Make Class Interesting by Jaleal Pittman

In my life, I have had many different teachers that I have liked and disliked. I have personally faced some good teachers and also bad teachers. I had a teacher that had a good teaching method but the teacher did not make it interesting, and I was very bored. I was causing big disruptions and causing the other students to have problems learning the materials. I thought the teacher should not just stand up in front of the class. She did not let the class talk when we was finished our work. I was always sent to the principal’s office. However, the principal knew that I was a good student but I could not change the class because that was the only teacher teaching that subject. My mother was getting many calls at work and home informing her that I was acting up in the class. My mother did not allow that and she got feed up. She said that I wouldn’t like all the teachers that I will have in my life so I needed to grow up and do the work. Even though I ended up failing the class and had to take the class the next year, I learned that I can not let the teacher and her teaching methods cause me to do stupid things.

I have learned that I need to strive to do my best even if the teacher does not have a good lesson plan. The advice I give for current or future teachers is to have a more interesting class and to get the students more involved with the lesson. You can also have your class do more hands-on assignments instead of you just standing there in front the class and giving a long lecture. You should not only teach things from the past but also things from the present because I like to learn the past but I also want to see how the past relates to the present. I also think you should allow students to talk after they finish their work because its makes the class more interesting.

Teachers by Shantara Morrison

Teachers you are doing a good job but what concerns me is that you all are losing sight of what is really important. I think that you should teach your class and to be aware of your senior and I am not saying to give all your attention to the seniors but most of it because if you succeed with your seniors then your other lower classmen will succeed also with thanks and a big help to you. They will graduate and come back and visit you and be able to say that teacher tried her best to help me and is a good teacher. She can help you achieve your short term goal which is to graduate. Teachers also if you have a class with disruptive students don’t get mad or make it hard for other students who are actually learning. Also, when a student comes into your class with an attitude, don’t give them the same attitude back even though you would like to. Teachers, treat that student like he is someone whether you want to or not. Students may act mean and not caring, but I believe they do care. Most of the problems are caused because the teacher can make a wrong assumption or maybe a right one but either way the story may be relayed to administrators wrong. Teachers, don’t make other students pay for what that one student has said or done to you, because you are the grown up in the situation.

Teachers, basically, I am saying don’t let little things get to you and know your students. Be a friend, teacher, and someone they can depend on to help in and out of school but don’t get too familiar. I am about to graduate thanks to myself and others who helped me get this far. I would like to thank all the teachers that helped me get to where I am and I hope to have them in the future to guide me. Teachers, keep doing good but also try to be better because there is always room for improvement

The Tardy Policy by Kierra Beasley

Administrators shouldn’t count the tardy policy because some students may have a good grade, like a B average, but they fail the class. That isn’t fair to the student because if they passed the class but have too many tardies, then they have to retake the class over. Students shouldn’t have to go through the appealing absent program.

My sophomore year I needed a computer class to go on my college prep seal and my class was downstairs during third period. The class I had before that one was gym and the gym is in a separate building. Almost everyday I was late and before you know it my tardiness was adding up. When the final exam came, I was making a ninety-five. I passed the exam with a ninety. I tried to talk to the teacher to see if I could get my grade. I couldn’t because I couldn’t appeal any of the tardies; there weren’t any excuses.

I learned from this experience that administrators should be more understanding. I think that if you have a ninety or higher in the class and you have tardies that you can explain, the school should let you have your grade/credit whether you were late or not. As long as you learn in class, it shouldn’t matter if you’re late or not. Administrators want us to be more mature but they add up tardies. I only think this policy should apply to freshmen and sophomores, because they are still learning.

Freshmen need this policy because it allows them to learn not to be late to important things such as a job or their classes. Seniors don’t really need this policy if they are on task in all of their classes because they have experienced everything.

