Needless to say, a teacher can make a world of difference in regards to a student’s experience at school. While some can make the years there feel like going through circles of hell, others can turn it into not only a bearable, but an enjoyable experience, too.

Quite often the latter are the teachers who manage to present the material in an engaging way, show why or how it’s relevant to the world and the student themselves, or simply make the classroom a fun environment to be in, even if for that one lesson only.

In a TEDx Talk, 17-year-old Priyam Baruah—both a senior in high school and an educator herself—suggested that no matter the age of the student or the subject they’re learning, there is one thing that unites all learners; that is a classroom that fosters an expression of thought, personal relationships, and interactivity, all of which can be encouraged by the right kind of teacher.

While it’s in no way easy, trying to be “the right kind of teacher” who aims to foster expression of thought and connect with their students is crucial because of the impact teachers have on the latter. According to Zippia, three-out-of-four students see them as mentors and role models, which goes to show that their influence will likely be remembered even years after the students and the educator part ways.

In another inspiring TEDx Talk, a teacher with over four decades of experience, Rita Pierson, summed up the importance of the teacher-student connection best when she said that kids don’t learn from people they don’t like.

That was her response to a colleague pointing out that she is not paid to like the kids. “They pay me to teach a lesson, the kids should learn it; I should teach it, they should learn it, case closed,” the colleague argued, to which Rita simply replied that her year was going to be long and arduous.

It’s arguably safe to assume that few kids manage to—or even want to—create a connection with a “I-should-teach-it-they-should-learn-it-case-closed” kind of teacher, which is why the latter are unlikely to hold a dear place in the students’ hearts.

However, many of the sincere teachers seemingly do. Zippia revealed that roughly 80-90% of people say their teachers played a significant positive role in their lives and have encouraged them to follow their dreams. Moreover, nearly as many wish they had told their teachers how much they actually appreciated them.

Research on teachers’ influence on students in their lifelong development emphasized that the guiding role of a teacher is not limited to the classroom or the school disciplines, as it surpasses didactic activities and extends into personal life.

Zippia also emphasized that more than four-in-five students say that a teacher has helped improve their confidence and self-esteem. This goes to show that an exceptional educator affects more than just one’s knowledge on a certain subject; they make a long-lasting impact in a student’s life, both inside and out of the bounds of a classroom.

Discussing the importance of positively influencing the students’ confidence, Rita Pierson posed the question, how does one raise the self-esteem of a child and his academic achievement at the same time?

Her answer to that was providing her students with a mantra, saying: “I am somebody, I was somebody when I came, I’ll be a better somebody when I leave. I am powerful and I am strong; I deserve the education that I get here. I have things to do, people to impress, and places to go.”

“You say it long enough it starts to be a part of you,” the teacher emphasized.

It’s safe to say that funny teachers fall within the category of those who become a positive influence in their students’ lives, and the pictures on this list clearly show why. If you’d like to see more of such images depicting educators unleashing their inner comedian, continue to browse this list featuring amazing teachers next.