At this point in my education, as I am currently, pursuing my doctorate, as are most
of you, I have had many opportunities to experience excellent teachers and many
opportunities to experience less than excellent teachers. I will discuss one of each
that particularly stands out in my memory as having made a distinct impression on
me. I will then discuss God's desire for me in the way that I approach teaching.
In first grade, my teacher, Mrs. Reap, was not a very kind woman. There were a
number of examples that I could have chosen from to emphasize her impact on
me, but I have settled on this particular example, as it shows a lack of respect.
Bernstein et al. (2020) note being respectful as one of the eight most important
characteristics of effective teachers. Mrs. Reap had asked for a volunteer to cut
something out for her. I eagerly raised my hand and was elated when she selected
me for the job. I began cutting, doing my very best as a five- or six-year-old, and
when I was maybe about half to two-thirds of the way done, she loudly announces
for the whole class to hear, "Alita, if you couldn't cut a straight line, why didn't you
just say so? I would have chosen someone else to do it!" How that public
humiliation broke my spirit! Not only had I not lived up to her expectation, but now
the whole class knew what a failure I was! Although this may seem insignificant,
the fact that I remember not only the incident, but also how it made me feel-
inferior, embarrassed, and humiliated- forty-some years later, shows the impact
that a teacher can have on a student. For the record, I still can't cut a straight line:/
A more respectful approach would have been for her to come to my desk and
show me, saying something like, "Let me show you how to keep your scissors on
the line when you cut."
A positive example was from my time in college- I don't recall if this was in
undergraduate or graduate school because I participated in a combined Bachelor's
and Master's program, so it was at the same university at around the same time.
This particular teacher, Dave Angeloni, went above and beyond to build rapport. In
getting to know the class, he started out by discussing the fact that he was from a
very Italian town in the area, and joked that they only allow Italians to live there. I
knew it was one of two towns that he was referencing because I live in one of
them. I spoke with him after class and found that it was my town. We then joked
that my family is the only non-Italian family allowed to live there. That was the
beginning of getting to know him on a more personal level. Over the years, he
invited me to be a guest on a radio talk show that he was doing and would call on
me to take interns for him later down the road. Having a positive rapport with him
helped me to feel valued as a student. I felt comfortable asking questions and
providing responses to his questions. Matheson (2019) discusses four common
themes that emerged during a study of excellent teachers and one of the themes is
relationships with students. The importance of this can not be over-emphasized.
Students who feel valued are more likely to do their best and to get the most from
the class.
Colossians 3:23 (King James Bible, 1769/2017) reminds us that we are to do
everything heartily and as to the Lord, rather than for men. This is a good reminder
of how to approach teaching. There will undoubtedly be times when things are
difficult and stressful, when we struggle with certain students, other faculty, or
policies and procedures. There will be times when we are overwhelmed by the
workload. It is during those times that it is especially important to do our best work
and to do it for the Lord. It is ultimately for His glory that we pursue the fields He
has called us to.
In your own personal experiences with teaching and learning, what characteristic of
effective teachers do you find to be the most valuable? I look forward to your
feedback and replies!
References
Bernstein, D. A., Frantz, S., & Chew, S. (2020). Teaching Psychology: A Step-by-
Step Guide. Routledge.
King James Bible. (2017). Cambridge University Press. (Original work published
1769)
Matheson, R. (2019). In pursuit of teaching excellence: Outward and visible signs
of inward and invisible grace. Teaching in Higher Education, 25(8), 909-925.
c c c c https://doi-org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1080/13562517.2019.1604508
