Master Teacher

Title: Influences by Teachers Name: Kasey Blackmon Course: Education 200 Date: June 1, 2013 Instructor Name: Barbara McMurtrey

I have had many master teachers in my life. Each of them, in their own way, prepared me for life in ways I never imagined. They helped me to realize that I want to teach one day. They taught me techniques that I will be able to use in my own classroom and that I will be able to use as I teach my own children. They taught me that good teachers are more than just instructors; they can also become life-long friends and mentors. My master teachers shaped me in many ways and I am so glad I was placed in their classrooms.
Mrs. Wiggins was my advanced algebra, trigonometry, and algebra two teacher. She taught her class in a way that made students feel comfortable to speak up and ask questions if they did not understand. While teaching the lesson and showing us examples, she always stopped when students had questions or appeared to not understand. This helped me a lot in her courses. Mrs. Wiggins also tutored after school, which was open to all students to receive additional help. Right before a test, Mrs. Wiggins went over a study guide that she gave us the day prior to a test. She would go over each answer and if someone had a question she went step by step through the problem until the student clearly understood it. Not only did she care about how her students did in the classroom, Mrs. Wiggins also cared about her students personally.
My senior year of high school I was talking to Mrs. Wiggins about moving to Idaho and starting school at Brigham Young University- Idaho. She was very excited for me. She told me to send her lots of pictures. Also during my senior year Mrs. Wiggins went back to school to receive her master’s degree while taking care of a newborn baby and trying to figure out why her daughter was always so sick. This never stopped Mrs. Wiggins from helping us in the classroom and after school. Because she was a good teacher and genuinely cared for us, Mrs. Wiggins was my master teacher.
Mrs. Nolan was my conceptual biology teacher. She always helped her students in every way she could. Personally, I am not very good at science, but Mrs. Nolan would stay after school to help me. She would go out of her way to make sure I understood the concept even if that meant to teach it a different way. During class she would give us worksheets and this helped us to better understand the material. Before every test, Mrs. Nolan would get out the test and make sure that we understood the concepts that were going to be on it. This helped us to know what exactly was going to be on the test and what to study. Mrs. Nolan like Mrs. Wiggins also cared about our personal life. She would ask what we did that weekend or what we were doing for the summer. She tried to connect with her students on a personal level. This helped her students become more comfortable with her and helped make communication better between teacher and student. This makes Mrs. Nolan a master teacher in my eyes.
In my future classroom I want my students to feel comfortable enough to ask questions. I think as a teacher we are there for the student. If we teach a concept and the students do not understand then we need to adjust our teaching methods. I also think it is very important for students to ask questions. When students ask questions we as teachers know what they are understanding and picking up and what we need to better explain. Asking questions benefit the students and teachers. In my future classroom I also want to connect with my students on a personal level. I want them to feel comfortable to come talk to me about anything. Especially if their personal life is interfering with their education. I think if students and teachers have a better relationship-asking question and asking for help is easier. I also hope to bring the spirit into my classroom. I do not know where I am going to end up teaching and if the gospel is very common where I teach but I hope that the spirit can help me better teach my students.
Jesus Christ is a master teacher. When he was on the earth he was teaching the gospel to people on a daily basis. He taught with the spirit and he always explained the things he was teaching in detail. If someone did not understand what Christ was speaking he also repeated himself or tried to word it different. I want to emulate him when I teach in my future classroom. When the kings and other men tried to trick him or when they said he was wrong Christ never lost his tempter. He was always caring and calm. Jesus Christ also cared about the people’s personal lives. He cares about our well-being and he wants to know how we are doing. Christ is the perfect example of a master teacher.
Mrs. Wiggins and Mrs. Nolan were my favorite teachers in high school. They not only went the extra mile for me but they also helped me realize that I wanted to teach one day. I am thankful that they were such great examples to me. I want to use their methods to teach my own students one day. I also want to teach as Christ did. He never lost his tempter with his students and he also cared about them and went the extra mile for them on many occasions. Christ is the master teacher and I hope to emulate how he taught in my future classroom.