EOCT by Raziel Alegria

Throughout my freshman year I had a lot of experiences hearing teachers tell one another about how to teach their classes, and they could never come to a right conclusion. The best way they figured was the EOCT test scores. That is a big disappointment to some students because they may be passing the classes with low C averages, and the E.O.C.T is 15% of your final grade. If you fail that test, you fail the class. But if you have a high F you can pass the class if you did good on the test. That is very hard to do to some people. A lot of people fail their classes because of the E.O.C.T. I know I did.

Another of my personal experiences was when I had to move to Central and be there until I could move back to the east side. I was really nervous at first about going to a new school and meeting new people, starting all over. The teachers over there were pretty nice. Some were mean looking but nice. I did not run into one that did not say good morning or asked how I was doing. After all it wasn’t so bad I but still wanted to come back to Cedar to see all my friends and teachers.

What I learned from this experience was that teachers sometimes can help each other by giving their teaching plans to one another. I also learned that you should be thankful of what you have, and you should do well in all your classes because you don’t know what they are going to come up with next to supposedly help us pass our classes and our Georgia high school graduation exams. But they don’t even know what’s going to be on it so it’s kind of a blind sight for all of us.

Getting to Know Students by Rashad Dalton

Fall of the year 2005. I came into high school with high standards of playing varsity football for the following fall season. Working out all summer with the older guys and getting to know them wasn’t too hard, because of what I had achieved in middle school playing sports. The older guys knew that I was going to compete for everything I earned on and off the field. High school principals and coaches knew that I was willing to be a part of the program. Before the ninth grade, I was considered the “problem child” of the school. All throughout school, the teachers and I didn’t see things eye to eye. They had their opinions about things and I had mine. I was never really willing to be wrong, so I argued, cursed, and disobeyed them. The high school teachers knew that I was going to argue for what was right, but we really didn’t have any problems much, so it never got to that point. Senior year of 2008, I transferred from my hometown school to a bigger school just across the county line. Enrolling into Cedar Shoals High School wasn’t the easiest thing in the world to do. Medical shots along with other requirements had to be completed before I could attend school.

Throughout those things I learned that I have to get more things done on my own. Signing up for extra classes, turning in attendance waiver forms, overall just getting things done that needed to be done. Taking care of college decisions on my own made me realize that it’s time to face the reality of life and that it’s time to grow up.

I think before teachers judge students on their appearance. They should actually give the students a chance to express the way they are. I think that teachers should stay on the students pretty hard so that the kids won’t think that it’s easy after high school. They should prepare the kids for things that are more real to life. Most of the students go to school to see their friends not to learn, but there are some that care about their education, so the teacher should actually teach about everyday things and the requirements for college in case they do decide to go to college. It’s the teacher that determines a student’s education. I think that is a valuable thing in life, so I think that the teacher should take that very seriously, because education is the key to success in life. Without it, we could find ourselves locked out of life. Teachers should open up their plans, sit down, and get to know the students, so that they’ll get an idea of what that kid wants out of life.

Class Takeover by Marie Smith

Coming into the 9th grade was one of the most exciting things that has happened in my life. It made me feel as though I had achieved so much because I was finally in high school. My first three classes were all taught by teachers who had years of experience so they knew every trick in the book. There was definitely no running over any of them. It was the last class of the day. I walked in the class and I heard the heavens sing. Finally a teacher that looked young enough to be my sister. I already knew this was going to be my favorite class. As all the students filled the class, I noticed a nervous look on the teacher’s face. All my friends and other classmates noticed it too. As soon as the bell rang we all began to just talk like our lives depended on it. The teacher tried her best to quiet us down, but her soft tone phased nobody in the class. Even though it may have not seemed like it, we were just as nervous that first day as she was. The only difference is she showed it on her face everyday. This happened everyday for about a month. Excessive talking, walking around the class, and basically just doing what we wanted. By the middle of the semester we had formed a routine, and there wasn’t anything our teacher could do about it. She was scared of us and it was obvious. There were times she would “yell” at us but every time that happened she was quickly shut up by a student. Now those “yelling” moments didn’t even exist. It soon got to the point where we ruled the class and the teacher just sat there. By the end of the semester, she had completely given up on trying to get us to cooperate. On the last day of school we all noticed a change in her attitude. She seemed a lot more happy and alive. We all knew why. That day when the bell rang for class to begin, we were all sitting quietly in our seats. Our teacher was both shocked and upset. It was the last day of school and we had finally done what she’d been wanting us to do since the beginning of the semester. She gave us a twisted look, blew her breath, and just sat down. We had accomplished the take over of the class, and our teacher knew it.

