Running head: A DEEPER LOOK INTO HOW TO BE A TEACHER THAT MAKES AN

IMPACT
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A Deeper Look Into How to be a Teacher That Makes an Impact

Kiera Lewis
Texas A&M University- Commerce

A DEEPER LOOK INTO HOW TO BE A TEACHER THAT MAKES AN IMPACT

Abstract
This paper reports conclusions drawn from a study that through reflection and one on one
interviews uncovers what it takes to be a teacher that makes a lasting impact on the lives of their
students. There are factors within students lives that will shape them and mold them, and
depending on an educators influence in their lives, they could be one of the biggest factors that
does this. Through the analysis of multiple interviews the researcher was able to conclude that 4
of the major factors that help teachers make a lasting impact on their students are their ability to
motivate, engage, connect, and establish high expectations for their students. The data is
presented in the form of brief vignettes followed by reflections, and implications for the
classroom.

A DEEPER LOOK INTO HOW TO BE A TEACHER THAT MAKES AN IMPACT

Introduction
When I chose to become a teacher I knew I wanted to be the best teacher I could be. I knew that
there was a lot for me to learn, and I could not learn it all overnight. My biggest reason for
becoming a teacher is to influence the lives of my students in a positive way. I want to embody
the characteristics of teachers who make a lasting impact on the lives of their students, and I set
out to do this by first learning about what it takes to accomplish this goal. I conducted 10
different interviews where I learned information from my participants that explained to me how
their favorite teachers impacted their lives. I received many different responses, but after
analyzing these interviews I found correlations that helped guide my research into what it takes
to be a teacher that impacts the lives of my students. The following is a deeper look into what I
learned from my interviews and further research into the themes I found within 5 of my
participants responses.

Background Information
I believe I can fly, I believe I can touch the sky, are the lyrics to a song I will never forget, and
it is because of a teacher I will never forget. Ms. Wilson is the name that has always come to my
mind whenever I am asked, who is your favorite teacher? I often reminisce over how great of
an impact she has had on my life. I look at her as a hero, a role model, and now a guardian angel.
Ms. Wilson was my kindergarten teacher. Although, it has been almost 17 years since the last
time I saw her, and over 15 years since she passed away in a car accident, I still feel a sense of
admiration for her. Her influence in my life continues even till this day. Despite the fact that I do
not remember much about my experiences in kindergarten, I do remember Ms. Wilson and how
she made me feel. There is a saying by Maya Angelou that reads, ...people will forget what you
said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel ( A

A DEEPER LOOK INTO HOW TO BE A TEACHER THAT MAKES AN IMPACT

quote by Maya Angelou). This statement reigns true when it comes to my experience with Mrs.
Wilson. She was the very first person who made me feel like I was capable of great things. I
remember her telling my mother I was a genius. Even at that young age I knew she believed in
me because of the way she made me feel and the things she would do for me. For instance, I
remember the day it was getting close to time for kindergarten graduation, and she sat the class
down and asked for volunteers to raise their hand if they wanted to lead the class in singing I
Believe I Can Fly. I just sat there and watched everyone around me raise their hands. Getting on
stage in front of my classmates and their families did not sound fun to me. However, I could feel
Mrs. Wilson looking my direction. I do not know what made me do it, but I eventually put my
hand up, and as soon as I did she picked me. These memories have stuck with me because they
left an impact that has honestly guided me in many areas of my life. Mrs. Wilson was a big part
of my motivation to be successful in school. The way in which she thought so highly of my
potential and my intellect really helped me do my best. I also feel that if it was not for her
influence I would not have become a teacher. The impact she made on my life was tremendous.
I say all of this to magnify the research that I have done and illustrate the great impact teachers
can have on the lives of their students. I want to be a Ms. Wilson in the lives of my students.
This is why I think it is important to gain a deeper understanding of what it takes to make a
lasting impact like Ms. Wilson has made in my life. My first year of teaching left me wanting to
know what I can do, and how I could be one of the teachers that my students think about years
from now. I want them to be able to say I made a difference in their lives.

