By Faith Dinsmore
At Guyer high school, the teacher of the year nomination and voting is done with the participation of only faculty members. However, some Students have expressed how they would like to have a say in the election process. They think the outcome would be different, because they believe nobody has more interaction with a teacher than their own students. Meanwhile, teachers may not have enough opportunities to see their fellow coworkers performing in class. Students feel confident that a combination of teachers and students’ input will make the reviews more accurate.
Students expressed that many teachers have distinct personalities when they are in their classrooms, which are their perfect environment for creativity and imagination “Students are with the teachers on a daily basis, we are the ones that learn and absorb what teachers are saying or doing, not to mention that teachers act differently with their students than they do with their colleagues” Avery Jefferson, senior at Guyer said.
During a series of interviews done in the preparation of this article, students commented that being able to nominate their teachers for their hard work will send a message to those teachers showing that their mentees are in fact observing their effort, innovation, creativity and empathy to help them reach their greatest potential. “ I think students should be able to vote for teacher of the year because the students are more likely to know their teachers than anyone else. Also, it’s important that teachers know that we appreciate them and see the hard work they put into their job,” Madison Norrid, a sophomore student at Guyer said.
Teacher of the year websites state that a candidate for this award is a teacher who gains respect by treating students fairly, setting high expectations and being consistent with discipline. A Teacher of the Year goes beyond interacting with students on an instructional level and works to make sure their physical and emotional needs are met, as well. The only one who can certify that a teacher is going above and beyond are those who are physically in the class.
Students see teachers through the good and bad, they see them grow and improve to further their students’ education. Students witness teachers sacrificing family time to contribute to a better school environment. Being able to participate in the recognition of an outstanding teacher makes the students be part of that teacher’s objective. Collaboration between teachers and students help inspire each other to be the best they can be.