Most new teachers don’t know what to expect coming into a new school, whether it is elementary, middle, or high. The environment’s different, and you don’t really know anybody. Advice to the teachers…STAY STRONG!! One of the worst things you could do is go into a classroom and show that you’re scared and probably don’t know what the heck you’re doing. That gives the students a reason to run over you and take control of your class. Go in strong with a confident smile on your face. Don’t go in with an attitude because that’ll make the students shut down and just not even try to listen or cooperate with you at all. But let them know that you mean business and lay down the rules. Let your students know how you plan on things to happen and that the only person who has control of the class is you. Doing all that will make your semester at the school a lot easier and make you a lot happier.

A Memorable Experience by Terri Law

As a senior in high school, I have experienced many difficult situations and dealt with complicated teachers. One of the most intricate situations I’ve experienced included a very difficult teacher. Approximately a year before I was actually enrolled in his class, I received a bad first impression. Although he was an authority, this teacher tended to give the impression of a student. I began to notice this characteristic towards the middle of my sophomore year. I attended class one day and we continued with our daily routine. My teacher saw me as a leader in the class and used me to influence or persuade other students to be respectful and give more effort. He then called me to his desk, but this visit was unusually different from most conversations. Once I approached his desk he began to speak to me about some of his students by name, but this time these students weren’t my classmates. He spoke negatively about them, and I’m sure he knew there wasn’t much I could do to influence this list of students. As time went on, these conversations got heavier. He began to name names, criticize, judge, and hold grudges toward these students. I would watch his interactions with these students. He would smile in their faces and talk about them behind their backs. A very shocking thing was revealed to me; my friend’s mother had a conference with this teacher. This parent is in my family and a very close companion to me. This family member informed me that my teacher gossiped about me during their conference. The more my teacher began to gossip the more respect I lost for him. It got worse as the year came to an end. All the students in his class knew about his secret thoughts. This unwise action caused my teacher to receive a bad reputation.

When I reflect on this situation, I’m grateful for this teacher. He taught me a lot about integrity. This teacher allowed me to understand the difference between authority, students, friends, and fakes. A teacher is an authority, not a friend. Schools are intended for a student to receive an education not to make friends and gossip, let alone with a teacher. I try to see the situation as a positive experience. I have always had integrity, but it has now been enhanced. I am more alert. I respect everyone, regardless of their differences which include characteristics, personality, and decisions. Everyone deserves second chances, so it’s best to forgive and forget. If I don’t agree with someone, I have enough respect for myself as well as them to approach them in a courteous manner and have a professional conversation to express myself. When people gossip, it just causes drama and the gossiper to be looked down upon. It’s best to be open and honest with everyone. When people lie, they are forced to tell more lies to cover up their first lie. Also, once trust is lost, it is very difficult for one to gain it back.

My advice to teachers would be to respect the boundaries set by natural age and take advantage of it. Let students be students and only students. Do not gossip with students, and keep your personal life issues to yourself. By doing this, you will silently persuade students to respect you as an authority, and although, they may not like your teaching techniques, they will have no reason to judge your personality in a negative way.

