The monthly tradition at Klein Cain High School recognizes teachers who students have outwardly acknowledged for their efforts and dedication. This recurring rotational title is decided by a voting system from the students, in which they are allowed to rave about why the teacher they believe should be celebrated.

“I think the kids chose me because I talk to them; not just about school, but their lives and interests,” October’s Teacher of the Month Kristin Havens said. 

But it is not only the teachers talking to the students that are suspected to grab their attention in a new way. The allowance of letting the children open up to their teachers without fearing backlash is another drive for connection between pairs.

“Some of the feedback that kids share is that they feel like they can be themselves without judgment,” September’s Teacher of the Month Megan Coutee said. “They’re allowed the flexibility to not have to be perfect.”

Selection of  Teachers of the Month by students alludes to the meaning that the selected educators truly leave an impact on their kids. 

“I feel like you can tell she makes an effort to connect with the students. You can just tell she cares,” past student of Havens, Samantha Smith said.

But, it is no secret that connecting with a room of teenagers can appear as a big mystery. Though, perhaps it is not as much of a challenge as it seems.

“It’s mainly that her teaching is more relatable, and she uses terminology to get you to learn the topic better,” a current student of Coutee, Lucas Liu said.

Although speech and communication represent huge factors for why students connect easily to some teachers rather than others, the educator’s attitude acts as another heavy factor.

“You can tell she does this because she is passionate about teaching, and that she cares about her students’ learning, which I appreciate very much,” Liu said

The actions and decisions made by the teachers are often chosen due to their thoughts and opinions. These formed beliefs can be traced back to the time when they were in school.

“I think I wanted to work with teenagers because that’s where I struggled when I was a kid, and I needed a lot of grace,” Coutee said. “I like to genuinely have fun and I remember being a kid so I wanted to be flexible.”

Another push for the teaching methods is the teacher’s goals for their students as well as themselves. These goals are formed by past experiences and discoveries they’ve made over time.

“I was teaching in Korea, in South Korea, for four years…my favorite part was having discussions in class, Socratic seminars, and writing essays,” Havens said. “I wanted to do something where I would read challenging books with my kids and have those discussions.”

With they gain a strong, positive reaction from students after a forged relationship is made with them outside of the curriculum, teachers have learned to connect and incorporate these goals in their classroom.

“I ensure that what we’re doing is challenging, but also that it’s engaging,” Havens said. “Still, my number one priority is having a good relationship with my kids first so that they can trust me and feel like I always have their best interest in mind.”