Listen to the students - They are amazing!

I am taking a graduate class to get my supervisory certification and am in the process of writing a paper on what it takes to be a good teacher. I did the research and found some really great scholarly articles on the topic. Including the This We Believe Statement from AMLE. 

I also decided to ask my students on edmodo about what they thought makes a good teachers and school. Their answers blew me away. You can do all the studies in the world and comply tons of data. That is all great and important but a lot of the time we forget to ask our students. They are the ones who are the "consumers" why are we scared to ask them what they think? When you take the time to do this you will learn so much from them!

Here are some of the thoughtful, amazing answers that my middle school students gave to the question what makes a good teacher and school. 

• If they are actually really fun and creative and let you do so many cool assignments. If they treat class more like a fun,exciting, adventure and not just a boring class you have to sit down and listen to facts about.
  
• I think it's all based on how they teach. Like for example you can give an awesome fun activity like making posters for a specific topic that way- along the way the students will learn more and they will have fun. But the thing you should never do is teaching a class and just telling them facts. You should talk to the class as if your really interested in that topic and then the students will be more interested and will understand more. It's better when you talk to a class or student and have a good conversation with them and sometimes you can ask for there opinions or answers.
  
• What makes a good middle school, well I think that to make a good middle school you should have a quote ( just like our school) and something else like a drawing that will inspire students. Also another thing would be making the school a colorful and clean place! If students are walking around the school they should see colorful colors and quotes ( just like our school!) that way they will feel happy and be inspired even more. Another one is cleaning the school students should not be throwing trash on the floor they should keep it clean because school is your second home.
  
• A good middle school teacher is somebody who knows all their students on a personal level
  
• A good middle school teacher is someone who has a sense of humor, knows his/her kids like frineds and does not scream too much. Also, someone who does not give a huuuugggeee load of work, but still gives his/her students work.
  
• A good middle school teacher is someone who makes the subject interesting, but still teaches us. Also, they have to know the kids, and understand them. They can't give out too many projects, but if they do they should be easy enough. Because we have 4 projects due, but they're fairly simple. So thats a good teacher.
  
• A good teacher is someone who is creative and not afraid to try something new!
  
• A good teacher is someone who doesn't just sit in front of the class and teach or tell them to work out of a textbook. A good teacher does interactive and fun activities that would be in the students best interest. Also, they should be able to connect with the students and be able to talk to them, or be able to help them if they have a problem. I had an experience with a teacher that I felt was unapproachable, and that is not the mark of a good teacher.
  
• A good teacher is some one who can make teaching fun, while still making sure students absorb the information. A good teacher sets a great example as a role model and is there to help a child when they need it. A good student should also set a good example, for their friends and students in lower grade levels. I think a good student should work on being positive and confident. They should help others feel good about themselves, and they should make sure they do not insult other students.
  
• A good teacher would be one that cares, listens, respects, teaches, and enjoys teaching! What makes up a great middle school would be a clean, healthy environment where everybody cares about the next person, and contributes to respecting everyone, and everything!
• They must enjoy there job 1st off. They have to teach more of critical thinking and not making it all about facts. They should care for their students and respect them, NOT just saying do not disrespect me (and making it all about them). They should give children a small amount of homework, and try to teach as much as you can at school. Home is where kids get to do the stupid things they like to do, so don't make them do to much smart things like homework. When you are a teacher you should make sure the students have a good time in class, by making the lessons and work as much fun as possible. It's not just that kids want to have fun, it is also that when students are engaged and WANT to learn, they will learn it, while if it is boring and they don't want to learn it, they won't learn it! Make sense? Also, assign more projects than tests, kids like projects WAY more. I need juice now, and then I will throw half of it on my deck, and see if squirrels will then lick the deck and surround me for more. Those are the stupid things kids do that they couldn't do if they had homework
•  a good teacher can entertain A CLASS, but keep it under control, while all together teaching something very important!! :)
• Middle school teachers should be less lenient than elementary school teachers, and hense prepare you for high school. They should give zeros for cheating and work that hasn't been turned in on time. They should give extra credit, and not homework every night. A middle school teacher needs to be virtuous so his/ her students follow the example (I did not correct any spelling etc. left it just as they wrote it)

Don't you just love what they had to say! It follows all the research and at the same time is so honest and open! 

Listen to your students! Ask them their thoughts! They will tell you and I promise you will learn a lot!

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