Advice for Teachers by Davis Bradberry

I honestly haven’t had many experiences with teachers outside of the norm. I’ve had great teachers, I think. Some students complain about teaching styles or the teachers grading methods but I honestly don’t have much to complain about. No matter how hard or unfair they seem, it’s only a matter of how motivated you are to succeed in the class. In class, I personally prefer lots of group projects and taking lots of notes. I’ve learned that in classes like that I feel more motivated and more relaxed. I don’t have a problem with strict teachers or teachers that give a lot a leeway. I think the classroom should be what the teacher makes it and the student should adapt. Adapting to your surroundings prepares you more for life after school. I hear too many students complaining about teachers who won’t let them text during class or they don’t allow food in the room. Getting upset over such trivial things is immature and having the mentality that you should be able to do what you want can only cause your reaction to authority to become worse, later in life.

I’ll admit that I’ve had teachers that weren’t necessarily my favorite. Whether it be their actual teaching or spiting them because of the subject of the class, I’ve never acted back at something I didn’t agree with or fought with their authority.
Teachers are here for us. They definitely aren’t here for the attention and they certainly aren’t here for the pay, they teach because they feel that’s what they were meant to do. Once they spend their time getting a further education, taking teaching assistant jobs and starting their teaching career, I think they deserve the right to teach their class just about however they want to. Classes in public school could be much worse.

Teachers usually know when they have made a mistake and the good ones will own up to it. They also will make changes to things when they recognize that the majority of their students are having a problem and that’s exactly how a teacher should be. Just from listening to other students compile their list of changes they would have made, I feel that there may be too much about a teachers rules or their discipline methods.

This semester is the first semester that I have fully enjoyed all of my classes. I’m enjoying them so much, I think, because of my teachers. They all seem very down to earth and they make class fun. They also seem to enjoy class…until a student cusses them out because of a tardy.

In class there’s only so far a teacher can go, freedom wise, and most students don’t understand that a lot of the rules teachers enforce aren’t necessarily the teachers. We can’t ask a teacher to not enforce the rules that their boss makes them enforce. I had a class where a teacher was so influenced by what her students wanted and what rules they didn’t want, that she was fired after only two years and honestly, I don’t feel I learned a lot in that class.

So, my advice to teachers would be to continue doing your job the way administrators have trusted you to do it. You’ll have students who will comply and of course some who won’t. Regard your student’s advice when there is a legitimate issue that could better the student, but only when the student is holding up their end of the bargain by trying their best with what you have already given them.

The Perfect Teacher by Tremayne Gresham

Teachers are very unique in ways but at the same time they are lame, too. All teachers have different styles and techniques for teaching, at least that’s what they tell you. Teachers get their teaching methods from the Board of Education. I think this just tells them the order to teach the different parts of the curriculum. Teachers should ask the student what they want to learn first and take it into consideration. The way teachers teach now is just pitiful. They give long assignments that usually don’t give students a chance to learn because you struggle with it and need help. Teachers should make sure that the assignments that they give are an exact example of what they have finished teaching. That way the practice will be helpful. Like in most students’ situations they are saying to themselves that they are not going to do the assignment because they did not have a full understanding. Other students think the same thing and at the same time, they are busy doing others things and don’t have time to do the assignment. When they have a chance to get it done, they can’t because they don’t understand and are constantly falling behind.

I think that teachers should start making more trivia game-like lessons so it will be more interesting. I have seen students come into class ready to listen but because the lesson is so boring they are asleep in 10 minutes. I have had the same thing happen to me and the lesson was so boring that it was impossible to stay awake. This is especially true in classes like history and government. A good suggestion for teachers when it comes to teaching government and history is to give assignments where we have to read and answer questions but the question have to be in the order that you read in. A lot of teachers take the time to plan these long and boring lessons and they expect you to listen and pay close attention. Yeah, we are supposed to so we will learn the material. The only reason that I can see why teachers plan lessons this way is because it is somewhat just like college only you are expected to sit and listen to boring lectures and take notes. College teachers shouldn’t teach that way.

The way that teachers teach is the reason why a lot of students are cheating but what kind of help is that when you can’t cheat your way through high school and eventually start to fail.