Assignment #1 - Group B, Reflection #1

I conducted my interview with Karrie Williams, a high school senior. She is seventeen-years-old, dresses in fashionable clothing, wears a tasteful amount of makeup, and straightens her short blonde hair to perfection every morning. At five feet, ten inches tall, she stands out among her group of friends. They are an animated bunch of both girls and boys, and enjoy telling harmless jokes and stories about one another. Most of them have been friends since middle school, if not elementary school or preschool, and their close bond is obvious. Understandably, they are all eager to complete their high school careers and graduate in June, and one cannot help but adopt their hopeful outlook for the future. While Karrie may appear to be a typical high school student at first glance, her responses to my interview revealed a young woman with great insight and remarkable ambition.

Many students would agree with her claim that the best part about school is being able to see friends on a daily basis. Karrie said, “Without school, I probably wouldn’t be able to socialize with my friends as much as I do now.” Also a common response from students, Karrie said that the worst part about school is having a bad teacher. In her words, “If you have a teacher that is unable to teach their subject, it can ruin the entire year. Having a teacher you dislike can bring your grade lower, which is never good.” She also voiced her dislike for the various social groups that inevitably form in school, saying, “No matter what anyone says, there is such a thing as a ‘preppy’ group of people. I think there should not be separate groups of people where some are more popular than others.” Oftentimes, academic subjects can be troublesome as well.

When asked which subject is the most difficult for her, Karrie was quick to reply: history. She has a hard time memorizing important dates for historical events, and is unable to retain information related to history because it is a subject that does not really interest her, which makes it difficult to learn. Karrie dislikes her government/economics class because it is similar to history and she has difficulty memorizing information. She added, “Also, the teacher is always drinking energy drinks and going crazy in class. It isn’t easy to learn from a teacher who acts like one of the students. Plus, the kids in that class are always loud and disrespectful.” However, Karrie’s face lit up when asked to share about her easiest and favorite subject: art. She said that any type of art class is her easiest/favorite because “I really enjoy creating new things, especially in ceramics. Having a class where I am able to work with my hands is always my favorite.” She grinned as she recounted awards she has won in various art shows over the years.

Karrie displayed similar enthusiasm when talking about her extracurricular activities. She is currently in her third season of tennis, and takes great pride in being the number one girl on her school’s varsity tennis team. She is also a member of her school’s Earth Club, which recycles on campus and participates in various events throughout the community. The club recently became a part of the “Adopt a Highway” program, dedicating time to cleaning a portion of a highway close to campus.

After graduation, Karrie plans on attending a California State University, then possibly transferring to another college to pursue culinary education. She said that she eventually wants to own her own restaurant because “I have always loved cooking and it would be nice to own one of my own to run things how I want them.” When asked what she would need to do in order to attain that goal, she replied, “I need to get training and work hard so that I know what I am doing when it comes to owning my own business.” Her role models are her parents “because they work hard to achieve what they want.” She also added, “My dad is the one who introduced me to the cooking world.”

When asked if she feels that high school has properly prepared her for college, Karrie responded, “I feel school has helped prepare me for college. My classes were difficult enough and teachers were helpful to tell us what to expect in college. They treated us like college students so that we may become used to college classes.” She also feels that the numerous standards students are required to meet are beneficial because they push her and her classmates to reach, and potentially surpass, their goals. Similarly, Karrie approves of the use of standardized tests because they tell students how much they have learned and whether or not they need to pay more attention in school.

She said that what makes her favorite teacher a good teacher is his ability to connect with students. As Karrie elaborated, “He is able to crack jokes every now and then to keep the mood light in class. He keeps the class lively by telling interesting stories that have to do with the subject he is teaching. He is extremely helpful when it comes to students’ questions.” She said that if she were ever to be a teacher, she would be sure to make a connection with students and to never be too strict. She would want to be a likeable teacher, but not a pushover, adding “It is really hard to control a class when they do not like you.”

Karrie said that her teachers encourage students by talking about their futures and telling them how much better their futures will be if they try their hardest. When asked if she feels that her teachers care about her and her academic life, Karrie said, “I feel they do care because they want us to succeed in life because we are the future. We can change the world if we try.”

I completely agree with Karrie’s conviction that a poor teacher will lead to poor student performance. Each step in education builds upon the last and is extremely important for the next, so any delay, however brief, has the potential to be extremely detrimental to a student’s success. Teachers are a major influence on students’ lives, and must always strive to ensure that their influence is a positive one. Memorization is considerably difficult for many students like Karrie, whose response reinforces my decision to never require my students to memorize information. Seeing Karrie’s face illuminate as she spoke about her love for art strengthened my desire to make art (and other hands-on activities) an important part of my instruction, despite whatever budget crises the educational system may face in the future.

While I believe that academic standards and standardized tests are important, I feel that too much emphasis is placed on them. I will definitely do my best to prepare my students to succeed at both, while simultaneously giving them a well-rounded, wholesome education. I will also strive to develop and maintain a close connection with my students through a sharing of interests. I want to talk to them about their extracurricular activities and other related information, and I will always do my part to reciprocate. I feel that one of the most important things a teacher can do for students is talk about their futures and their boundless potential. Teachers must encourage their students to take advantage of every opportunity within their grasp, even those that may seem slightly out of reach.