Starting a new school year is one of the most exciting times. You get a clean slate, starting off with new teachers and new classmates, but have you ever had a teacher once and you wished to have them for more than one year?
The term looping refers to the idea of having a teacher for more than one school year. The teacher follows their students to the grade that follows. Some schools have already begun implementing this. A school in northwest Tennessee saw that the students thrived a lot more academically.
The idea of having a teacher for more than one year is ideal, to some, even those who don’t agree with this can’t disagree with the benefits. Some of these benefits include stronger relationships between students and teachers as well as a better learning environment. Potential problems with student’s behavior also seem to diminish.
Some teachers agree that there are benefits to having students for more than one year. The biggest benefit would be that the teachers are better able to recognize their student’s potential, as well as learn how their student works. Learning the student’s habits and patterns will make it easier for the teacher and for the student to work side by side. Juan Torres Lopez, who teaches AP Spanish Language and AP Spanish Lit, believes that he has been better able to form relationships with those students in his literature class whom he has previously had for language. “I’m able to help them better, I’m able to understand them better, they open up a bit more if there’s something going on in their life,” Torres Lopez said.
In the eyes of those students who have their favorite teacher again, the benefits are clear. Emily Torres, a senior, believes that the main benefit is having a better learning environment. “It creates a comfortable environment and you already know what to expect,” Torres said. Having a good environment is fundamental to students’ success. Not only does this motivate the students but it helps increase class participation. This helps the students understand the material better as they feel more comfortable asking questions about the material they don’t fully understand. Torres had Mr. Battaglini last school year for AP Lang and she has him this school year for the yearbook class. He has come to become one of her favorite teachers. “I like his firmness, he’s mean, but you also know he cares,” Torres said.
There are multiple benefits of having a teacher for more than one year. I have noticed that when I have a teacher for more than a year, I feel a lot more comfortable speaking and even just asking for help. I had Mr. Torres Lopez twice, sophomore year for AP Spanish Language and Culture and junior year for AP Spanish Literature and Culture. A lot of students in my AP Spanish Literature and Culture class previously had him so many of us had an existing relationship not only with him, but with each other. I would say that these connections enhanced my success in the class. If I had had a different teacher for AP Spanish Lit, I don’t think I would’ve been as successful.
Obviously, if a student has a bad experience with a teacher and then they have them for a second year, it would be a complete nightmare for the student. In that case, either the student needs to change classes or the teacher and student would need to have a conversation about what didn’t work and see if the situation can work for both parties.
While not everyone will like the idea of having a teacher for more than one year, research evidence shows that there are benefits of looping. Students feel a lot more comfortable and will open up more, which will allow for a better learning environment and enhance the experience for all.