Research Methodology
I explored what it takes to be a teacher that leaves a lasting impact by reflecting on my life
experiences and through multiple interviews. From this I structured my research around the

A DEEPER LOOK INTO HOW TO BE A TEACHER THAT MAKES AN IMPACT

responses and insight gained from my interviews to guide me on my discovery of the

characteristics of a teacher that impacts the lives of their students. My experience as a teacherresearcher is still fresh and new, but I see so much potential in the difference it can make within
my classroom.
This research project was my first opportunity to see what I can learn from digging deeper into a
topic of interest to me. My overarching question for my research was, How do teachers make a
lasting impact on the future of their students? I explored this topic over this last month through
several interviews of individuals of different ages, ethnicities, socioeconomic status, and
backgrounds. The responses and stories they shared with me were all different, but they all had a
common theme that I will discuss more in depth later. They all willingly shared stories with me
similar to my story of Mrs. Wilson, where their admiration and respect for their teacher showed
through in the details of their responses. After, hearing their responses I spent time analyzing this
data and pulling key points from their responses to help guide me in further research of ways to
personify these traits and behaviors of a teacher that leaves a lasting impact.
Before conducting my interviews I had an idea of what I thought my participants responses
would be based on my experience with Mrs. Wilson. I anticipated that they would say they felt
that they were cared for by their teacher, that their teacher was nice, encouraging, and admirable.
I was interested to hear their viewpoints and hear them describe the details of what made them
feel this way about their teachers. My interviewees responses also included qualities I had not
considered. The conclusions I was able to draw concerning my overarching question was that in
order to be a teacher that impacts the lives of my students I must first work to motivate my
students; I must strive to deliver fun and engaging lessons; I must teach them knowledge that
they can connect to and utilize; and I must set high expectations that show my students I believe

A DEEPER LOOK INTO HOW TO BE A TEACHER THAT MAKES AN IMPACT

in them. I found the insight of my research participants very valuable. After analyzing their
responses I was able to use these key points to guide my research and make connections with the
information from books and articles that helped me discover ways to embody the traits I learned
about from my interviews. The following information is what I learned and the connections I was
able to make so that teachers like myself, who want to impact their students lives can learn where
to start and what types of things to do.

Learning From the Data

Making an Impact Through Motivating
Learning how to be a motivation to students is a major factor in impacting their lives. In fact, my
research participants all referred to or described the sense of motivation that they felt due to the
actions of their teachers. I know what this feels like from my own personal experience and so
does my interviewee Rey Gonzalez. He discussed with me how his coach/math teacher
motivated him to do better in math. Rey described how he began to work harder in math in order
to show his math teacher that he was good in math. He in turn hoped this would impress his math
teacher/coach enough for him to promote him to the Varsity football team. Coincidentally, he
became so good at math that his coach recommended that he join the University Interscholastic
League (UIL) and compete in the math competitions. Rey joined the team and ended up doing
very well. Rey grew to love math and he formed a close bond with this teacher who motivated
him in more ways than one. Not only did Rey receive motivation from this teacher, but he also
talked about how he felt encouraged because his teacher showed he believed in him by
recommending that he sign up for the UIL team. This is one example of how important it is that
students feel motivated by their teachers because it can honestly change the trajectory of their
lives in a positive way. The implications from this interview lead me to discover a study that was

A DEEPER LOOK INTO HOW TO BE A TEACHER THAT MAKES AN IMPACT

very informative concerning student motivation. The study I found was done by a teacherresearcher named Patricia Harde. She conducted her research over a 15 year timespan in which
she worked in rural secondary education and through her experience she identified how effective
motivational knowledge, the use of effective theory, and research supported teaching strategies
lead to high levels of student achievement (Harde, 2012). One of the many important points that
stuck out to me and connected with my topic was this, ...school related motivation influences
students choices and actions both present and future, as motivation and experiences in school
impact choice of college careers and lifelong learning (Harde, 2012). I felt this was very
important to note because it is evidence that educators play a major role in the impact and
influence school has on a childs life. Harde found that rural students are more likely to struggle
with the issues of dropping out and disengagement more than non-rural students and it is due to
their lack of motivation (2012). For me this really reiterates the importance of being a teacher
that is able to engage and motivate my students on a level that will lead to their wanting to learn
and achieve more. This study also focused on the hardships teachers face when working to get
rural students motivated. Hardes findings are relatable for students in other setting as well
because the article addresses issues that are prevalent in many schools and with many teachers
like not knowing how to address why students are not motivated and not having the adequate
knowledge of strategies to address these problems. The study addressed four strategies for
motivating students. These effective strategies are as follows: 1) support learning and future
goals; 2) make content relevant and connect to students interests; 3) respect and treat students as
uniquely valued individuals, and 4) foster valuing and perceived competence (Harde, 2012).
There were also principles described based off of motivational research that I found significant.
These principles consist of this: educators should be able to recognize when a child is or is not

