Think about your middle and high school teachers. You may remember that some were old and grumpy, while others may have been angels sent from heaven. All these opinions you brought up are probably based on how much you like them and how they teach. Throughout their years of shaping young minds, teachers have always graded and judged their students, but what if it was the other way around? What many teachers don't realize is that a major reason they may be hated is because their teaching style prevents them from making the connections they need for their students to learn (Ripley) . Teaching without making connections is like shooting a gun without a bullet. It just won't work. This is why students should rate their teachers. To show them the connections they need to make. After a test involving more than a quarter of a million middle school to college students from fourteen different schools or universities, many researchers found that if students were given the opportunity, they could easily identify the "best" and the “worst” teachers in their class, mainly because they spent many hours in class listening to them (Mooney). Sure enough, the teachers who taught the least effectively also taught the material with which most students had difficulty. Once teachers who had the most difficulty reaching their students were identified, steps were taken to enable teachers to better connect with their students, thereby increasing their performance. This revealed that a teacher's personality and teaching style directly affects their students academically (Johnson). “We knew the relationships teachers build with their students were important, but seeing the evidence ... middle of paper ......r such, but you have to take risks to mature. What people need to learn is that simply asking a group of students about their educators can open many doors to relational and academic success – doors that would never open otherwise. It is common knowledge that obstacles always stand in the way of success, but overcoming these obstacles is what helps us grow, and simple assessments could help us achieve that.Works Cited1. Ripley, Amanda. “Why Kids Should Rate Teachers.” The Atlantic. Atlantic MediaCompany, September 19, 2012. Web. April 14, 2014.2. Johnson, Ben. “Should Students Evaluate Their Teachers?” Edutopia. George Lucas Educational Foundation, May 9, 2012. Web. April 14, 2014.3. Mooney, John. “Should students rate their teachers? Hechinger Report. Teachers College at Columbia University, January 14, 2013. Web. April 22. 2014.