Teachers just don't teach?

Question

I have completed four years of high school (I'm in my grade 11 year). Throughout these years I have been lucky to come by only two teachers who I actually learned from. I am by no means a low achiever. Ever since elementary school I have strived for good grades and overall I'm a reasonably intelligent person. Why is it that teachers who are incapable of teaching are found in classrooms torturing students? There have been so many cases where I have struggled to understand courses that it is ridiculous. In fact, in one scneario I failed a course and was forced to attend summer school, only to be rewarded with an even worse teacher, who also was unfair. This teacher gave us an inclass final even though we had a government exam. None of the other classes recieved two exams. Many teachers also rely on what other teachers have taught you in order for the course to go smoothly. WHAT IF THE OTHER TEACHER DIDN'T TEACH EITHER? And then when I tell them this...they are in denial.

Now, with my summer school teacher. I sought the assistance of people in higher power. I called the school board numerous times only to recieve this comment "teacher choose the ways that they teach their classes". So I guess what they're saying is that if teachers chooe not to teach, that it's perfectly fine. I think not. I seriously hope for changes in the education system. Teachers get paid too much. It's funny how they keep going on strike because they don't get paid enough. Haha.

Currently, I notice that math teachers and language teachers are the WORST. Some don't even get out of their seats to teach us. My French teachers puts verbs on the overhead projector with instructions to translate them. DO I KNOW HOW? NO! And when I tell her that I don't know even the simplest tenses in French due to an array of terrible teachers she ignores me. My previous French teacher instilled fear in each of her students. We could not be late, speak, and if we were away we would not recieve a mark, even if it was out of our hands. She was even abusive at some points (threw a stapler at someone) and she was not fired. Her teaching consisted of handing worksheets to people and expct us to know how to do them. Because I was born in France right? Of course. Seriously though, something needs to be done. I hate how they defend their behavior. Do you really want to know why the class average is so low? Do you really want to know why I'm failing? Now you do. Thank you for your comments.

Answer 1

As a teacher I run into many other teachers who just aren't that good. It is very unfortunate. I hate to tel you though, it may not get better in college. Most people who teach college do so because they are subject matter experts, not because they are good at communicating with students. I have attended 3 different universities and in my experience I have found that the TEACHING was best in the smaller, less prestigious universities. Just because some guy wrote 50 books and has pioneered research doesnt make him a good teacher. I sympathize with you and hope that you find better instruction in your future!

Answer 2

OK, here's the big secret: teachers present the materials and point you in the right direction. It's up to you to learn!

And it's not fair, I know, if teachers expect you have already learned stuff that you haven't learned. But, that's the way life is sometimes. If you really want to learn, go to the library, pick up extra books, get DVDs or CDs on the subject (this'd be a great help with French). Teach yourself.

And here's the next big secret -- it's not enough to learn. You must figure out a way to take the knowledge that you've absorbed, and use it in new and novel ways to better your life, and make other people's lives better. Otherwise, all your learning will be for nothing.

Are you planning to go to college? You probably better contact them, and see if you can get some advice about planning your last year and a half of high school -- and how you can fill the gaps in knowledge.

The nice thing about learning is that if you put forth the effort, you can learn without a teacher. Don't depend on someone else to spoon-feed you facts and figures! If you learn to learn by yourself, you will be able to make your own judgements about whether those facts and figures are appropriate, or even true!

Good luck.

Answer 3

Unfortunately our country believes being a football star is more valuable than being a teacher and thus their pay reflects this. In order to be a teacher you need to have years of education and certifications (and the associated debts) but are barely paid above the poverty rate. Thus, in order for the people who are good teachers to be able to survive, pay off their student loan debts, and feed their families they either must have a 2nd income (personally earned or from a spouse) or get a job other than teaching.

Adding to the fact that we pay our teachers jack, we give them no supplies and take away any opportunity's for discipline and control in the classroom. Finally we financially tax them when students do not perform on standardized tests (which by the way only test whether or not a student can take a test-Thank you no child left behind act). Of course many teachers do not teach, they are forced into being glorified baby sitters by the school systems who are more concerned with making sure their attendance records show they kept their students off the street (that is by the way how many get their funding).

Now - for those two good teachers you have had.. tell them so. There are many good teachers out there that work so hard with so little respect and so little pay. They deserve to be held up high and thanked endlessly.

Now what can you do? Push to get higher salaries for educators from k-12. If the money is there competition will increase and good teachers will follow. You have more power than you think. Become an activist for better education in your school.

As you go through 12th grade... ASK QUESTIONS. Push your teachers to show you how. Odd's are you are not alone with your fellow students. Keep in mind though, this will not make you poplular with those teachers that want to coast through the semester and may make your grades more difficult to earn. But- your grades might begin to reflect a knowledge level rather than a test score.

