The BILA Wave

By Katelyn Melville

What’s causing these rapidly declining rates of literacy in the United States? Is it an issue with the curriculum, maybe the school system? Those are the prevalent assumptions, but what if I told you that the aggressor could be as simple as a lack of student-teacher relationships?

School has never been fun for students; it’s just a fact. Whether the issue is learning things they may not want to or having to sit in one place for hours, it’s not the ideal environment, but it’s where our fundamentals for life are taught. It must be tough to have to sit through all of that PLUS being in a class with a teacher who makes no effort to engage or even care about the different ways students might learn.

BILA teachers seek to challenge this phenomenon by creating more bonds with students.

Let’s start by addressing the central concept: Are student-teacher relationships really that important? BILA’s sophomores take the positive side of this argument. 

Specifically, Josiah Ingram from B5 brings up an interesting point. He said the following:

“I think that when teachers know you personally, they know how to teach you better, and you can learn easier.”

This concept is vital to understanding the importance of these connections. The way students learn varies; getting to know them is the only way to figure it out. When asked what their learning style is, many students don’t have an answer, so it’s more efficient for teachers to gather that information through everyday conversations with the students. 

Along with Ingram, freshman Aaron Green from B5 brings up the point that “it causes less conflict in class,” another issue many may not have considered. When asked to elaborate, he said:

“If something goes wrong in class, it can easily be settled because the teacher kind of…  understands you more,” further explaining that these connections can even help with school safety and teacher’s abilities to de-escalate potentially violent situations.

But what makes BILA able to nurture an environment where these bonds are standard? It’s the school’s unusual size. With just under five hundred-fifty students, BILA differs wildly in that aspect from the majority of NYC schools. For example, Midwood High School.

Midwood High School is one of the more known Brooklyn schools, with over four thousand students, presumably making it hard to nurture those relationships with teachers. Danielle Escobar, class of 25′, confirms that. 

“I wouldn’t say that teachers don’t have time to create relationships, but instead, kids think that their teachers already have too much on their hands, having to deal with so many students on a daily basis. I definitely think it impacts bonds.”

But some BILA students argue that the size is only part of it. 

Take it from freshman Steffen Dunbar, who was interviewed only three weeks into the school year and could already tell me about teachers he felt he could easily connect with. 

Dunbar immediately referenced algebra class with Ms. Forsythe and Ms. Madden with a rather pleasant expression. When asked what separates them from his other teachers, he said,

“They’re more laid-back and friendly and are easiest to talk to about the work. I’m more relaxed in their class, but they can actually teach, and I understand the work.” He felt as if he could speak to them comfortably outside of class. 

Dunbar’s close friend, Kai Daniel, added on. “Yeah. When I have questions about work, I don’t feel weird having to go to their rooms after school or in class and ask a question.” 

These students mention that a teacher’s demeanor plays a significant role in whether a student feels more comfortable speaking to them, but that’s not always true. Freshmen students will inevitably be more nervous talking to teachers, so they will go for the more extroverted and outgoing teachers. Still, as BILA students get older and spend more time with the teachers, we see an almost even spread between more serious and laid-back teachers. 

For example, two very popular teachers among the upperclassmen were Mr. Hunt and Mr. Brulhardt, some of the more frank and straightforward staff members.

From one of our juniors who preferred to stay anonymous:

“Mr. Brulhardt and Mr. Hunt are similar people; in my opinion, they can come off as direct and almost uninterested at times, but once you see them in action, you can tell that they have a passion for their job, are really interesting people, and also very easy to talk to. As a junior, it just took me more time to realize that as I took time to build more connections with my educators.”

From Janelle Prudhomme, another junior,

“I think that I felt more comfortable in my geometry class once I actually spoke with Mr. Brulhardt and tried having conversations with him. I felt more comfortable answering questions and tried harder in the class.”

Another favorite, Mr. Leavitt (especially among those who had him for US history during freshman year), is known for giving personal stories to help students understand the material and going the extra mile to do research for students who only have to open up and ask a question. 

Of course, there will always be a group that doesn’t see the importance of the subject like their peers might. Freshman Jasiah Whitfeild responded with a simple “No.” when asked if he felt that he would speak to the teachers that he favored outside of class. When asked why, he simply said that he didn’t see the reason. 

This doesn’t mean that these connections are not important; they’re just not a widely talked-about enough subject for the behavior to be considered normal and is more commonly known as “taboo” among many students. 

So, while some may find it obsolete, student-teacher relationships have made BILA a more welcoming place for our newer and older students and will only continue to. Students become more engaged, develop a desire to learn, and grow exponentially, breaking down the trend of declining education. As we work to curtail the norm, I know you’ll think twice before brushing off a conversation with a teacher in the hallway and think of what it can do for you and your academic journey.