Teachers can break or make a student’s life. We’ve all had those that broke our spirit and might have landed us on a therapist’s couch. Maybe in the rearview mirror, that hurt helped us in immeasurable ways. After all, rising from the ashes like a phoenix is the name of the game in life, and resilience is a proven resume booster.

Then there are those gems we’ll never forget because they made such an unforgettable impact, those treasured teachers who believed in us before we believed in ourselves, or the ones who saw something in us that we couldn’t see.

By the time a Sage Creek High School senior takes the stage and moves the tassel from left to right, they will have had a minimum of 30 teachers in their high school career alone. A decade or so after college, it’s only a handful of teachers that are remembered.

What is it that makes a teacher’s legacy in a student’s life endure the test of time? What is it that Bobcats value most? What wisdom do Sage Creek teachers have to impart on this subject? Students were eager to give their input via survey, and teachers passionately answered interview questions.

Unanimously, students value relatability. It dominates conversations when students share what they think is important; this seems to be a given and was shared by a few stand-out Sage staffers as well. The survey revealed the top three key character traits in teachers as “respects and values students and their input,” “patience,” and “actually teaches.”

While we look forward to staff reaction upon these results going public, here are a few specific comments from students that represent a collective opinion.

Students and teachers were in sync when it came to the importance of relatability and likeability in a teacher. 

Mrs. Alberts, AP Language and Composition teacher, said “These are very important. A student may struggle if they don’t identify with a teacher,” Perhaps this is why Mrs. Alberts is a front-runner for teacher of the year according to this survey.

Lexi Thurman, a senior at Sage Creek, wrote, “I think relatability is most important honestly. To feel that I am friends with my teacher is critical to our understanding of each other and in creating empathy between the two. I think that relatability is where the other main factors stem from; you can’t be truly empathetic and patient towards a person without knowing them.”

When prompted to elaborate more on the other important traits, on the theme of “respects and values students and their input,” some students feel that teachers jump to the wrong conclusion. Animesh Johnson, a senior at Sage Creek said, “Someone that accepts that mental health issues are a problem and that us appearing distracted is from ADHD and not just ‘social media.”

Heather Green, a junior at Sage, said, “Humility: that is to say, the ability to acknowledge or concede where one is wrong and keep one’s mind open to learning opportunities (regardless of knowledge or credentials).”

One thing is certain: there are teachers who care deeply about their impact. In regards to her ideal teaching legacy, Mrs. Brown, a geometry and algebra two math teacher, said, “I just want all my students to know that regardless if you earn an A or a D-, I love you and appreciate how hard you are working.” 

Mrs. Alberts was asked the same question and said, “I would like students to remember that hard work can help you to grow in just about anything you do.”

The most fun responses received were when students felt like a particular teacher should be teaching a different class.

One thing is clear for sure: both students and teachers would like to see a more modern curriculum refresh. Students would like to see more classes thatexplore their interests and ones that are more relevant to life after graduation.

It’s evident across students and teachers alike that the desire for a tighter student-teacher connection exists. This is great news, yet getting there isn’t a check box item. Chemistry is subjective and takes time to evolve, especially when the classroom setting isn’t designed to create one-on-one relationships. Hopefully, this information will help provide insight for all Bobcats and resonate with teachers making it easier and natural to create a positive impact and strengthen connections by knowing what matters most.