A DEEPER LOOK INTO HOW TO BE A TEACHER THAT MAKES AN IMPACT

motivated; achievement should not be looked at as the only or the best indicator of motivation;
teachers should seek to understand the why and the students underlying needs; teachers should
get to know their students individualities; teachers should work to instill motivation that is longterm in order to create independent life-long learners (Harde, 2012). Looking into this study
really was beneficial for me because it opened my eyes up to know where to start when it comes
to motivating my students. It is clear from my interview with Rey and my analysis of this study
that a teacher that can motivate is a teacher that is capable of making a difference and leaving a
lasting impact as well.
When I think about my responsibility of working to develop life-long learners it makes me think
about how motivation does not stop at the primary and secondary level, but students like myself
in higher education need to be motivated as well. When students choose to go to college they
need a reason to be successful. Many college students are just as disengaged as secondary
school students. This brings me to an interview I conducted with my friend Jean. She discussed
with me how the teacher who made the biggest impact on her life was her professor Mr. Z. He
took the time to advise her and influence her as a leader. Coincidentally, I met her through a
small group meeting she was leading for our church, so I was able to witness firsthand how his
influence has helped her in her life. During my research, I found an article that connected well
with what I learned from my interview with Jean. In this article Professor Craig Abrahamson
recounted techniques he used to create an atmosphere of motivational learning through personal
connection and sharing of life experiences and values with his students (2011). Abrahamson
made a great point when he stated, A good relationship is the foundation for all learning, change
takes place in the context of a relationship and it must begin with instructors getting to know
each student, even in large classes with more than 100 students (Abrahamson, 2011).

A DEEPER LOOK INTO HOW TO BE A TEACHER THAT MAKES AN IMPACT

Abrahamson goes on to discuss the techniques that have worked for him over the years. What
can be really appreciated about his techniques is that they do not just make sense for college
professors, but they can actually all be adapted and applied to any classroom where a teacher sets
out to motivate their students to learn. The use of the techniques described begins the first day of
school. Abrahamson describes how he uses the first day of school to complete exercises where
students answer questions and write essays to tell him about themselves, and this is his way of
beginning the process of connecting and building a positive relationship with his students
(Abrahamson, 2011). From there he describes how he allowed students to relate to the course
content through his and their own personal storytelling and how this aids in lasting understanding
of the content (Abrahamson, 2011). The information I learned from this study and my interview
with Jean taught me that connecting with my students is worth the time and effort because it can
be a big motivating factor that leaves a lasting impact on their lives.

Making an Impact through Student Engagement

Engaging Students by Making Learning Fun
Student motivation and student engagement go hand and hand. Just think about this, an
unmotivated student is most likely not going to be an engaged student, and a student that is not
engaged is probably not going to feel very motivated either. During my interview with a 5th
grade girl named Kiara she told me how her 2nd grade teacher made learning fun, and how she
really enjoyed her class. When teachers are able to create a learning environment that is engaging
for their students then often times their students will feel their class is fun and entertaining.
Therefore, it is important to find ways to help them become engaged. Making Fun of School, or
Why Does Learning Have to be Such a Drag? Six Key Elements for Motivating Learning,
connected well with the great insight I gained from Kiara. In this study Dr. Zinn analyzed