Good luck. You have the power to make changes. Use it. Push for things to help your teachers teach - don't just chastise them for not doing a good job.

Answer 4

Unfortunately, in today's society, you're one in a million. Everyone else just don't want to BE in school! Teacher's have a passion of teaching the first three to five years after college/uni, by then they've been abused so much by students, parents and administrators that they're scared of actually "teaching" anything. They have a hard enough time of keeping the kids in their seats, not hurting or swearing at each other or the teacher, and actually surviving the reporting period (imagine having to write a report for each student in every class you teach- AFTER school!)
Now, I'm not disagreeing with you, but look at the other side- what they've been through, go through and have to go through to earn less than a person who runs for poltics! And schools aren't about teaching anymore- its about showing you how to learn- and by your appetite for knowledge, you've done well!

Answer 5

I am glad that you are aware of this. I did not realize I was doing this at your age, but later, I saw that I was changing my choice of careers because of bad teachers.

Make sure you are not doing yourself in by saying unkind things.

You write well (or is it good? :) ) for an 11th grader.

When you get to college, ask around about the teachers and classes. Go to the counselors, but do not limit yourself to them. Choose a major that best suits you.

Ultimately, you are responsible for your education, not the sorry government or any sorry teachers. You must reach a point when you cannot blame others, as tempting this might be.

Answer 6

Interesting question [or rant?] and answers. I'm sorry you're having such a disappointing time of it.

I'm a teacher in Australia, and I can identify with what CanguroArgentino wrote: conditions in schools are so bad that I left and now I teach English to adults. I'll never go back to teaching in a high school! It's like a war zone.

And guess what ~ I was a language teacher who really wanted to teach, but my students didn't want to learn. They wanted to chat to each other, listen to and sing obscene rap songs, talk in the most lurid and graphic terms about sex [they were 14 years old] and put me down, questioning my teaching qualifications [I'd studied 12 years at school and 4 years at university] throwing things at me, and generally abusing me. They revelled in their own ignorance.

By the way, I had a bad French teacher myself in high school, but it didn't stop me from learning and getting good marks, because I loved the subject and worked hard at it.

What 'Baldisbeautiful' said about university teaching also rings a bell: I agree that not many academics are good teachers. For a start, they are not trained to be teachers ~ they are trained to be students, in effect, because that's what they are good at. They got to their positions by passing a lot of exams, doing a lot of research, and indulging their own intellectual passion. It's sheer luck if they also happen to be interested in their own students and capable of teaching them.

There's a push now in Australia for university tutors and lecturers to get teacher training, but I imagine there will be a lot of resistance from academics, for obvious reasons.

By the way, Australian academics do not have personal secretaries or assistants to do their paperwork for them: they have to do everything themselves, while staying on top of developments in their field, publishing papers, and doing a ton of bureaucratic crap forced on them by the government.

In my opinion the worst problem with high school teaching is the constant interference by bureaucracy and government, which stops teachers from having authority in the classroom, and wastes a lot of their time and energy on paperwork.

Probably the good teachers leave the service in frustration, and the mediocre ones remain, because they're mainly interested in a steady job with good superannuation for their retirement.

For me, teaching is about communication and creativity on the part of both teacher and students, not just toeing a bureaucratic line.

Answer 7

When you cross to tuition to come to be a instructor, there are a entire variety of distinct publications you must take. This involves: Subject topic - Teachers must be equipped of their discipline topic. They be trained the content material in steady tuition categories like math, technological know-how, English, and many others. These publications are taught through professors with proper levels of their discipline. Teaching approaches - You additionally must understand HOW to educate the content material; how pleasant to aid your scholars be trained. These publications are as a rule taught through retired institution academics who've earned complicated levels in Education and feature plenty of enjoy to again it up. The textbooks are centered on plenty of study through academics and the educational neighborhood to realise what works and what does not, and it continuously alterations. For instance, 50 years in the past academics suggestion it used to be pleasant to have all scholars sitting in neat rows, hands-period from each and every different and dealing with the entrance. Nowadays, we inspire institution seating preparations in order that scholars can collaborate on their studying. There also are publications on different matters like particular demands, authorized problems, and lecture room leadership. These are once more taught through certified professors with proper levels and enjoy. Keep in brain that tuition professors do not as a rule simply get their measure after which come to be a professor. It takes years of enjoy on your discipline earlier than you are regarded certified.

Answer 8

In your heading you have made a statement and affixed a question mark at the end. That does not make it a question.
You have used this forum to air your grievances against teachers. This space is for people asking questions, Buddy,something that you don't need as you have all your own answers.

Answer 9

Since so many different teachers were involves could it be you instead of them?