What Is An Impact Teacher?

I want to first introduce myself to you. My name is Kirstin Beck. I am currently a senior and for some reason obsessed with the profession of teaching. Towards the end of my junior year, I started the process of learning why some teachers make an impact on students and why others didn't. I am still in this process but have found some staggering facts. For instance, many of you teacher are warned of making a deeper-than-surface level (hi/bye) relationships because the people above you are scared to get sued  I have found though, the students who have this connection with their teacher: learn deeper, try harder, and engage more than students who don't. The kids who had a relationship with their teachers learned the material better. So why is this? 

Since you decided to read this blog, I assume you want to learn how to impact your students. You may be wondering, “What is an IMPACT teacher?” Well, an IMPACT teacher is someone who positively affects a student’s life forever. It's the teacher who pushed students to become something greater than they believed they could. This educator teaches well because they understand the concept, Rita Pierson, a teacher for forty years, put beautifully, “Kids don't learn from people they don't like.” Often we don't like a teacher because we don't think they care about us. I believe most of you care about us. But often there is a gap between what you believe and what we think you believe. While you truly want the best for us, we may not comprehend it that way. The best way to bridge this gap is with action. Once this gap's been filled, true, life-changing learning happens in your classroom. 

From research, interviews, and studies, I have found qualities that influential teachers all share. I will be releasing a book on these findings soon. But for now, I want to use this blog to interact with you teachers daily and learn more about you and the struggles you face. Through everything though, I hope to inspire you to become the best teacher you can be.  

I will end with this: I am so appreciative for all the hard-work you put into teaching us students. I understand how difficult and frustrating teaching can be, but without the work you do we wouldn't be the people we are today. Thank you for doing all the pointless duties you have to do- faculty meetings, training, etc. I am so grateful you have invested your life into teaching us. So the least I can do is say thanks and try to help you not become so miserable by the day-to-day frustrations you face. I love you all and am so excited to being this school year with you friends. You have the opportunity to change the world. Go out and do it. 

Look at what you have: Five days a week. A couple  hours a day.

PS: Spread this to your teacher friends. I want to get a community of teachers together to do life with. Although I am not a teacher myself, I am the student you teach. You may need one of us to encourage you this year when one of your other students or co-workers are driving you crazy. 

Sorry if you are an English teacher, my grammar isn't the best. You will find many mistakes, my friends ;)