During this week dedicated to celebrating teachers and as my last Holton Highlights, I thought I would focus on the profession that sits squarely in the center of all we do, the work that defines us as a school and determines the quality and nature of the student experience: teaching. I started teaching the fall after I graduated from college. Teaching history to 8th graders, juniors, and a smattering of seniors taught me very quickly that, much as I loved my subject, it had little to do with my success. I needed to connect with my students, to some degree to entertain them – more professionally termed engage them, though I didn’t know that then. It was, I realized both an art and a science, and I have maintained for the rest of my career that while you can learn the science – and I’ve increasingly come to value doing so, it’s hard to learn the art; that comes from within. And it is the art that determines one’s success as a teacher because ultimately, teaching, like so many things in life, is all about relationships.
Let’s begin with the science of teaching. First, one must have a solid command of the subject matter one is teaching. Obviously how much depth depends on the age of the students you teach – there is no need for lower school teachers to know calculus, for example. The command of the content is less important in the age of Google, Wikipedia, and cell phones, but I still believe that you should feel a sufficient comfort with the subject that you have a context for the answer to a challenging student question, even if you don’t know the actual answer. Perhaps most importantly, you need to be able to project confidence in your knowledge to students. This knowledge base with its resulting confidence when combined with the ability to explain concepts clearly, have high but reasonable expectations, be organized, and maintain classroom order will gain students’ respect, a critical component of teacher success.
I deeply believe that students learn best when actively engaged in their learning. There is intellectual prowess and stylistic beauty in a finely crafted lecture and there is a place for this mode of instruction, but it is limited in the context of primary and secondary education, precisely because it is a passive way to learn. Students can be engaged in their learning in many ways: through discussion; through small group conversations; through projects and research exercises that challenge them to devise and answer questions, digging deep into a subject; through presenting material in a different medium than the way they learned it; through debates, role plays, and lab experiments; through writing essays, giving presentations, creating skits, and doing problems. Finally, giving students choice also increases their engagement. In marked contrast to when I started teaching, the internet offers an endless array of activities teachers can use, and the resources for project-based learning and inquiry-based learning are enormous. Students absolutely need to learn foundational knowledge and skills, and some of that needs to be presented and memorized, and students will remember those lessons better if they have to apply them in active ways.
These represent foundational skills that every teacher can and should learn. However, taken alone, these skills will never make one a great teacher. That magic happens when one connects with one’s students, when you combine respect with personal relationships. We build relationships by meeting them where they are; understanding them, including when they might be having a tough time and might need some flexibility; by demonstrating caring and empathy; by making ourselves available when they need us; and, above all, by listening. Seventh grader Romy B. observed: “A great teacher is someone who is open to hearing what a student has to say.” Several other students commended teachers who sought student input and applied it in their classroom, “I have really appreciated the teachers who follow through on feedback we give them and actually implemented it into their teaching,” as senior Naomi H. said.
We should also understand the backgrounds of the students we teach and ensure that they can see themselves in our classrooms. We need to have some understanding of their cultures and how those cultures intersect with their learning and their schooling. We should be open to learning from them and with them as they learn from us. Senior Gaby M. offered an example of this type of teaching in her praise for her art history teacher, highlighting how teaching through a DEIB lens can be enlisted to hone traditional skills while creating an inclusive learning environment:
Dr. Wilson is the kind of teacher who listens as much as he teaches. He consistently approaches art history from multiple perspectives, including those of his students. . . . Seminar discussions center around themes of gender, race, and sexuality as Dr. Wilson aims to better our discussion skills through a more inclusive education. His efforts to diversify art history instill in his students the belief that the classroom holds a place for everyone, just like art history.
Above all, our students need to know that we care about them, that we believe in them; as sixth grader Vivian R. said, “it really helps when the teacher is totally understanding and is able and willing to help you do and be the best you can” – we need to be fully invested in their success and there to help them reach their potential. That means that we need to challenge them – we grow through challenge – and that we support them through the challenge so they succeed. This is how we build confidence, competence, and a belief in their own agency, essential components of success.
Being passionate about what we teach also matters. As junior Annabelle D. observed, “When teachers are clearly passionate about what they're teaching it makes the course more interesting.” Passion and excitement are contagious. When teachers bring this love for their subject and for teaching into the classroom, students respond. That passion also compels us to want our students to learn, encouraging us to provide the challenge and support essential for that effective learning.
Ruby M. ‘24 summed this up nicely, saying:
A great teacher is someone who can inspire and motivate their students to learn, while also being patient and understanding. They are knowledgeable about their subject and are able to communicate that knowledge in a way that is engaging and easy to understand.
All this is a delicate balance – hence the art. We are the adults and it’s crucially important that we maintain appropriate boundaries with our students. Learning needs to be fun and substantive. We need to challenge them, but not to the point of paralysis – learning happens when we stretch, not when we feel overwhelmed. We need to support our students, but not so much that they don’t learn independently. It’s a sweet spot, a Goldilocks place. And we need to understand where that balance exists with each of our students individually. As ninth grader Liz A. observed, “great teachers know how to ensure that everyone grows in the classroom, even if some have more capabilities than others. They challenge each student to their personal best instead of holding a uniform standard of ‘success.’”
Our students value their teachers who are kind, patient, and understanding; the teachers who share their excitement for the material and engage their students creatively; the teachers who listen and take to heart what their students tell them; the teachers who to take the time to make sure students understand the lessons; the teachers who demonstrate their care for their students. They had many examples of teachers with just those qualities. I hope you will encourage your children to celebrate and thank their teachers during this week of appreciation!