What Makes a Good Teacher?

I’m likely one of the few people you know who have children in elementary school, middle school and high school, along with adult children who are newlyweds, who are new parents and parents of many children. (I even have six grandchildren!) I have kids who have graduated at the top of their class and others with learning disabilities. Some of mine have participated in the “gifted and talented” program, and one child with Cerebral Palsy, was serviced by Special Education Services. I’ve been a PTA president, a classroom mom and an overwhelmed, barely engaged mom who hardly signs the daily folder, at varying stages in my career (I always tell people my ongoing career of choice for 30 years has been that of being a mother). I’ve been a stay at home mom trying to stretch a one income budget, and I’ve been a mom who works outside the home. In all of my years sending kids on the bus, driving carpool and dropping my kids at the front doors, near the lockers and at the band hall; never have I been more concerned about what IS and ISN’T being taught and learned in public school classrooms, than I am now. It is not the fault of the teachers that our children come to school with attitudes of disrespect, defiance, bullying, and aggression. We’re sending an increasing number of our kids to school with backpacks full of fear, depression and anger-- no wonder we have such behavior problems in class. However, not all classrooms are out of control. The same kids who act up in all sorts of ways in the classroom of one teacher, will NOT behave badly in the classroom of another. If you find that hard to believe, ask your children and grandchildren. I did. From my 30-year-old to my 10-year-old, without exception, my kids report that the teachers whose classrooms are healthy environments in which to learn are teachers who have high expectations, who are respectful toward their students, who are knowledgeable in the subjects they teach, and who are self-controlled. These teachers model appropriate, mature communication skills and treatment of others, even when students do not. Ask your children which of their teachers have the best-behaved students. I’m sure they’ll name some of the same teachers in Blanco that mine named, from elementary through high school. Ask detailed questions about the mannerisms and disposition of the teacher in well-behaved classrooms compared to classrooms where there’s a lot of disruptions and it’s hard to learn… Truly effective teachers are a minority. I hope you whom my children named know who you are. Many of us do. Keep up the good work! You are making a difference.