Every school year brings a whole new schedule with all new classes and a different set of teachers. Some teachers you may recognize, some you may have heard rumors about, and some you have never heard of before. This can be one of the most stressful things in high school: getting a good teacher. Having a good teacher is a huge factor in one’s success in high school.

So what do students really want from their teachers? Each class has different needs as they are all entering a different period in high school, and each class wants something just a little different.

FRESHMEN: Coming into high school for the first time can be one of the most stressful times of a person’s life. “I just want my teachers to be nice,” says Seleen Hubbert, an incoming freshman. “I am not really sure what to expect, so I would like my teachers to be open so if I had any questions, they would be able to answer them and make me feel comfortable.” When it comes to the crowded hallways or the heavier load of homework, freshman students want their teachers to be helpful in transitioning into high school.

SOPHOMORES: Sophomore year can be kind of an awkward year for some students. They’re not quite upperclassmen, but can’t really be considered underclassmen either. “I want my teachers to be fun and cool,” Charlie Borngrebe, sophomore, confesses. “It is a lot easier to learn when teachers make class fun and gets the whole class interested.” In order to avoid those snores in the back of the classroom, students want their teachers to spice things up a bit!

JUNIORS: Junior year is one of the toughest years in high school. Classes start to get hard and this is the year that grades count the most. “I want my teachers to be supportive and understanding,” admits junior Sanjukta Santra. “I have a lot of hard classes coming up this year, and I would like my teachers to be around for extra help and understand that I may get stressed more easily because of my difficult schedule.” Teachers should be prepared for students to be more stressed this year, and students want them to be understanding of that.

SENIORS: Teachers play a crucial part in a senior’s future. Students will be asking them to write letters of recommendation and sometime, a little moral support. “I would like my teachers to available so that I can get help, especially when it comes to college. Sometimes, I just want a different perspective on it and I think the teachers have some good advice because they were in college once,”says senior Neva Hubbert. With this transition from high school to secondary education, students need their teachers to be there for them.

All students want these traits in their teachers. What students can do to make it easier, is to communicate with your teachers and let them know what you’re expecting from them and what your concerns are. Teachers want to help kids, that’s their job, and they are more than willing to be accommodating. Good luck in the new school year to all students!