El Diamante Asks: What Makes a Good Teacher?

By: Isabel Martinez

From the time the pandemic began in 2020, teachers have been resigning their jobs in record numbers – in every state. Teachers were assigned to use Zoom creating stress within every classroom – or at home – leaving teachers feeling frustrated with the extra work they had to complete while not being paid the equal amount of their work. With the continued stress placed on teachers, it makes us think about how difficult it can be to juggle all things in the classroom. Therefore, El Diamante takes it upon themselves to ask, “What makes a good teacher?”

I went around asking a number of students, administrators – and even teachers – a series of questions. It came to my surprise when everyone’s answers shared some of the same qualities – teachers who are willing to help and create a bond with their students.

Teachers Who are Willing to Help Students

School is hard, no matter whether a student is advanced or not, school will always find a way to be challenging. When a teacher is openly willing to help, it takes off the massive weight of doing it all on your own.

One student shared that her favorite teacher was sophomore English teacher, Mrs. Collinwood, her reasons being, “She was very sweet and she doesn’t get on to you. She helps you instead of just throwing things at you.”

Another student shared that his favorite teacher was Orchestra teacher, Mr. Avila, his reasons being, “He really helped me excel and rise to a better position.” 

Mrs. Perez was a name that popped up over and over again. When a student was asked why she is his favorite, he stated that she has a “fun attitude and just her really eccentric teaching style. She was able to push us beyond our limits and it helped because it made our writing so much better.”

Not only does help from a teacher make school easier, but it also encourages the student to try in that class. Mrs. Perez stated, “If [students] know that it’s okay if they make mistakes and I’m going to help them if they make mistakes, they’re more likely to try.” Teachers who are open to assisting their students understand the material and helping their students succeed make their students comfortable with trying. 

This factor can make or break a student’s success in a class. There are times when students have to deal with teachers who aren’t so willing to help and this damages a student’s experience in the class. One student was very passionate when talking about his least favorite teacher claiming that this teacher’s class was the only one he got a B in. The student mentioned, “The only problem with [teacher] is that whenever we would ask for help the first time they would always dodge the question or make excuses and it was just not helpful.” 

Being of assistance is an aspect that is universally agreed on not just by students but teachers too. We as students may not recognize this right now, but we will look back and appreciate the help we got from our teachers.  

Creating a Bond With Students

A lot of the teachers that I interviewed, in one way or another, all talked about creating a bond with their students. Mr. Avila claimed, “Relationships with students first, always.” Creating a bond with students goes hand in hand with helping them out.

The reason behind this is because every student is different, they all have different learning styles, they all have different needs, and they all have different personal struggles. Getting to know the students makes it so teachers understand how they can help the students out.

Mrs. Collinwood shared that a good teacher is, “Someone who develops relationships with students because in my opinion students don’t perform as well for a teacher if they don’t like the teacher or they don’t trust the teacher. They feel like the teacher doesn’t like them.” To add to this, Mrs. Perez claims, “None of us want to work for people who don’t like us”.

 Let’s be honest, when we have a class with our least favorite teacher, we feel very unmotivated – yet when we have a class with our favorite teacher we are more engaged.

The most popular teachers among students and administration are these teachers: the ones who show that they care about their students and invest their time into their students. Administrator Mr. Taylor compared students to puzzles, “It’s kind of like putting a puzzle together, the student is the puzzle and you’re just trying everything you can to solve the puzzle.”

Being a teacher is a really hard job, especially because of the difference in students. What separates good teachers from great teachers are the teachers who really pay attention to their students, finding new ways to help them, and are there for the students.

This showed interest in their students becomes very rewarding to both teachers and students. Mr. Avila claims that one of the most rewarding things about being a teacher is being able to watch students not only grow academically, but as people, “You see these kids grow up and it’s nice to see that, when you have that relationship with kids you’re [going to] see that and if you don’t you don’t see that, you kind of overlook that’.”

The bonds that teachers create with their students have long-lasting impacts. Students remember that we may not remember everything about school but we remember the relationships that we built with teachers, and we appreciate that.

As Mrs. Collinwood put it, “Even if a student doesn’t remember everything they learned in that class, maybe they don’t even remember your name, but they remember how a teacher made them feel.”

The bond that we make with our teachers is long-lasting and can overall make a difference in our school experience. 

Impacts that Teachers Hope to Leave on Their Students

Every teacher wants to leave an impact on their students. Whether it be the success criteria or one that they can take with them for life. Here’s what these teachers had to say. 

Mr. Morrison wants his students to understand this, “I think sometimes students think, ‘Why am I learning this I’m never going to use it I’m just going to forget it, but my experience is if you learn something and really put time into it even if you don’t use it for a while, if you ever need it again you’ll get it back faster.”

Just because you’re not going to major in English doesn’t mean that you have to ignore rhetorical analysis Eventually, you are going have to use your knowledge of ethos pathos, and logos in life beyond school. Trust your English teachers because it’s literally everywhere. They are teaching us how to think.

Mr. Avila hopes that students leave his class with an “understanding of what music can do to you” and of course what every teacher in the world hopes their students leave with, “to know that you’re not stupid”. So remember kids, you aren’t stupid, so don’t be. The world is what you make it. 

Mrs. Collinwood herself is a very gracious, kind, and gentle person so of course she would want her students to be the same, “I want them to go out in the world and be kind and also be able to be critical thinkers.” 

Mrs. Perez is a very outspoken person. she knows how to use her voice and understands tone. She wants her students to understand that, “They have a voice and they should be using it to help themselves and to help others and to help make the world better.”

Students, we all have more power than we realize, using our voices in the correct way can make a big difference, learn how to use it and once you have mastered the art of communication, many doors will open. Use your voice responsibly. 

Concluding Statement

Obviously these are not all of the characteristics that make up a good teacher, but they are significant factors that the majority can agree on. Teachers work very hard to try and give their students the best education possible, but being a teacher is a very hard job. Students, do something nice for your teachers during teacher appreciation week. They deserve it; it doesn’t have to be grand, a simple thank you is enough to make a teacher light up because even a simple thank you lets them know that they are doing a good job.

To end, I would like to quote Mr. Taylor, “If [you are] a student looking to make an impact, teaching is definitely a job where you might not make the big bucks but you feel good about what you do on a daily basis.”

In fact, receiving feedback from students is what many teachers think is the most rewarding part of the job. As Mrs. Nauman says, “Teaching is the only profession that teaches other professions”.

So students, even if you don’t believe your teacher is doing that great of a job, there is still something they can teach you.

Thank you teachers, because you are the ones who influence the children of the future.