Passion

     Passion is a very powerful emotion that can be displayed verbally and nonverbally.  The more passion an individual has, the more expressive they will be to others.  These expressions can be seen through body language, facial expressions, excitement, and devotion. As a teacher, passion is an important characteristic to have because it illustrates the enthusiasm and commitment one has inside and outside of the classroom.  If a teacher is passionate about what they are doing, it will show and rub off on their students' overall learning and achievements.  
     Throughout my school years, it was very easy to identify the teachers who were truly passionate about their job and the teachers who were just there to get a pay check.  The teachers who displayed more passion cared about each students' learning and retention.  Although the classes with the more passionate teachers were harder and more work, I never cared because it was fun to be in the class.  In addition, classroom activities, projects, and assignments were constructive...I knew I was learning many things that would be useful for the rest of my life.  On the other hand, the teachers who were not as passionate would completely change my attitude and interest in a class.  Non-passionate teachers would continually show up late to class, never had an effective lecture, would let students get off task, would not assign homework or never set a due date, and would give practice tests that were the exact same as real tests so every one would get a decent grade and they would appear to be a very effective teacher.  Although classes like this were a breeze, I never learned or retained anything.  In addition, classes that I normally would have loved were the worst classes because the teacher didn't care about the subject, material, or students' overall achievement.
    After looking back at all my years in school, the one teacher that continually displayed passion for teaching and for the subject he was teaching was Mr. Larry Berland.  Mr. Berland was an environmental science teacher at Decorah High School.  Inside and outside of the classroom, Mr. Berland always showed passion for the environment, his students, and teaching.  Everyday, Mr. Berland made sure that he acknowledged and educated everyone he saw about the importance of taking care of and protecting our environment.  His enthusiasm about this subject got others excited about it, as well.  Mr. Berland has forever transformed my attitude about the Earth and the environment. Because of his influence, I went from not caring about the environment, to doing everything I could to help the world in any way possible.  Even though Mr. Berland is now retired, he still displays his never-ending passion while substitute teaching.  Mr. Berland will forever be known in the Decorah Community School District for making a difference in students' attitudes about the environment.
    Although it is sad to say, when I had to think of a teacher who was truly passionate about a subject...I had a hard time.  When I look back at all my teachers, many of them didn't seem happy to be at school and they acted like the students and teaching were a pain.  After realizing this, it made me recognize the importance of showing passion every day.  Especially in younger grades, children can quickly loose interest in anything and everything if the teacher isn't enthusiastic about it.  It is so important for elementary teachers to be passionate, in order to build a strong foundation and a love for school in all children.  If teachers are enthusiastic and make learning fun everyday, students will be more passionate and willing to learn.