I remember sitting at the dinner table, doing some grade nine math homework, and blurting out, “Why am I learning such useless stuff?” My dad, standing in the kitchen, looked at me and said, “High school is where you learn how to learn.” I narrowed my eyes, huffed, and continued to work. I was irritated that learning such odious knowledge would actually become a significantly applicable skill throughout the rest of my life; that is, until your class.
It wasn’t until grade 11, in your class, that I learned how to love and appreciate learning.
From a student’s perspective, I believe a passionate teacher pushes their students to exceed their own limitations. It’s not only the ability to show students that their drive resides within them, but bringing out this drive that determines the success of a teacher. I believe you brought this drive out in me.
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You embodied three qualities that made you distinct from any other teacher I’ve ever had. You were ambiguous, challenging, and persistent.
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To be quite blunt, half the time I had no idea what was going on in your class. I remember the frustration of not knowing whether my ideas would meet your standards; however, looking back now, I have learned that your ambiguity was in fact a powerful way of teaching. You wanted us to exercise creativity rather than strictly following textbook content. You provided us with the opportunity to become innovative, a trait that the world needs from all of us. It was a question of whether or not we, as students, would leverage this opportunity.
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Interestingly, you never cared about being liked; you cared about being a good teacher. The challenges you created were not meant to punish us; they were an opportunity for us to obtain work ethic, the number one quality many wish to obtain. You were testing us to see if we could act resiliently and ambitiously to go beyond expectations. You aimed to carve a strong and determined mindset within all of your students, for which I entirely respect you.
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My drive to learn has persisted since your class. Despite taking many courses that I detest in university, I frame them in a positive light. They provide me the opportunity to improve myself and my work ethic, just like your class did. I will want to continuously learn throughout the rest of my life.
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Above all, on graduation day, I forgot to tell you one the thing that I have always wanted to say to you: “Well taught.”