Not the Stereotypical Class by Rudy

Not the Stereotypical Class by Rudy - October 2014 Scholarship Essay

The ideal classroom environment is one of perfect balance. Many times throughout my academic career I have had to take classes in which neither students nor teachers cared about the end result. Those have always been horrible experiences, and with all the mandatory classes that are necessary for graduating high school, I have to suffer through at least one every year.

So, after the complaining, I really thought about what an ideal classroom represents to me, and that is one in which everyone is actively engaged, from the least caring student, to the teacher himself/herself. My greatest classroom experience was in my junior year in a class called American Studies. In this class, the reading was all on the students, as it should be, and so was all of the learning (of course), but that isn’t the thing only that went on in the classroom. We got to know everyone, especially the teachers, and everyone was comfortable with everybody else. What makes an ideal classroom environment is if everything works together, and that teacher can write you a REAL college recommendation letter by the end of the year.

Now, I don’t mean that that should be your end goal of that class’s length, but I am saying that you and the teacher should have a close relationship by the end of the year. They should be able to give the best recommendation letter possible because they know you for you. You should know them, and they should know you, and it’s definitely a lot harder for them, because there is a lot more of us (students), so everyone has to actually put effort into the class.

My ideal classroom isn’t one of a high-tech advanced status, or being outside so you can learn in nature, or one where I can snack and watch movies all period. The ideal classroom should be one where everyone invests part of their personal lives on the line, whether it be friendships, or just any relationship in general, because if you open up and put something of yourself on the line, then you are much more likely to follow through with the class and put the effort in, because then it would be important to you, and everyone else. If you know the teacher, and they know you, then everyone can know what works best to be the best you can be.