Teacher 's Impact On Students

The function of the education system is to improve students education and prepare them for the real world. Students within that system should receive an “A” when they have mastered the information they are being taught. However, grades no longer accurately reflect how much students have learned. Since 1998 teachers have handed out more A-grades while the average SAT scores have actually fallen. In fact, as Greg Toppo states, an author for USA Today, the amount of A’s handed out actually went up close to ten percent (4). Students can manipulate their courses so that they can get good grades without actually learning much of anything. With grades not accurately representing what students have learned and charter schools failing to solve problehms, teachers need to change how they structure their class or grade assignments.

Mike Rose is anything but average: he has published poetry, scholarly research, a textbook, and two widely praised books on education in Amer­ica. A professor in the School of Education at UCLA, Rose has won awards from the National Academy of Education, the National Council of Teachers of English, and the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Below you'll read the story of how this highly successful teacher and writer started high school in the "vocational education" track, learning dead-end skills from teachers who were often underprepared or incompetent. Rose shows that students whom the system has written off can have tremendous unreal­ized potential, and his critique of the school system

I walked into classes several times to witness teachers with their head in their hands, stressed from the previous class. They shake their heads when the next class begins, collecting themselves and doing their best to not let their frustrations show. Students don’t cooperate. They are unwilling to learn because they are aware that the teacher will pass them anyways. There is no real incentive for them to work hard for a high grade. The students know the teacher has to pass them or risk their job. This is an all too common scene in today’s public high schools. Unfortunately, the efforts of teachers are shoved aside and covered by pressures to churn out passing students and high test scores.

The students in this track were often labeled as “unruly, and not motivated” and of course the parents and students are faced with embarrassment which can be tragic just from an error this school had made. If Professor Rose had not taken that single Biology course his sophomore year in “Our Lady of Mercy” his educational career as a professor would not have been a success. It is always very important teachers understand the importance and responsibility of their role that is in these student’s everyday lives, they shape the way these students think, and understand everyday education we use. During the essay Ken Harvey mentions that he just wants to be average and considers himself to be below average while Rose is thinking to himself what an absurd comment it was. When an individual is constantly told that he or she is not smart they can’t do this or that it lowers their confidence and they actually start working at that level and not striving for the highest standard. Teachers and or professors have many responsibilities including the most important one which is knowing and making sure the student or child understands every single lesson they teach.

In Rose’s “I Just Wanna Be Average”, readers can determine from what he says that teachers play an integral role in the educations of students. When others are teaching you what to do, it becomes easier to understand; when others are not teaching you, it becomes harder to understand. You can tell how essential a teacher is to a student if you were to read Rose’s narrative and see that: students float to expectations, if teachers don’t expect anything of you they won’t help you, and how beneficial it is to have a teacher who challenges you to be better.

I think Rose’s words, “Students will float to the mark you set.” can relate to many students. During my high school years, I always had many teachers push me to my limit and a guidance counselor who made sure I applied to College. I decided to attend a community College but some of the teachers made me a bit lazy. I remember in one class, I was sitting for 2 hours to watched a Disney movie. It just wasn’t motivating. I think a teacher’s lesson plan is very important. Students will only float if a teacher pushes them to.

In the essay “I Just Wanna Be Average,” Mike Rose explains how the failure of students is all revolved around the teachers, when the fault should be put on everybody.

Another problem that inhabits the educational system is teachers who are unprepared to prepare students for the many standardized test that are given. An example would be that the average teacher in Finland must go through a grueling curriculum in order to become teachers (Schneider, and Christison 30-32). This shows that we lack in preparing our teachers to teach. This of course also leads to unpreparedness from students, to low test grades and a loss of interest. Teachers should become more flexible in the way they teach, allowing creativity and a way for the student to gain feedback from the teacher to want to learn more of the subject (Slon 47-49).

Rhetorical analysis: “I Just Wanna Be Average” In the schooling system that we have now a days students are separated by their intelligence. The way that they are separated by their intelligence is by taking a test for their IQ, they are then separated into different classes. What people don’t realize is that even the students who are put in the lowest classes can have great potential and can move up. In article “I Just Wanna Be Average” author Mike Rose uses ethos and pathos in order to prove students who are wrtiiten off of the school system have unrealized potential and the failure of students who go through high school belligerent, fearful, bored, etc.

I’ve had teachers who teach their classes exactly how the school of board wants them to teach the class.There are positive and negatives to the way classes are being taught; some students aren 't on the same learning levels as others. Now students feel left behind and unsure on what they should do. Instead of teachers going by the rule book, they should think outside the box and find new ways that will make class interesting for students. If teachers communicate better with students there is a high chance that student will be comfortable to ask for help when it is needed. Usually students hate going to school because of same routine going on everyday. If teachers can

The exuberant and laid back Miss Hancock made for a great elementary teacher but not so much for secondary. The high school students quickly strip Miss Hancock “of [her] 15 years of overblown confidence” (77). In reality, the students need a sterner teacher that can balance laid-back with discipline. Moreover, Miss Hancock is too dependent on her confidence; as soon as her confidence is broken she becomes pathetic. A “desperate

Furthermore, the author points out that grades are not improving because students and education are improving but rather because parents and students are demanding grades to be adjusted according to what they think it is needed not what it is deserved. “Students and parents are demanding -- and getting -- what they think of as their money's worth” (Staples, 216). Students are not receiving the grade they truly deserve based on their work but what the parents and the students themselves

Moore says that some teachers to avoid feeling bad “lower their standard” (118). Moore reported that teachers are more concerned about student 's feelings in getting low grades instead of encouraging them to improve their grades. I completely agree with Moore’s point of view, the basic role of the teacher is to create a comfortable and

Confucius, a famous Chinese teacher said, “Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace.” In the previous quote by Confucius, it is obvious that a teacher can impact a student’s life. Moreover (TRANS), the way a teacher generates hope and confidence provide a good equity at school for the students; therefore, a good teacher spread confidence in students, which may help them to be encouraged. Maintaining the right balance of strictness and friendliness, encouraging students, and finding the right teaching methods for each student are three of the many characteristics in becoming an inspirational teacher.

When teachers have low expectations of students their learning is negatively impacted and affected in several different ways. The teacher’s and the students’ attitude to their work is wrapped in low motivation, because teachers seem to think that because much is not expected and if the teacher lacks effective strategies for working with such students, then the outcome of success is low then they are less likely to want to teach these students and teach them well. If per chance the student notices the teacher’s attitude towards them then again it doesn’t work well as it is perceived as evidence of their low competence and the drive to perform well is erased.