The Impact of Inspiring Teachers

Students review teaching qualities they appreciate inside the classroom. Many students have a hard time focusing in class, but with the right teacher and qualities, learning can become easier and more enjoyable.

Most teachers try their best to teach their students in the best way possible, but some qualities have a bigger impact than others. For sophomore Julie Schmidt, Mr. Jerry Epp was one of the teachers she really appreciated.

“Whenever there was anything I didn’t understand in his class, he would always like re-explain,” Schmidt said.

For Mr. Epp, consistency, responsibility, self-awareness, and integrity are important aspects to help his students excel in his class.

“I try to do different things during class, not just do one type of activity. So I usually try to do at least three different things, and one of those is having my students actually doing something, maybe at the lab tables, not just sitting and looking at their screens.” Epp said.

Sophomore Adylynn Hein loves how adaptive Mrs. Rickard’s teaching style is.

“ She has helped me understand the subject and not just taught it in one way that she can understand,” Hein said.

Hein said Mrs. Rickard uses different ways of teaching, including visuals, talking it out, and having her students solve problems on the boards. A common quality both Hein and Schmidt mentioned they appreciated was teaching something in more than one way. Compassion is another quality that Schmidt said was extremely helpful.

“He made me realize, like I’m smarter than I think I am,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt said Mr. Epp helped boost her confidence in biology and made it fun. For most students, when class is more enjoyable,e it is easier to focus and actually learn the material.

“They’re more engaged, and they ask questions, and they’ll seek help if they’re having trouble with something,” Epp said. “I would just like to thank him for being such a great teacher,” Schmidt said.