What Matters?

I want you all to close your eyes for a second, picture the last time someone told you that you matter, and what you do is important. What feeling did you have? Now think about a time when you told someone else that they matter, and that you appreciate them?

 In the world of education we as the teacher(s) have one of the most important jobs in the entire world. We have the job of inspiring others to be better, to try harder, to get interested in learning, and to use their knowledge. As teachers we are building the world, we are building people. I know for me I had some really influential teachers in my life, one example being my first biology teacher.

I was in 10th grade, when the guidance office is trying to get you to decide what path you want to take to get you to you career goals. I decided that biology is what I wanted to take biology 1 as my science that year. I also took chemistry that year, but that is unimportant information. It was the first day of biology class, when Mr. Rearick met all of us (students) at his classroom door and he shook our hands and welcomed us to biology. This was new, this was weird for all of us, I had never had a teacher introduce himself one on one to all of his new students. It was this first impression that got me to be interested in what Mr. Rearick was going to say, he took the time to get to know all of us. In biology we would do HANDS ON PROJECTS! When it came time for our first test, I remember studding so hard, not because I wanted to get a good grade but I wanted to show Mr. Rearick that I learned the material, I didn't want to disappoint him. Fast forward to a few days later when Mr. Rearick passed the exams back. He had had written a note on the top of my exam, saying that he could tell how hard I studied and how hard I had worked. This inspired me to work even harder in this class, because Mr. Rearick cared about me learning the material, he cared about how I preformed on the projects and exams. I never really studied for other tests, for my biology test I studied for hours multiple days before a biology quiz or test. It was new for me to want to preform the best on a test. I never felt like I was one of the smart kids in school, I never had a teacher care how I preformed on an assessment. I never thought teachers cared, none of my teachers ever expressed that they care about what I learned in their class.

Recently, I had the assignment of reaching with a hand written letter to a teacher that inspired me. There was no doubt that I chose Mr. Rearick as the recipient of my letter.

The lesson I am trying to get across here is as the teacher we have to inspire our students to work harder and to always give their best. We have the job of gaining and keeping their interest thought the class period.

Mr. Rearick inspired me to become a teacher, and to get students interested in learning. We have to grab their heart, and inspire them to get involved in learning. I want to be the teacher that makes her students excited.

                                                            My questions for you!

                                       What is your all time favorite interest approach idea?

How did your favorite teacher gain your interest?
 Teachers, how do you show your students that they matter?