Empathetic. Organized. Clear. Consistent.
These are all qualities Milwaukee students said make a good teacher at Teach for America’s Youth Educator Convening at ThriveOn King, 2153 N. Martin Luther King Drive, last month.
Dozens of Milwaukee students interested in education careers gathered to brainstorm what makes a good teacher, and what qualities exist within themselves that could make them successful in the education field.
Each student takes dual enrollment education and English classes through the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Some of the students told NNS how they’re learning to be good educators and how they want to serve the community after graduation.
Senior Tavion Millams
Tavion Millams, a senior at the Milwaukee Academy of Science, said his teachers inspire him to become an educator himself. He wants to inspire his peers, too.
“I see they got a lot of gifts and talents and they’re afraid to display them,” Millams said. “A powerful figure in the room that looks like them inspires them to go chase their dreams.”
Living in Milwaukee, Millams said he’s become friends with people who, from an outside eye, might be viewed as “ghetto” or a “thug.” But after getting to know them, they show the many gifts they can spread in the world. Gifts they may not show because they’re embarrassed or not cool.
“I want to be that voice, that space, for people to be themselves,” Millams said. “I definitely believe our generation is the future.”
Millams is interested in English, which he hopes to teach if he becomes an educator. He’s already taken Children’s Literature and English 101 at the college level and is now taking English 102 through UWM.
Millams plans to pursue a degree in English, teaching, or journalism in college, He has his eye on Carroll University, Ripon College and UWM.
Junior Gabi Ramirez
“Seeing it from a teacher’s perspective allows me to be a better student,” Ramirez said. “It’s good to know to see if I want to go into this career.”
In terms of qualities that are important for teachers to keep students engaged, Ramirez said one is enthusiasm.
“I think that passion from the teacher really matters,” Ramirez said. “It’s not just a job to them, it’s something that they have passion about.”
Ramirez sees leadership qualities within herself and likes the idea of working a position where she can take on a leadership role. She said she’s an empathetic person and is observant of other students.
After she finishes high school, Ramirez wants to go to college. She’s considering majoring in kinesiology and going into sports medicine at Marquette University or UW-Madison.
Senior Sarina Thao
Hmong American Peace Academy senior Sarina Thao doesn’t think she wants to go into teaching. But, she said, the UWM classes she’s taken, like English 101, have offered her many practical skills for her future career.
“I had a really good experience in the class,” Thao said. “I learned so much about the teacher mindset and how much stuff you have to be aware of.”
Thao said a good teacher is respectful and works well with students and coworkers. Adjusting lesson plans when they don’t work for everyone helps more students.
Thao feels like she has those qualities, and hopes to use the skills she’s gained in the educator pathway to become a pharmacist.
Thao is interested in the Caroline Scholars program at Mount Mary University and hopes to get her Doctor of Pharmacy degree.
Alex Klaus is the education solutions reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and a corps member of Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities. Report for America plays no role in editorial decisions in the NNS newsroom.
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