Student Opinions: Passion
"Although I find this article very interesting and can see why it has merits I believe I resonated with my favorite teachers not because we share race or gender, but because they are passionate about the subject they are teaching and consequently so am I. In my experience the reason I connected with my favorite teachers was because of our personality types, not because of identity factors."
~Mairead, VT
"The only factors that contribute to my learning are the teacher's ability to be passionate about the subject they are teaching, or their ability to retell something in different words for people who do not understand. When a teacher is eager to teach a lesson, you can tell how heartfelt they are about the topic. Being passionate increases my interest in what is being taught and sometimes even leaves me thinking about it outside of school. It lightens the mood of the class and relieves some pressure for me, knowing that I will definitely comprehend the lesson by the end of the class."
~Marc Matos-Figueroa, Providence, RI
"A teacher who cares about their students and who is passionate about what they teach is the best kind of teacher. Although as a black female student I do think it is nice to see people who are the same color or gender as me in charge. It shows us that we too can have jobs and teach like them too."
~Madison, Providence, RI