Laid Back Teachers

Results from the survey concluded that the social studies, math and science departments are the top three favorites amongst the students of Rangeview High School. The reason most students picked a specific department of their favorite, whether it was the top three or the bottom three, was because the teachers are “funny” or “laid-back.”


It is not difficult to figure out why teenagers would prefer to be around teachers who are more laid-back than most. “They’re fun and easy to get along with and if you need somebody to talk to it’s easier to talk with them than with somebody you can’t relate to,” said senior Annie Smith. “It’s one of the reasons I love them.”

Senior Cory Lesser agrees. He said that “if they are relatable, you can learn more from them.”

“But at the same time,” said senior Josh Calvin, “they have to be able to keep order.” Principal Turner said that of the three R’s– Relevance, Rigor and Relationships– relationships are the most important. In her opinion, the best teachers are still learners themselves and to learn, you must have the right attitude.

“It is good most of the time, said senior Sergio De La Rosa. “You need someone who has a good balance.” Most students agree with this statement, with the majority of the students leaning more towards funny teachers who can still control their classes.

Part of this includes being fair to all students. “I love when teachers are really cool,” said sophomore Enjoli Smith, “but it’s aggravating when a student turns in their work late and then they get the same credit as those of us who turn it in on time. It’s great for the student who was late, but it’s unfair to the rest of us.” It is true that students who tend to slack off more take advantage of these more generous teachers more often than they would with a straight-edge, no-nonsense teacher.

This doesn’t mean that it is bad to be a fun-loving teacher; results say that is exactly what the students of RHS want, as long as the control is being maintained in a reasonable way.

-Kristina Smith