Nicolo Montalto

Students’ behavior within each classroom can be seen as a spectrum. On the high end, a student can be continuously engaged and curious about the given subject. On the low end, a student could want nothing to do with the given subject. Because of the vastness of behavior that students can exhibit in class, teachers must strategically plan their lessons in ways that can help all students excel. Still, the behavior of many students may get in the way of this. Teachers, as individuals, have different preferences, but what do all teachers value? What do all teachers find difficult to manage? What trends can be identified based on the responses of multiple teachers? Perhaps the answers to these questions can be found by reading into the ideals of individual educators.

“I think self-motivation is important,” said Mr. Sherwood. “Someone who has interest in the topic and is motivated without me having to push them.” On top of that, he stated that he values an “articulate” student with good study and reading habits. However, Sherwood isn’t the only one to value independently curious students. Mrs. Bergeron values students who are “genuinely curious, want to learn, want to ask questions, and think critically.” Mr. Feeley claims that “curiosity and worth ethic” are ideals for him. One trend that seems incredibly prevalent is the word “curiosity” or “interest.” It can be concluded that, generally, teachers find students who are actively engaged in lessons the most convenient.

But what do teachers find inconvenient? For Mr. Sherwood, someone who “isn’t interested” and is more content getting answers online, from other students, or from ChatGPT over asking the teacher questions is not ideal. Ms. Bergeron adds that she doesn’t like when students are “just trying to get their work done for a grade” rather than for understanding. Being mean to other students is also a red flag to her. 

To sum up the results, interest, or a lack thereof, can determine how teachers perceive their students. Curious, invested behavior is encouraged over apathy and laziness. Students must be committed to their classes. However, it’s unrealistic to imagine that all students will be intrigued by all of their subjects, and this lack of interest can be a difficult obstacle to overcome when it comes to education. Additionally, teachers themselves may become obstacles because their teaching styles may leave students feeling too weary, confused, or stressed to put forth any effort. As Henry Liu (285) puts it, “Teachers that give you stuff and expect you to learn the material yourself” can be frustrating to students.

Perhaps the solution is for students to reflect on the purpose of every course they partake in. While they may not pursue all of their courses as careers, considering how it could still benefit them in the future or open up fresh opportunities would give them a reason to be invested in the class. Additionally, action may need to be taken in a few classrooms to address the voices of students who simply can’t keep up. One shouldn’t let an entire field of knowledge and its meaning be reduced to a grade. One should look past those numbers and seek understanding.