Blue Umbrella Official Feb Mar 2019 issue | Page 12

Who' s A Good
St udent ?
By Monica A.
Today?s students are tomorrow?s leaders,
and the qualities of a student determine his/her
future and path. So, who is a good student?
What are the qualities of a good student?
The term ?good student? is a very ambiguous
one, and everyone has their own definition of
what it means. Here?s how AOA teachers
answer the question:?What makes a good
student good??
Mr. Grant Sunne, a math teacher,
answered, ?Honestly, I hate labeling students as
?good?. I think all students have talents that
make them special and unique. Some students
do better at subjects than other subjects just
based on interest and drive. Some students do
well in school, and don't do well in real world
situations, and sometimes it?s the other way
around. We are different; what some may think
is good is not quite good enough for another.
What makes a good student good is being
themselves by embracing who they are and
being their own good.?
"In my view, good students are willing
students. A good student is willing to try and
keep trying, willing to learn, to practice, to
explore, to listen, to create, and to do more than
what is required. Good students don't give up
easily, and they have a good sense of humor
and a lot of energy!? said Mrs. Marcia Klimes,
who teaches in grade levels 3-12.
Mr. Roy Williams teaches courses for
students in grades 7-12. He offers suggestions
on how a student can become a good student.
He suggests that students read and follow
instructions and lessons since it's a
fundamental step, but can be easily ignored.
?Good students ask questions when they do not
understand an assignment. No question is a
stupid question. If students have a question, it
matters.? Mr. Williams advises students to
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maintain integrity. ?Integrity matters much more
than grades; more than the time students might
save; more than any opportunity they might
take advantage of because they complete their
work quickly. Copying is theft and it damages
students? integrity even if they are not caught.?
Ms. Jessica Hunsberger replied, ?I don?t
think there is one particular thing that makes a
good student good. But, if I have to pick one
thing, I would probably go with attitude. There
are many things in life outside our control, but
our attitude about how we handle situations,
especially those situations that are challenging,
is fully something we can control and alter. I
think a student who has an attitude toward
meeting challenges, seeking help, and striving
for improvement is what makes a good student
good.?
?What makes a good student good is
someone who is a self-advocate and takes
initiative. I think students who can ask
questions when needed are usually successful
in courses,? answered Mrs. Jessica Laverne,
who teaches grades 9-12.
Mrs. Meg Funk, a Language Arts and
English teacher for grades 7 ? 11, replies,
?What makes a student a good student are the
same principles that go along with having a
good character and striving to be a good
person. Being a good student means being
humble and brave enough to ask questions
when needed and to admit that help is needed.
Being a good student means being able to
listen and to interact to make sure that
understanding has been achieved. Being a
good student means being diligent and willing
to stay focused and to continue working past
the time that someone thought they should be
done. It means seeing the work through to the
end.?