What’s your favorite subject? Math? English? Or maybe school just isn’t your thing. But if there’s one thing most students can agree on, it’s this: a great teacher can make all the difference.
The best teachers go beyond handing out worksheets or reading from a textbook. They make learning engaging by sharing interesting facts, asking thought-provoking questions, and occasionally going off-script in ways that make class more memorable. They show us how what we learn matters beyond the classroom, making school feel more relevant—and even enjoyable.
Great teachers connect with their students, motivate them, and create classrooms where learning feels less like a chore and more like an opportunity. One teacher who truly exemplifies this is Mr. Rea.
The moment you walk into Mr. Rea’s English classroom, you can sense something different. It’s not just about reading assigned texts—it’s about exploring ideas, having meaningful discussions, and connecting literature to real life. While many teachers stick to a rigid curriculum, Mr. Rea considers student interests and finds ways to make lessons feel personal. He’s not just a teacher; he’s a mentor, motivator, and storyteller whose lessons leave a lasting impact.
Mr. Rea helps students see English not as a subject to survive, but as something to enjoy. His passionate teaching style and approachable demeanor create an atmosphere where students feel encouraged to participate and take pride in their learning. When asked about how he builds that interest, Mr. Rea shared, “My approach is to understand that my audience might not be as enthusiastic about the subject as I am… and I think if I make it clear that I’m pretty excited about this stuff, a good number of students will get into it too.”
His students certainly agree. Junior Alexis Aniolowski reflected, “I went to his class hating English because of my middle school experience. I was unmotivated, but Mr. Rea helped me figure things out—he walked me through every step of writing an essay.”
When students feel supported and seen, they’re more likely to participate and enjoy learning. According to Youki Terada’s article Understanding a Teacher’s Long-Term Impact, students don’t remember teachers for test scores—they remember the ones who made them feel safe, believed in them, and helped them grow. Mr. Rea is one of those teachers.
When asked why he chose to become an English teacher, Mr. Rea credited one of his own teachers. “I had the same English teacher, Mr. Newton, for three different classes in high school,” he said. “He introduced me to books that changed my life. I wasn’t a big reader before, but he got me into literature and made it meaningful.”
Students today are experiencing the same kind of transformation in Mr. Rea’s classroom. Junior Andrew Ray shared, “I don’t like teachers who constantly give out busywork. I like Mr. Rea because after taking his class, I went from not liking English to going into Honors and eventually AP—just so I could have him again!”
Another student, Junior Andrew Hamilton, added, “Mr. Rea is my kind of teacher. He helped me enjoy writing, and now I’m even writing my own book!”
These student voices highlight something powerful: great teachers can change not only how we learn but how we see ourselves.
Research backs this up. According to the educator-run site We Are Teachers, students who have strong connections with their teachers are often more motivated and perform better academically.
Mr. Rea’s classroom is a space where students thrive. He keeps lessons fresh by constantly innovating. In Elizabeth Richter’s article Mr. Rea: Teacher with AI, she notes how he uses artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT to generate new ideas for his lessons. “He even pays $20 a month for GPT-4 access,” she writes, “and uses ChatGPT to brainstorm about 80% of a concept, then refines it to fit his class.”
Rather than banning AI tools, Mr. Rea teaches students how to use them ethically and creatively—a skill they’ll need in today’s world.
Through a mix of passion, innovation, and empathy, Mr. Rea creates a classroom where students don’t just learn—they grow. His impact reaches far beyond English class, reminding us all of the power a great teacher can have.