Jeff Bibler
One of the least talked about subjects in American public education today is the importance of the student-teacher relationship. When a child has a teacher who is passionate about helping his or her students, plans and delivers engaging lessons, goes the extra mile to reach students who have trouble understanding, and is constantly reflecting on his or her teaching pedagogy, then that child is in a prime position to have a promising academic year. Of course, that child’s attitude toward learning and the quality of parental support are also important factors, but if the child is willing to put fourth his or her best effort in cultivating a positive relationship with the teacher, then the results can be amazing and even transformative.
This is why I encourage all of my tutees and their parents to develop a strong relationship with every one of the child’s teachers, even if the child feels that a certain teacher might just be “OK.” When an excellent teacher engages with a child who wants to do well in the classroom, the teacher will often take extra steps to ensure that that child gets the help they need when they need it. Think about it: if a teen tends to be disruptive in the classroom and shows little interest in doing well in that class, is the teacher of that class going to give her precious little prep time to helping that student or the one who shows a genuine interest in doing well in the class?
I often tell my tutees to ask a teacher, “What do I need to do in order to earn an A on the next chapter test?” Or, “I see that I am not earning full credit on my homework assignments. What can I do differently in order to earn full credit?” As a teacher I always appreciated my students approaching me with these types of questions and finding out how they could do better in my classroom. It made for a fruitful dialogue where I could have a better appreciation of the students’ challenges and questions, as well as guide them in their quest for clearer understanding and improved performance on assignments.
When these students graduate from high school and (hopefully) college, they will have to possess a different mindset from previous generations for success in today’s tumultuous world. A big part of this mindset is taking charge of one’s learning. And when an excellent teacher, or one just feeling the pressures of the classroom, engages with a child who wants to do their best in the classroom, there’s no limit to what they can accomplish together.
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