I attended Catholic school until the third grade. This school was very strict and I would always seemed to get the meanest teachers. I hated everything about school; I hated waking up early, getting ready, hated the homework, the teachers, and the tests. I think the only thing I actually enjoyed was recess. After third grade, the tuition to attend this school was raised. My parents made the decision to put me in public school and I was very nervous and mad. I was a shy child, especially when it came to new situations. My fourth grade teacher, Ms. Higgins, made my transition absolutely wonderful. She connected with me on a personal level because we were both new to the school and we both played soccer. I thought she was the coolest person ever. She made the lessons fun and exciting, she always planned some kind of hands-on activity for the class to do as well.
The curriculum between the two schools were very different. My Catholic school put more focus on religion and writing more so then any other subjects. So, when I went to my new school I was clearly behind the other students. Ms. Higgins would take her time with me and help me catch up. She worked when my parents with stuff they could do with me at home to also help me. Ms. Higgins didn’t just connect with me, she connected with all her students. She made an effort to get to know each student and their interests to form that healthy student-teacher relationship. She always would find a way to incorporate students interests into individualized instruction. She made everyone feel welcomed and valued in class. Ms. Higgins made a big impact in my life and education. She showed me what a good teacher can do for their students and ever since the fourth grade I wanted to be like Ms. Higgins; a teacher who has a positive effect on a student’s confidence, sense of ability, and individual and educational growth.
Fast forward to fall semester of junior year of college. I came across a Ted Talk of Rita Pierson called “Every Kid Needs a Champion.” Pierson is so influential and after watching her video, I became so much more excited and motivated to become the best teacher I could be. Her passion and optimism for teaching is truly amazing. The role of a teacher is much more than going into a classroom, teaching a lesson and then going home. It’s important for both the students and teachers to form relationships. The teacher needs to get to know their students to be able to help them to the best of their abilities. Like the title of the video, every child needs a champion. Some children aren’t fortunate enough to go home to a stable household where their parents are completely involved in their schoolwork. The child leans on the teacher for support whether it is academically or personally. No child will succeed if the teacher doesn’t believe in them. As a teacher, we do so much more than just teach. Students look up to us in many different ways and it is important for us to be able to support them where they need it to our best abilities. Pierson has definitely made my passion for teaching so much stronger and has motivated me to want to do all I can for my students.
Below is a link to her video, I highly recommend watching it!
Every kid needs a champion | Rita Pierson | TED
Rita Pierson, a teacher for 40 years, once heard a colleague say, “They don’t pay me to like the kids.” Her response: “Kids don’t learn from people they don’t like.'” A rousing call to educators to believe in their students and actually connect with them on a real, human, personal level.