Passion

When I think of the word passion, only one teacher comes to mind...Mr. Marrone.

Mr. Marrone was a loud, emphatic, strong-willed Italian. When I was a sophomore in high school, he was my Writing Composition instructor. Everyday in his class, we were to write a paragraph about something that was going on in our lives. We each had a special journal that we wrote in and we could tell him anything we wanted to. I remember him writing back to me telling me to give him more detail, more "meat and potatoes" about what was going on in my life and how I viewed the world. "I had a good day today" wasn't going to cut it anymore. He made me dig deep and listen to myself think about what I was dealing with. Mr. Marrone's enthusiasm for writing made me so much more interested in English and how to become a better writer; a writer who looked at the world and analyzed what they saw.

Not only was he passionate about writing, but he was passionate about his students. As we read stories to get ideas for our own, Mr. Marrone brought the stories and characters to life. Every day in class was a new day for him to show us something about English. He wanted us to "get it." He wanted us to understand what the big themes of literature were and most importantly he wanted us to analyze them and shape them into our own lives.

Because of Mr. Marrone's guidance in writing and English, I feel that I have become a better student. I know that because of his passion for teaching, I learned how to love writing and English. It has never been one of my favorite or best subjects, but because of Mr. Marrone's passion, I grew to love writing.

Authenticity

My dad always says, the best teachers are the ones that just act themselves. My dad has been a high school choir director for over 20 years. After years of trying to understand what high school kids want in a teacher, my dad decided the best option for him was to act like himself. When something is authentic, it is simply itself.

When a teacher promotes authenticity in the classroom the students will take everything the teacher says more seriously. Students are able to tell quite easily whether a teacher is authentic or not. When a teacher is authentic, they are genuine with their students. An example of a genuine teacher is one who admits they make mistakes. If a student asks a question they aren't sure about, they have no problem saying they don't know the answer. Being trustworthy is another characteristic of an authentic teacher. If a student is able to trust a teacher, then more can be done in the classroom.

When a teacher is not authentic, the students will not take the teacher seriously. They will not trust the teacher's instruction or knowledge. Authenticity is an important part of being a good educator. Authentic teachers show students they care and further their relationships with students.

Compassion

One of the most important qualities in a good teacher is compassion. Webster's dictionary defines compassion as "a feeling of deep sympathy for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering." When I think back to my years of school, one teacher in particular stands out.

It was the first day of middle school. My mom taught at the elementary school I went to, so I had never gone to school "alone" before. Needless to say, I was freaked out. Everyday for the first week, my mom would practically push me out of the car. I had heard something from a friend about the Student Council program at school. I went to the first meeting and right away I knew that Mrs. Williams could help me. After I was accepted into the program, she told me that I could come to her room every morning and help her with Student Council projects. She knew that I needed extra love, so she gave it to me. Mrs. Williams taught me a lot throught out my years at the middle school. She taught me how to be okay on my own, without Mom or Dad to come and rescue me. She told me that it was okay to be a little scared of new beginnings. Her compassion was unending. If I ever needed a hug, a listening ear or even just a smile, Mrs. Williams had it.

Eventually, my mom didn't have to push me out of the car each morning. I knew that the big middle school wasn't as scary as I had feared it would be. I feel that I grew up quite a bit that year because of Mrs. Williams. I hope that some day I will be a compassionate teacher just as Mrs. Williams was to me.

Respect

Just like most things in life, respect is two sided. Both parties involved in the relationship each need to give and take. The key ingredients in respect are listening, good communication, honesty and trust. This can be seen in the classroom in many ways; when a teacher listens to what a student has to say, respect is built from the student to the teacher. The same thing happens when a teacher gives a direction and a student follows their guidance. Respect can also be developed by being interested and asking good questions of students. When a student knows their teacher is interested, respect grows. Honesty and trust form respect also. When a student gives an honest answer or tells their teacher the truth, the teacher gains respect from that student and an attitude of trust forms. The impact of respect shows up quite quickly in classrooms. If a teacher has lost respect for their students, or if the students have lost respect for the teacher, it can be hard to further learning and quality instruction. When respect is achieved, it is easier to continue learning and to build stronger relationships in classrooms. I think the best way for respect to be established in a classroom is to make sure that teachers are being themselves. Students respond better to people who are acting how they would with anyone else rather than someone who is trying to be something they’re not. Respect should be a common goal of any classroom. Respect is such an important part of the learning environment for students and educators.