There are many first steps in any worthwhile teacher-student relationship but one that needs to be near the start of the school year is determining the skill level of the students. Promoting the use of the students’ innate resources is the next step. A teacher then needs to tailor instruction as needed to make sure any weak areas are strengthened so the learning process can be accomplished and the pace of the learning can swiftly speed along.
One of the other countless purposes that teachers play in the lives of their students is to provide opportunities for experiencing a spectrum of the world to which they may have had little to no exposure thus far. Illumination and practicality are the two key ideals that I believe education should strive to fulfill. A student should come out of school possessing new tools to use on their own combined with a worldly perspective that allows for greater insight into the opportunities and applications that new knowledge and the progression of their creativity can provide.