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| Sacred Heart Catholic School, 3rd Grade, at the Idaho Capitol May 14, 2014 |
When I was in the third grade
myself, I visited the Idaho Capitol building. I have always been interested in politics.
In 2nd grade, I supported Nixon in the 1968 election! I still have my
old “Nixon Is the One” button! I was eight years old. Our son asked, "Were you always a geek Dad!"
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| Mark Dunham at the Capitol 1969 |
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| Mark Dunham at the Capitol 2014 |
But, “Mrs. G” has a way of making learning fun.
I thought a lot about my own
teachers from Kindergarten through college. I have a handful of “teachers” who I
admire even now. They were not “just teachers,” they embodied the best
attributes of teachers. I found a list of teacher attributes from Maria Orlando, EdD in
Philosophy of Teaching:
A great teacher respects students. In a great teacher’s classroom, each
person’s ideas and opinions are valued. Students feel safe to express their
feelings and learn to respect and listen to others. This teacher creates a
welcoming learning environment for all students.
A great teacher creates a sense of community and belonging in the
classroom. The mutual respect in this teacher’s classroom provides a
supportive, collaborative environment. In this small community, there are rules
to follow and jobs to be done and each student is aware that he or she is an
important, integral part of the group. A great teacher lets students know that
they can depend not only on her, but also on the entire class.
A great teacher is warm, accessible, enthusiastic and caring. This person
is approachable, not only to students, but to everyone on campus or the school. This is the
teacher to whom students know they can go with any problems or concerns or even
to share a funny story. Great teachers possess good listening skills and take
time out of their way-too-busy schedules for anyone who needs them. If this
teacher is having a bad day, no one ever knows—the teacher leaves personal
baggage outside the school doors.
A great teacher sets high expectations for all students. This teacher
realizes that the expectations she has for her students greatly affect their
achievement; she knows that students generally give to teachers as much or as
little as is expected of them.
A great teacher has his own love of learning and inspires students with his
passion for education and for the course material. He constantly renews himself
as a professional on his quest to provide students with the highest quality of
education possible. This teacher has no fear of learning new teaching
strategies or incorporating new technologies into lessons, and always seems to
be the one who is willing to share what he’s learned with colleagues.
A great teacher is a skilled leader. Different from administrative leaders,
effective teachers focus on shared decision-making and teamwork, as well as on
community building. This great teacher conveys this sense of leadership to
students by providing opportunities for each of them to assume leadership
roles.
A great teacher can “shift-gears” and is flexible when a lesson isn’t
working. This teacher assesses his teaching throughout the lessons and finds
new ways to present material to make sure that every student understands the
key concepts.
A great teacher collaborates with colleagues on an ongoing basis. Rather
than thinking of herself as weak because she asks for suggestions or help, this
teacher views collaboration as a way to learn from a fellow professional. A
great teacher uses constructive criticism and advice as an opportunity to grow
as an educator.
A great teacher maintains professionalism in all areas—from personal
appearance to organizational skills and preparedness for each day. Her
communication skills are exemplary, whether she is speaking with an
administrator, one of her students or a colleague. The respect that the great
teacher receives because of her professional manner is obvious to those around
her.
For me, these specific teachers made learning fun, interesting and thought provoking:
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| Twin Falls High School |
- Dorothy Guest, my 4th Grade teacher at Morningside Elementary School in Twin Falls, Idaho.
- Mary Lu Barry, Twin Falls High School.
- Susan LaBeau Pliler, Twin Falls High School.
- Ed Chupa, Twin Falls High School.
- Dr. Laurel Traynowicz, Ph.D. Boise State University.
- Dr. Phoebe Lundy, Ph.D. Boise State University.
- Dr. Barry Asmus, Ph.D. Boise State University.
- Dr. John Mitchell, Ph.D. Boise State University.
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| Mark Dunham, BSU Distinguished Alumni, 2012 |
Each of those teachers had an
amazing influence on my life. They challenged me so much. They made me think
about my biases and my beliefs. Those 7 incredible teachers made me the man that I am today. I am grateful for their mentorship and patience.
I wonder when our son looks back
on his teachers, who will be the ones that he will remember?
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