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hundreds of surveys he gathered over a span of 2 decades that asked people about when they felt
learning was fun for them, and from this he found 7 themes that can be used to engage and
motivate students to learn (Zinn, 2008). I was very interested in learning about these themes
because I remember how my interviewees face lit up when she talked about how much fun her
favorite teacher made learning. Dr. Zinns study described these 7 key elements in making
learning fun: choice, relevance, engagement, active learning, positive teacher attitude, and a
sense of camaraderie (Zinn, 2008). After learning about these elements that Dr. Zinn compiled
from his research, I thought about how every element she outlined is controlled by my actions as
a teacher.
Engaging Students through Effective Techniques and Strategies
Educators are in control of creating a learning environment that fosters the development of all
these elements. This is an empowering feeling because I know that I have all the knowledge I
need to reach my students, but I must be very intentional and strategic on how I utilize what I
have learned in order to make it work for my diverse group of learners. As a matter of fact, I
have looked into and read quite a few books on student engagement and tips on becoming a
better teacher. Effective teaching techniques and strategies are essential for engaging and
impacting students. This led me to look into what techniques I could find to help me within my
classroom. Teach Like A Champion: 49 Techniques That Put Students on the Path to College, is a
book I found to be very helpful when it comes to every aspect of being an impactful teacher. The
chapter Engaging Students in Your Lesson, has many valuable techniques that seem to be
easily to implement within the classroom. One technique that I want to highlight is called
Pepper. This technique makes learning fun and keeps students engaged. Pepper can be
described as a fast-paced unpredictable game where the teacher asks students questions for

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review. Students answer the question and if they answer correctly the teacher moves on to
another student and another question, but if they do not answer correctly the teacher asks the
same question again to another student (Lemov, 2010). This game allows students the
opportunity to think about what they have learned, and put it into their own words. It is a great
way to check for understanding, and keep students engaged because they never know if they are
going to be the next to be chosen to answer the question.
Along with effective techniques I found a study that outlined teaching strategies that more than
60 professors used that were effective with helping their students achieve remarkable learning
results (Bain, 2004). There were several strategies that connected to the primary and secondary
classroom that are noteworthy. These strategies are, create a learning environment that is natural,
command students attention and keep it, and create diverse learning experiences for students
(Bain, 2004). These strategies fit well within the other implications I have discussed throughout
this paper. In fact, there were many correlations through most of my research findings that
showed how the elements of motivation, engagement, and connection are all essential towards
being an impactful teacher. Engaging students through fun activities and effective techniques and
strategies is another way to impact their lives and motivate them to want to learn and achieve
within the classroom.

Making an Impact through Making Connections

Once a teacher is able to connect with their students in a way that leads to positive student
engagement then he or she has made it easier to present students with the knowledge they need
to know to be successful. I gained this insight from an interview I conducted with my mother.
She talked with me about a teacher named Ms. Young that she admired. She admired Ms. Young
because of the way she carried herself and her professionalism. She also felt that Ms. Young was

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not like her other teachers, and she actually cared about her. My mother described how her other
teachers did not teach in a way that showed they cared whether or not she understood. In fact
they would tell her., I got mines, you need to get yours, in reference to her education. This was
not very encouraging to her because it made her feel like they did not genuinely care about her
education. However, Ms. Young really took her time and tried to help. This is very important
and is another way to make a lasting impact on students lives. Not only did Ms. Young show she
cared, but she worked to make sure my mother received the education she deserved.
I was also able to find implications for this element through my interview with my 13 year old
niece Arial. I mention her age because even at 13 she was able to articulate how she appreciated
gaining knowledge that she could apply in her everyday life. It was through her interview that I
began to understand how important this is, and it leads me to research this aspect further. She
told me about how the teacher who made the biggest impact on her life was her hospitality
teacher because she taught her things like table etiquette and how to cook. Which she felt were
important and useful in her everyday life. Arial explained that this was her major reason for
considering this teaches the most impactful teacher she has had. This is how students should feel
about everything they learn at school. In order for this to occur educators must work to relate the
curriculum to their students lives. The only way this can be done effectively is by connecting
and getting to know students. I found a study that represents why it is so important to make this
type of connection with students. In this study students achievement levels are notably increased
through their teachers use of reflection and student stances and thought processes in creating a
learning environment that engages a student into the curriculum (Egbert & Roe, 2014).
According to Egbert and Roe the first step to helping students connect to the curriculum is to
understand the importance of task engagement (2014). Just like I mentioned before there is an

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evident correlation between each theme that I have addressed. These themes of motivation,
connectedness, engagement, and high expectations are a part of what it takes to make an impact,
and I have learned that these themes function best when they are used together. Ebert and Roes
article really showed me how these themes function together, and how it can improve the level of
student achievement. A key point from this article is that students understanding of the why
they are learning what they are learning is important for their connection to the curriculum, and it
encourages them to want to learn more (Egber & Roe, 2014). Relating the curriculum to students
is another important aspect in making an impact that will last.

