“I don’t wanna be here/ And I don’t wanna study now/ It’s all wrong but it’s/ alright.”
~ Swithcfoot, Chem 6A
There’s only one class that I look forward to everyday. My advanced placement English class. Ms. Olson is the only teacher I have that knows how to make me think, about everything. So why is it that this is my most difficult class? We write constantly, which would be obvious because it is and American Lit. class, but beyond that she encourages us to be real with what we write.
I realize that apathy is the new trend for most high school students, but when over half of your teachers care even less than you do, your ability to care diminishes. Rapidly. I understand that it is a cycle. Students don’t care. Their teachers give up trying. Students care even less. But what started it all? The students or the teachers? Was there one professor centuries ago that simply stopped caring and one of his students became a teacher and did the same thing? Or has it always been the students’ preoccupation with other things that causes the teachers to lose hope?
Or have you ever had that teacher that just let you get off, because you’re the “smart” one in the group? Instead of critiquing your work they have you walk around the class and explain things. Or even better, your teacher tells you that he’s doing something that weekend and wants you to come up with a lesson plan and teach the class on Monday.
Why is that at so many high schools it seems like the focus is put on the students who are failing because they don’t care while the ones that do are allowed to slip through the cracks? Why have so many of my teachers never really challenged the work I put forth once they see my reading level and my G.P.A.? And is it odd that I enjoy that classes that push my thinking buttons?
I am I weird because the best part of my entire English education experience was when my teacher looked at me, after reading my essay aloud, and stated that I kind of suck at ending my essays?
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
I think it's a mixture of both. I'm having this problem at my current school. I came from a school where the teachers were amazing. They challenged you to think for yourself in every situation, and told us that one day your boss will give you a shoe and tell you to make it into a dress...and you're going to have to do it, so you might as well learn how to think for yourself and be innovative now.
They wanted us to be creative, thoughful, respectful, successful.
I believe most students don't understand the importance of education, and I'll admit that sometimes I want to take a week off and just do nothing, but I realize I have to learn in order to succeed.
I think teachers should attempt a new style of teaching, instead of just reading out of a textbook and feeding their students information, they should make it interesting and exciting. Part of education is making it interesting and relatable to the students' lives. I realize that this can be difficult with a subject such as math, but it's always worth a try, math is exciting to some students! I think it's awesome that you love the classes that challenge you the most cause it shows that you're enthusiastic about learning.
___________________________________________________________________
"Most intellects do not believe in God, but they fear us just the same." - Erykah Badu
My english teacher this year is similar to yours and I have had teachers in the past who have done the same and those are the ones that I truly appreciate and I know I will remember forever.
I completly understand where you are comming from. Most of my classes, and sadly even my English classes at my high school are very unchallenging. But I think its because our teachers have lost faith in us, and therefore we have lost faith in our teachers and ourselves.
It is hard to understand what happens to a teacher when you are sitting in your point of view. I've totally been there. But now I'm here, standing in front of the class, all of the sudden responsible for 60 students (which is really not that many compared to most public schools where teachers are responsible for 180ish or more students), some slow learners, some fast learners, some in-betweenies, some apathetic kids, some entireley self-motivated, and many who are dealing with issues at home. The list goes on. I am not just a teacher. I am a parent, a guardian, a cop, a moderator, an entertainer, a counselor, an advisor, a guide, a model, and so on - it gets to be a lot.
The students that do care about education and doing well and learning are an encouragement to me. I have always liked school, and it makes me happy to see students with the same self-motivation. I hope that I have challenged their thinking, that I have encouraged them to better themselves, that I have taught them something...
But when I have a class full of students who just don't give a shit, literally, it is quite discouraging. When I have students who are smart, but just don't put the effort forth, no matter what I do or say, it runs you down as a teacher. And those few moments where they do go forward or accomplish something or actually finish what they started, those are BIG moments!
I don't know where the cycle started. But all high school students have a sense of apathy. Perhaps it is one of the many jobs of teachers to rise above that apathy (though, teachers are people, too, remember) and go forward in enthusiasm regardless of student response. I don't think that teachers have lost faith in their students. I think teachers have become discouraged by a number of things, including the ineffectiveness of the system. Teachers don't just come to school with students - they have an administration, they have guidelines, they have requirements, they have standards to meet, and when all of that doesn't work together it takes a serious toll on a person. Being a teacher becomes just another part of that whole thing that's tearing a person down.
As students, I encourage you to jump on board for school and education reform. Some serious changes need to take place in public education. Don't lose faith in your teachers. They need to know that they are appreciated and doing a good job, too. :)
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/kariskoett