Today’s post is the latest in a multiyear series where students share their best school experiences and what they think teachers can learn from them.

You can see previous posts in the series here.

‘Make Class Fun’

David Galvez Panduro is a junior at Luther Burbank High School in Sacramento,
Calif.:

The best experience I have ever had in a class room was during the 4th grade. My teacher Ms Dennis was and still is my absolute favorite teacher I have ever had. She would make class fun, giving us breaks from time to time each day. She was a strict teacher but that didn’t overshadow how kind she was and how helpful she would make herself be.

One time, I remember one day, the plan was to make model volcanoes using baking soda and vinegar. We made model volcanoes for the first day. The next day, we did whatever improvements we could to the models. On the third day, we poured baking soda inside the volcanoes, then we moved onto pouring in the vinegar. Ms Dennis didn’t hesitate to pour a generous amount of baking soda or vinegar into the model volcanoes, causing massive eruptions. Ms Dennis would do everything she could to make class fun, and that day was the most memorable day from the entire 4th grade for me.

I know she’s a 4th grade teacher but I think other teachers can learn from her about how to make class a little more fun for the students. I also think that other teachers can learn how to be more patient with students and to be better at helping. So many teachers, rather than answering questions or making them slightly easier to understand, just repeat the question, expecting students to suddenly and magically get the question.

I also believe that other teachers can learn how to be able to keep their emotions under control while teaching. I’ve had teachers that easily get upset or annoyed by students for not understanding questions or being slightly noisy. I feel that teachers should be able to teach their students without blowing up on them due to the slightest inconvenience.

Help Students Make Connections

Ruby Luevano is a junior at Luther Burbank High School in Sacramento:

The best school experience of all my classes has to be when I was in 3rd grade. My 3rd grade teacher has been the kindest and most genuine person I have ever met. She was always there for any student, big or small, and would help them sort out their problems. She would always greet you with a smile and make the classroom a safe space.

I was in her class and would struggle talking or being interactive with other classmates. She came up to me and asked why I wasn’t participating in the assignment she had assigned. I told her that I didn’t feel comfortable with any other students because I was a shy and “new” kid. I had moved to Sacramento 1 year prior to this day. She stayed with me and told me that it doesn’t matter if I failed at talking with other people, I had at least tried to make conversation. The next day, she asked me if I wanted her to help me make a friend. I declined because I felt like I would embarrass myself. She kindly said that no matter what I say, it would help improve how I communicate with peers.

She led me to this one girl and introduced me to her. She supervised me and this one girl while we both learned to communicate with one another. I had learned how great it was to make a friend and learn how to speak up when it comes to communicating. I will never forget this experience. She ended up moving schools when I was in 6th grade. I will never forget her.

Teachers could help kids who feel alone learn to communicate with their classmates. No matter if they feel like they won’t get along. Sometimes, situations might surprise you. But don’t force it on the student. Let them feel comfortable in the classroom before pressuring them into something they might regret or resent. Teachers like this always have a special place in my heart.

Interactive Learning

Beauty Yang is a junior at Luther Burbank High School:

One of my best classroom experiences was during a biology course, Mr. V’s teaching methods and solutions. The experience stands out due to his several actions that enhanced my learning and engagement.

Mr. V’s hands-on lab was more than reading about genetic issues but conducting experiments involving DNA analysis from different types of people. This practical experience helped the concepts of how DNA works and made the learning process more engaging. He facilitated interactive discussions and encouraged students to learn through group projects. One memorable project was collaborative learning through group projects analyzing the differences between the same species of birds but the growth of their beaks. Working in groups allowed students to develop deeper into the topic, as we shared teamwork skills and different perspectives.

Mr. V always provided feedback on assignments and lab reports, He also encouraged students to ask questions and offer answers to those questions. This supports the value and importance of our understanding and curiosity. He effectively encourages lab groups to allow us to explore the complexity of biology and science, enhancing our comprehension, and skills. Throughout this, Mr. V’s skills made encouragement to others to practice our hands-on group projects.

One lesson to other teachers is that engaging students with hands-on activities can deepen our understanding and make learning more relevant. Providing real-world context helps students see the value of many concepts in life. Encouraging group work and collaborative projects fosters communication skills and teamwork. Having collaborative learning environments can enhance students’ engagement with diverse perspectives. Offering feedback and support can significantly impact student learning and development. This helps address individuals’ needs and guides them to their academic success.

Mr. V’s overall approach not only made the learning experience enjoyable but also profoundly impacted my academic growth throughout the semester. Other students and teachers can learn from his learning environment and encouragement to offer our students interactive discussion learning and feedback to support curious minds and academic skills.

Looking Beyond Grades

Hilai Khosty is a junior at Luther Burbank:

One of my experiences I can remember in a classroom was last year sophomore year. I was going through a tough time which led me to miss school, therefore I had a lot of missing work. While every teacher took off credit of my work and made me fall behind, two actually cared for me and gave me time to recover.

Every single one of my teachers did know that I in fact try my hardest at school and try to pass with A’s. Out of all 6 teachers only 2 truly cared about me rather than worrying about grades, they cared about me. They knew my grades had started to decrease and that I was at a bad time.

My teachers were Mrs. V and Mr. S. Mr. S helped me by talking with me about things. He gave me advice about random things, which was surely helpful, like about my classes, future career, and to care for school, I wanted to go home school but Mr. S advised me to stay in school and focus.

My world history teacher Mrs. V helped me get back on track. She surely was one of the sweetest teachers I’ve had. She allowed us to make up work and succeed, while other teachers tended not to care. Mrs. V would always talk to us about what we missed, she even created a page for those students who missed a lot of school days and how to make up.

Teachers like Mrs. V truly care about their students, they see them beyond just “grades.”

Other teachers can learn from this experience that students should not be seen as just students, in a way. We too are humans, and have our ups and downs, rather than seeing us drown they can help us recover from falling deeper into the sink hole. We are beyond just students, we too struggle as much as teachers do. Therefore I believe that teachers who truly care from the bottom of their heart have a great effect on students without even knowing they do.

To be that kind of a teacher, the teacher and student must build a great relationship together and talk about how they can make up work. Teachers often don’t realize how much of an effect they can have on students.

I truly believe that a teacher has a part in every students life in some way. They can surely make a great difference in students lives.

Thanks to David, Ruby, Beauty, and Hilai for contributing their thoughts!

Consider contributing a question to be answered in a future post. You can send one to me at lferlazzo@epe.org. When you send it in, let me know if I can use your real name if it’s selected or if you’d prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind.

You can also contact me on Twitter at @Larryferlazzo.

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