Making an Impact through High Expectations

It is easy to set high expectations for students, and to say we have high expectations for our
students, but it takes more than just this. My research showed me that I must also work to help
them achieve my expectations for them. It was my interview with my childhood friend, Melody
that helped me to realize the impact that high expectations can have on the lives of my students.
She talked to me about a professor whose actions really made a difference in her college career.
Mrs. Williams set high expectations for Melody, and she worked with her to help her meet them.
Melody described how she did not do very well on tests because she had test anxiety. Rather than
just allow Melody to fail, Mrs. Williams allowed her to listen to music through her headphones
because this helped her to concentrate and do better on her tests. Mrs. Williams did not stop
there, she also expected Melody to do well in her other classes. When she found out Melody was
not doing well in her science class Mrs. Williams talked with her other teacher and helped her get
extra-credit work to bring her grade back up to passing. The best part about this is that Mrs.
Williams played a big part in helping Melody be successful just by expecting her to be, and

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doing her part to help her. I found a study that has great implications of the positive effects
setting high expectations can have on student achievement.
This study was very intensive and its purpose was to measure whether or not a teacher
expectation intervention would improve students achievement, and the results indicated that it
did (Rubie-Davies, Peterson, Sibley, & Rosenthal, 2015). Teacher expectation behaviors that
made a difference in students achievement were identified within this study. There were 3 areas
discussed, that set the standard for these teacher high expectation behaviors and they were
flexible grouping, classroom climate, and goal setting (Rubie, et al., 2015). It is important that
teachers do their best to implement these behaviors because it may be just what a certain student
needs to reach their full potential. I look forward to setting goals with my students because I love
to see how proud they are when they reach their goals. It gives me a sense of fulfillment to know
that I was able to work with them and help them accomplish their goals. Just like Melody, there
are so many students who just need one teacher to believe in them and give them the guidance
they need to be successful. Giving students a goal to aim for or expectations to meet can make a
great impact on their lives.

Conclusion
Through my research I was able to gain knowledge that will help me towards becoming the
impactful teacher I want to be. I am thankful for the influence that Mrs. Wilson had on my life,
and I will work to be just what she was to me, to my students. I now know what it takes to make
this impact and I will work to motivate, engage, connect with, and set high expectations for my
students. I think these are implications that any teacher can incorporate into their teaching style,
and become the teacher their students will never forget because they went the extra mile and left
a lasting impact.

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References
Abrahamson, C. E. (2011). Methodologies for Motivating Student Learning through Personal
Connections. Forum On Public Policy Online, 2011(3),
A quote by Maya Angelou. (n.d.). Retrieved August 3, 2015.
Bain, K. (2004, April 9). What makes great teachers great? The Chronicle of Higher Education,
B7.
Cheon, S. H., & Reeve, J. (2015). A classroom-based intervention to help teachers decrease
students amotivation.Contemporary Educational Psychology, 40(Examining InnovationsNavigating the Dynamic Complexities of School-Based Intervention Research), 99-111.
doi:10.1016/j.cedpsych.2014.06.004
Egbert, J., & Roe, M. F. (2014). The Power of Why: Connecting Curriculum to Students' Lives.
Childhood Education, 90(4), 251-258.
Hardre, P. L. (2012). Standing in the Gap: Research that Informs Strategies for Motivating and
Retaining Rural High School Students. Rural Educator, 34(1),
Lemov, D. (2010). Teach Like a Champion: 49 Techniques That Put Students on the
Path to College. CA: Jossey-Bass A Wiley Imprint.
Rubie-Davies, C. M., Peterson, E. R., Sibley, C. G., & Rosenthal, R. (2015). A teacher
expectation intervention: Modelling the practices of high expectation teachers.
Contemporary Educational Psychology, 4072-85. doi:10.1016/j.cedpsych.2014.03.003
Zinn, W. (2008). Making Fun of School, or Why does Learning have to be Such a Drag?: Six
Key Elements for Motivating Learning. International Journal Of Learning, 15(8), 153.