Passion

Passion is something that I feel really does need to be present in a classroom.  It definitely needs to be within the teacher, and if the students are passionate about the subject, music in my case, then it will be all the more exciting to work together.  It also is exciting to see passion grow from student to student, teacher to student, or just within one individual.

In my middle school the grades ranged from 6th to 8th.  While I was there I had 3 different choir directors (music teachers) for the 3 different years.  The teacher I had my 7th grade year was the most influential of those years, if not all of my choir/musical years.  Mr. DeBoer was not only a great musician, but a very passionate about what he did, and all students could tell.  During the year he was there he worked with 2 choirs during the day as well as many general music classes.  After school he put in time with "Showstoppers" and he also started a group called "World Music Chorale."  All students were very excited about more opportunities to perform and learn new music.  Also this gave a different type of music to students more interested in one or another.  This show how involved and passionate he was with what he did.

Another thing that showed how much he cared was when the time came to do solo and ensemble contest.  It was my first year doing it and was very nervous when it came time to select a solo.  I asked him for his opinion and he said he look to see if he could find something.  A little less than a week later he came back with "Ave Maria."  The only thing was that it wasn't just Ave Maria, it was an arrangement by him.  He took time out of his crazy life to arrange a piece just for me to sing.  This really has made a huge impact on me to this very day.

Authenticity

Is being authentic something that just happens?  Or do you feel it is something you have to work to achieve?  There are some limits to authenticity I do believe.

I have had some teachers who were authentic inside and out.  They were their own person and did not try too hard to be something that they just were not.  I have also had some teachers that had absolutely no authenticity whatsoever.  They tried way to hard to get the students to like them.  They picture what the "cool" teacher is and try to become that teacher.  They focus so much on that idea that they don't spend anytime showing their students their true self.

Compassion

Some question whether compassion really does have an official place in the classroom.  I believe it definitely does.  

My sophomore year in high school I was in Geometry.  The teacher I had, Mr. Daniels, was also the Varsity basketball coach.  I saw him day in and day out and though I personally did not talk with him much at first regarding math I saw his interactions with each of his players.  He talked with them almost everyday to check in and make sure everything was going well with them.  Also, he would make sure they stayed on top of all their studies so it would not become a problem for the team.  Whenever any of them needed help he would make some sort of arrangement to help.  By doing this he gained much respect from every one of his players.

Eventually my horrible math skills gave me some trouble on a certain lesson we started one week.  It didn't get any better later in the week and Mr. Daniels knew I was struggling.  He called me over to his desk and asked how everything was going.  I told him it was alright, and that math was never my thing.  And he asked if I had spent a lot of time on it.  I responded with "A fair amount..." knowing that i went from right after school at 3PM to 10PM with poms to marching band to my dance studio, and arriving at home at 11PM and then starting homework was not the best way to learn and work hard.  He then found out how involved I was in other things.  He did not go any easier on me or show sympathy, he said I shouldn't burn the candle from both ends and was worried that eventually the flame would go out and it would not be a happy or healthy situation for myself. This showed me that he treated me equal as any student but still cared enough for my well being and the quality of my school work.  It really was an eye opener and he continued to be involved and interested with almost all I did from then on out.

Respect

Respect.  Is a term that is generally thrown around lightly?  Does anyone ever really stop to think about what it is to be respected by another?  There are many definitions of respect, but to me it really means to think highly of.  Respect in the classroom can be seen many ways.  For me, a music major, it could be that once you step in front of your choir the talking stops immediately, or when there is a brief pause in rehearsal, side conversations do not break loose all around the room.  It can also be as small as being engaged in the music and the rehearsal the entire time.  Respect does have a huge impact on the whole feel of the classroom.  It helps class move efficiently, and make it more beneficial for everyone involved.  A lack of respect can create much tension that is completely unnecessary.  It can also create chaos and sometimes a lack of attention from the class as a whole, because everyone if effected.  Respect can be established in a number of ways depending on teaching style and personality.  For me personally, having a set list of rules and regulations that must be followed is a good start.  One must be understanding and fun in the classroom as well as partially strict and stern so the students know you are there for them, but they also need to attentive to you at all times as well.