Definition of the Perfect and Effective Teacher

Perfect Teacher

Slight of build and red of hair, Mr. Jenkins made me laugh even when he wasn't dressed like Lief Erikson. I also cracked up when last week he showed up with a gold facemask and Alexander the Great regalia brandishing plastic swords he flailed about, pretending to attack his barbarian students. My favorite Mr. Jenkins costume was the Neanderthal garb he wore the first week of class: the fur matched his beard so well I wondered how much of it was actually fake. But every week on Friday my smile faded fast. His weekly exams were brutal: in fact, Mr. Jenkins' class was one of the only ones I truly struggled with, the one that I had to work hardest to get A's and B's. If the tests had been any harder I probably would have developed an aversion to history. However Mr. Jenkins entertained and enthralled his eighth grade world history class, bringing the subject matter to life and stimulating our desire to learn. Costumes and classroom drama on this extreme level aren't prerequisites for being an effective teacher. Humor, on the other hand, is. Not all brands of humor have to be as ostentatious or outrageous. A simple smile, a willingness to break down generation gaps, an ability to laugh at oneself: these are more down-to-earth aspects of humor that any effective teacher will impart to the class. Humor alone can't teach, though. Like Mr. Jenkins, an ideal teacher buckles down, encourages studying and retention of classroom material through traditional means like homework assignments and exams. As much as I hated them at the time, in retrospect I realize that I do certainly remember dates, names, and places that come in handy when I watch Jeopardy! Mr. Jenkins would have been a perfect teacher had he done what my 11th grade English teacher did: leveled with his students, communicated with them as an equal. Mr. Jenkins' only fault was his inability to break free from his role as instructor. Because I know first hand the value of a teacher who speaks to students with respect, encouragement, and compassion, I feel that along with humor and firm commitment to academic excellence, an ideal teacher is one who breaks free from hierarchy to become like a close friend or sibling.

Ms. Lavan and Coach Young illustrated this rare quality. Both of them inquired about my personal life, wondered whether I got a C. instead of an A because I was worried about something rather than silently assuming I just hadn't the desire to study. I loved going to Mr. Jenkins' class because it was like attending a play, but I never did feel like I could approach him after class with a question or problem. He remained detached, engaged in his role as authority figure and failed to convey a sense of warmth for his students. Ideally, teachers, especially those of grade school students, should be attentive to the emotional needs of their pupils. The teacher-student relationship shouldn't end after the bell rings. We all know teachers have lives outside of the classroom, too, but it only takes a second to look into a student's eye and ask, "What's up -- is there anything I can do to help?"

All my favorite teachers exhibited not only genuine caring for their students but also demonstrated a great deal of affection and encouragement. Compliments should be at least as generously given as criticisms. In fact, for sensitive young minds and hearts, criticisms should be always kept to a minimum or offered in the most non-threatening way. There were times that Mr. Jenkins appeared put out, almost offended, when one of the students in class didn't know the answer to a question. Ms. Lavan, full of infinite patience, would say, "Just take a guess," or offer any number of hints to stimulate memory. If a student seemed disinterested or distracted in class, she would call them aside and ask if everything was ok at home. Not all students appreciate such a personal approach but I did. A positive attitude and compassion are probably better teachers than any pop quiz.

While homework and exams are necessary parts of the public school teaching model, these form but the skeleton of an effective teacher's career. Mr. Jenkins shows how drama and theatrics can aide the learning of history, by dressing up otherwise dull facts with spice and vibrancy. Ms. Lavan taught me more than just Hawthorne and Melville; she showed her students that gentleness and kindness can be adjuncts to academics. She also treated her students like equals, like friends. When I handed in a less-than-stellar essay, before she gave me the C- she asked me to rewrite. Her compassionate attitude has inspired my essay writing and helped me silence my inner critic. Likewise, Coach Young's softhearted approach to his health class that he probably didn't intend to teach, athletics being his forte, helped all students in his class loosen up and lighten up. From his example I learned that grades weren't the most important thing in life; perfect teachers illustrate the value of communication and respect over the trappings of rules and regulations.