50 Great Teachers

As I was reading through NPR's articles titled "50 Great Teachers", I came across a few that stood out to me as extra special. The following teachers are fantastic examples of how much of an ally we should truly be for our students - 

I read through the article about the SXSW Education Conference first, and realized that so many lives are touched by teaching. Even though we might not see it in the moment, we are constantly effecting unique minds and lives. The people who attended this conference all were asked to write a note to a past teacher who helped them in some way, and so many of them were inspiring, for example - 

"Mr. Bua only taught Malamed one elective at his suburban New York middle school, but that didn't matter. "He was someone who was there to support me and my interests outside of the classroom," Malamed says. "He inspired me to be much more than just a student." Malamed remembers Bua staying after school and spending time working on a big social awareness project. "He helped me begin to find relevance and purpose in my learning experience.'" 

This teacher, Mr. Bua, was an ally for his students because he supported them as human beings and gave them importance, which is what a true ally should aspire to do. Being an ally means supporting and cheering on your students, in & out of the classroom. 

The second source I read dealt with college professors, but I was still interested in it even though I am studying to be a secondary educator - I thought it would be interesting to see the similarities and differences. In this article, I found an important similarity between the two - preparing your lessons with the outcome in mind. In my E340 class, I am currently learning about lesson planning, and how important it truly is to keep the end goal in mind. After reading this article, I realized that it is true for all subjects and levels. 

"They prepare by thinking about the intended outcomes [of their instruction]. They treat their lectures and discussions as serious intellectual endeavors." 

By preparing your lessons with the end in mind, and treating everyday like an important day, you are consciously making the most of your students' time, which also conveys respect. Being an ally is all about respect and being on the same page as your students - planning your lessons ahead with the end in mind helps keep the end goal in the forefront of everyone's brain. 

Lastly, I took a look at this article. This woman inspired me so much, even though she is a math teacher and I am pursuing English. She clearly is not in the teaching profession for the money, or for the days off, but for the kids. She lives and works in a small, poor town in Oklahoma. Her classroom is far from updated, but she makes it colorful, imaginative, and lively. She gets paid less than all the schools around her, but she still stays because she believes that "these kids deserve better". Being an ally includes giving. You must be selfless with the time you spend with your students, teaching them by example what is truly important in this world. 

Overall, the teachers mentioned on this website were amazing, inspirational, and hard working. Each one thought outside the conventional box, which lead to greater student involvement and success. We can all learn so much from simply hearing what these other teachers have to say and tell about their experiences as an ally and cheerleader for their students.