives to make me safe. She succeds (sic). I love her. She makes me feel very, very special.”
“I am nominating Mrs. Violet because she is always in a good mood and is very nice.”
“I am nominating Mrs. Violet because when we have a project she breaks it down so its easier instead of just saying, “Ok you have a project and its due 3-30-06.”
“I am nominating Mr. Apple because he is always funny but still keeps the class smart.”
“I am nominating Mr. Alda because he really helped me with my dance steps and made me feel very secure with my dance. He’s a great teacher and everyone really likes him.”
“I am nominating Mr. Brook because he helped stop bullying with his outstanding performance. (Note – This teacher developed and presented an anti-bullying assembly for the students that was better received by the students and staff than one from a national speaker.)
“I am nominating Miss Woodside because she not only is a fantastic teacher, but helps us with GEPA (state tests) and has much insight on our recent assemblies. She is very easy to talk to and assists with my problems. I love you Miss Woodside.”
“I am nominating Miss Woodside because she makes sure I understand everything. If I need help I go to her. When we have assemblies I can talk to her about it. She is very helpful with my problems.”
“I am nominating Mr. Konijn because he’s always so enthusiastic about his students learning. He’ll never give up on me or anyone else.”
“I am nominating Mr. Stokes because he always sits with us during lunch. He’s the perfect man for (his subject). He’s funny and awesome.”
“I am nominating Mr. Caldwell because he gives us more freedom than other teachers.”
“I am nominating Mrs. Violet because she helps me when I need help and compliments me when my work is good.”
“I am nominating Mrs. Williams because she gives you tips to do better.”
“I am nominating Mrs. Harrington because we bonded (on a class trip) and she’s now one of my alltime favorite teachers. No matter how hard something is to understand she’ll never give up on you.”
“I am nominating Mrs. Violet because she is respectful, and full of happiness (sic.).”
“I am nominating Mr. Konijn because his class is something I look forward to every day.”
“I am nominating Mrs. Violet because she helped me with my problems. She makes me feel very safe.”
“I am nominating Mrs. Holtz because she makes me smile all day long.”
“I am nominating Mr. Stokes because he knows how to keep everyone on their toes.”
“I am nominating Mrs. Violet because she has made me feel good and appreciated by calling home to recognize my great work.”
“I am nominating Ms. Brown because she actually treats us like we’re responsible enough to handle stuff like adults. Plus she respects the fact that there’s more to life then school and doesn’t deluge us with homework. I love Ms. Brown.”
“I am nominating Mrs. Audi because she helped me with all of my problems. She ‘s like my best friend!
“I am nominating Miss Woodside because she treats me like a person, not just a student.”
“I am nominating Mrs. Williams because she helped me improve my listening, comprehension, and speaking skills. She is a fantastic teacher. She makes sure you are happy and smart when you leave her room.”
And, finally, for this post at least,
“I am nominating Mrs. George because she was a great teacher by explaining something when I didn’t understand and is always offering to come for extra help and I just wanted to thank her some how.”
In conclusion, I believe that these passages, which were somewhat unique and different from the plethora of nomination forms I received at the time, speak a great deal about what matters to children in a school.
As we shall examine in the next (and final) installment, there are some powerful conclusions we can draw from all of this this feedback and these honest words from the students.
Dr. Sem's Blog 