Believe it or not, I heard this quote the other day while I was watching a baseball game. The color commentator, who, as color commentators usually are, is a former major league ballplayer, said it in reference to his belief that it is important for new, young ballplayers on a struggling team to show that they want to play, want to learn, and want to improve, even when they are losing a lot of games and are not sure what their future as major leaguers will be. The reason I am relating his comment to you as students and not as ballplayers is that the commentator was quoting his college coach, who, as the quote makes clear, was speaking to them as students, not as athletes. Of course, the application of what he was told off the field to today’s players on the field makes a lot of sense, and I imagine that when he first heard it, either he and his teammates were able to see the connection between their approach to classes and their approach to games, or their coach pointed it out to them. The play-by-play announcer’s reaction to the quote was that it was “ammo for teachers”, and I’m sure it will not surprise you that that response was part of my motivation to write this post. What may surprise you, especially if you are a newer reader of my blog, is that the announcer’s response was not my main motivation to write this post, and in fact, was far from it. Instead of seeing the quote as a way to reinforce what your teachers expect of you, I see it as an opportunity for you to show your teachers that you expect it of yourself. Whether it’s how you walk between classes, how you relate to your teachers, or how you approach your schoolwork, I believe that showing your teachers how much you want to learn is only possible if you make a conscious effort to want to learn. If you are someone who struggles with your work, this can be easier said than done, but as with much of the advice I give, the more you make the effort to do it, the more natural it will become, and the more natural it becomes, the more positive an impact on your success it will have.
You can show both yourself and your teachers that you want to learn as you walk between classes in many different ways. Taking purposeful steps, holding your head high, smiling, and greeting teachers by name if you happen to see them are all good ways to start. If you are expected to stay quiet in the hallways, you may not be able to greet your teachers, but you can still smile and nod respectfully. If you are permitted to socialize between classes, make sure that includes greeting your teachers, while also making sure you don’t let talking to your friends distract you and keep you from arriving at class on time with all needed materials. If you need to make a locker stop, take a bathroom break, or speak to a teacher between classes, try to do so as efficiently as possible so you still arrive at your next class on time, and if a friend tries to speak with you, don’t be afraid to say that you can’t talk until later. A lot of these suggestions may seem like common sense, or they may seem overly strict, but the more you are able to do them, and the more you see them start to pay off, the more you can make common sense feel routine, and not nearly as strict as you may have thought at first.
As great as greeting your teachers in the hallway is, it is only the first step toward relating to them in a way that shows them how much you want to learn. If you don’t see them in the hallway on your way to class, greet them at the classroom door. If you arrive late, apologize, and offer an explanation only it is reasonable and you can do it politely. If there are consequences, accept them graciously, then try again to follow the advice in the previous paragraph so you have a better chance to be on time in the future. Whether you are early, on time, or late, be prepared to start each class in the way that is expected of you, whether that means turning in homework assignments before you sit down, starting immediately on a warmup activity, having certain materials or assignments out and ready when class begins, or staying quiet even when you are tempted to speak to a friend sitting nearby. As the class period moves along, try your best to stay focused and in the moment – one class, one lecture, one assignment, or one activity at a time. When a teacher makes the effort to vary activities, be sure follow directions, especially during transition times, and when activities are group ones and conversation is permitted, or even encouraged, try to stay on topic, even when that means insisting that friends with whom you’d rather be socializing do so as well. Remember also that each teacher’s class time matters, and try not to let your mind wander to other classes, or ever be tempted to do work from another class while your current class is still in progress. Showing teachers how much you want to learn applies to each class and each individual teacher, not only the classes and/or teachers you like best, and showing teachers of classes you dislike how willing you are to try to learn as much as you possibly can in them can go a long way toward earning those teachers’ respect.
In addition to showing teachers you want to learn, and proving it to yourself in the process, by respecting them in the hallways and in their classrooms and being prepared and willing to follow their routines and remain focused on the class and the task at hand, it is also important to show that same respect to both them and yourself when it comes to the content of their classes. Whatever the topic is and however it is being presented, whatever the classwork, homework, project, and/or test commitments you are expected to make, and whatever the participation methods and expectations may be, making a good faith effort is paramount. Even when you are struggling with the content, are bored with the presentation or with certain assignments, and/or realize that your participation and/or performance might be negatively impacted when certain activities do not match your learning style or are adversely impacted by any learning challenge you may face, how you approach every aspect of your studies really does matter. Showing both your teachers and yourself you want to learn sometimes means doing things you don’t like, and, as hard as it may be, striving to keep as positive an attitude as possible while you do so. It might mean asking the teacher and/or peers for help, it might mean needing more time, and it might mean knowing going in that even your very best effort is not going to bring you the type of results you will see on other tasks or in other classes, but learning to take those things in stride, as hard as it is, is another way not just to show your teachers you want to learn, but to show yourself the same thing.
“How you walk between classes shows me how much you want to learn” may have been the words of a college baseball coach to his players, but they can apply to you, too, no matter your grade level, successes or struggles, or how you may feel about any teacher, class, or situation you find yourself in. Walking the hallways and campus with your head held high, showing your teachers, yourself, and your studies the respect they deserve, and striving to keep a positive attitude and put forth your best effort no matter any challenges you may face are all ways to show not just your teachers, but yourself, too, how much you want to learn, and the more conscious an effort you make to do that, the more success you will see.