By Calder Stenn
From a senior’s point of view, nothing has been easy these first two-and-a-half months of school. From standardized tests, to college applications, to the other tasks we are asked to complete in addition to our own school work, this year has been a rollercoaster.
However, one thing that has gotten me through the late nights and densely-packed weekends is the support I have received from my teachers. Their understanding of my duress reassures me in the face of doubt, and I have enjoyed coming to school more than I have in the past.
Although they have to focus primarily on getting through their respective curriculums, I have noticed a lot of teachers who have been mindful of the time students need outside of school for applications. Some of my teachers intentionally didn’t assign homework last weekend, and others deliberately gave tests last week, not because it was midterms, but in order to avoid a 10-car pile-up this week.
I also feel that the teachers have cultivated a less-stringent and more-energetic atmosphere this year. I don’t know if this is just because they are more comfortable around seniors, or if Character Strong has had some sort of impact on them — but whatever they are doing, it’s working.
There have been at least a couple occasions during class when we have just talked about our current states of mind and our stress levels.
These conversations have also functioned as a forum for giving teachers feedback about what they could do better, and what we as a class could do better. I honestly think this is a more effective method than just having students give feedback online, as technological mediums seem superficial and inauthentic.
I know some students would probably prefer that personal detachment when it comes to giving feedback, but I believe these face-to-face encounters are a more ideal classroom environment — one of support and trust.
Despite the fact that our high school is much smaller than a majority of public schools in our surrounding area, teachers have a significant number of students to account for. The fact that they are holding open conversations in their classes shows that they are willing to take that extra step to make this school of 500 students feel more like a community of 500 equals.
Teachers are also developing stronger relationships with individual students through these types of practices, which can provide them with more context when examining a student’s character and why they are acting a certain way or are struggling in a certain area.
While this student-teacher dynamic has been very prevalent throughout my senior year so far, I do feel that it is somewhat lacking for the lowerclassmen. I understand these younger students haven’t had as much time to cultivate strong relationships with their teachers, but I think it is also a function of teachers needing to be more open with them.
The transition from middle school to high school is not an easy one, and I want to affirm to teachers that going that extra mile can have an even greater impact early on. When I first came to the school, I felt like connections were being made to a certain degree, but the change has become even more apparent in the years since.
Our teachers care deeply about their students, and that makes an immense difference in student performance across the board. If those strong student-teacher connections could be made earlier in students’ high school careers, those students would grow closer to their teachers.
In turn, there would be a much stronger mutual understanding of each other’s roles within, as well as the problems each side faces that could potentially hinder that understanding.
If there is one important thing I have taken away from high school, it is that teachers are humans too, and as humans, they are still learning. This year in particular I have seen teachers expand their methods of teaching as I have come in and out their classes.
For example, there are some teachers I have fairly strong relationships with who were once notorious for wanting to cram a large curriculum into only a few months. Recently, I have definitely seen a shift in how they approach the learning goals they want to accomplish in their classes.
I have also seen this shift in learning goals seep through classes in which I am with these teachers. When I was a underclassman — and even as a middle schooler with an older sister — I would sometimes hear complaints about the speed of curriculums and the lack of clarity regarding certain topics. But having those same teachers now, I can see a big change.
I think some of this has simply resulted from a given teacher’s growth in their understanding of how their classes should operate, but I would also attribute it to the introduction of younger teachers to our school. I am not beating up on the veteran teachers — they have played an instrumental part in enhancing the educational process — I just think the integration of younger teachers has brought new ideas to some classes.
I really hope that this flow of new ideas in revolutionizing teaching continues to be a primary theme of the school’s culture moving forward.
It will not only facilitate the seniors’ experience in navigating college applications and all their other responsibilities, but it will also add more comfort to everyone else’s lives and provide them with the proper system of support.