Following Her Footprints

By Sun-Ok Han #4 C1 

Edited by Darren Ng

“A teacher who is attempting to teach without inspiring the student

with a desire to learn, is hammering on cold iron."

- Horace Mann, American Educational Reformer (1796-1859)

  When I was a middle school student, I was a shy and passive girl who was polite but not confident to

speak to others. I did not argue with my friends even though something unfair happened to me. This was not

simply because I was trying to be virtuous, but more because I felt too timid to argue with them. One day, my

ethics teacher, an older woman in her mid forties, asked me, “What is your dream?” I stood there in total

silence, unable to say even one word in response. At that time, I realized that I had never given any thought to

this important question. While I stood there dumbfounded, she smiled and looked at me for a while. A few

days later, she told my class how she had discovered her own life’s calling. To enter teacher's college, she had

to overcome many obstacles, including being a girl in a family that desired a son. Sadly, though she achieved

much, her family was never truly satisfied with her. Yet, somehow my teacher persisted and succeeded where

many others had failed. She kept saying to us, "There is no problem that you cannot handle. Just keep trying

to discover your future.” Her advice inspired me to eventually become a teacher, just like she was. Until now,

I have kept her words in my mind and I often ask myself, "What makes a great educator?” and “Am I doing my

best to become one?" In this essay, I will explain why I believe that a great teacher constantly improves

themselves, counsels their students sincerely, and sets a good example for them to follow.

The first characteristic that a great educator has is a commitment to constant professional

development. Most people would agree that much of a teacher's authority comes from an extensive

knowledge obtained by continuous effort. With that power, a teacher can lead the class efficiently and
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students will respect their teacher. For example, one of my coworkers, a Korean language teacher, tries to

keep abreast with current issues, using news items to enhance what she teaches from the textbook. Her

diligent and creative preparation not only makes her lessons more engaging, but it also helps her to clearly

answer her students’ questions. The work she puts in before class gives her the confidence to interact with

her students knowledgeably in class and encourages her students to trust her expertise. On first glance, some

may view my friend as a bookworm, but her students and I see her as an excellent, well-informed teacher.

Following her example, I too have been trying to expose myself to lots of information that my students might

be interested in. Indeed, improving myself professionally will help me become a more capable teacher and

encourage my students to get more out of my classes.

A great educator is also a considerate and faithful counselor to their cherished students. The best

teachers create opportunities to establish long-lasting relationships with their pupils because they know these

connections can make a strong positive impact on their students’ lives. Back in my middle school days, I would

often visit my ethics teacher after her class. As I shared my concerns, hopes, and worries with her, she would

listen to me attentively and with great care. While many would have given a quick answer to my heartfelt

questions, instead she encouraged me to think deeply and find my own solutions to my life’s challenges.

Thanks to her, I was able to reflect on life and what I wanted to be. Our times together had a significant

influence on my life: the shy girl who once was an introvert became much more active and was able to

discover her dreams and find the motivation to achieve them. My teacher’s example taught me that an

excellent teacher has the power to radically change a student’s life, not with wordy advice, but with an

unwavering belief in their student’s ability to succeed. Of course, worthy endeavors like these require a huge

investment of time by the teacher. However, what genuine teacher would give up on the precious chance to

help change their student’s life for the better?

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 So what else makes an outstanding teacher? I would like to add one more standard: being a strong

role model to one’s students. Sometimes the best lessons a teacher can teach do not come from their class

nor textbook, but from their life’s behavior and attitude. As the old maxim goes, “Actions speak louder than

words!” Indeed, if a teacher is committed to teaching their students the principles of effective living, that

teacher must start this important lesson within their own personal sphere of practice. Not surprisingly,

students naturally trust the teacher that lives according to what they teach. One of Korea’s best examples of

an educator committed to ‘practicing what she preached’ was Professor Y.H. Yang, distinguished scholar and

prominent activist for the rights of people with disabilities. From her amazing life example, I realized that a

great teacher is supremely committed to upholding the highest standards of personal integrity, to not only

know what is right, but to Professor Yang overcame many difficulties in her own personal life, not only for her

own liberation, but for the critical lessons it would teach her students and Korean society as a whole.

While writing this essay, I had a valuable chance to reflect on my life as an educator. Looking back to

my younger days, I am still surprised at the amazing power of my ethics teacher. She transformed not only my

life, but the lives of countless others. The passive girl, who had seldom thought about her future in earnest,

eventually became a teacher herself, thanks to the efforts an outstanding educator, my ethics teacher and

most respected mentor. Because of her amazing example, I still ask myself daily, "Am I a great educator like

she was? Do my students look up to me, like I did to her?" In trying to answer these important questions, I

still sometimes find myself “hammering on cold iron.” In these times of uncertainty, I look for the educational

footprints my great teacher left for me to follow. Gratefully, I know that as I choose to walk like she did, to

constantly develop my teaching, seek ways to connect with my students, and lead by example, I will find my

own way to becoming a great teacher too.