2. Put your cell phone down.
3. Did ANYONE do the reading?
4. I said put it DOWN.
5. If you want me to write a recommendation letter for you, don't wait until the last minute to ask me to write it for you. You do not want me to be in a bad mood when I'm writing that letter.
6. Make sure that you take notes in class, so that you won't end up e-mailing me the night before the essay is due to ask, "So, what's this essay supposed to be about?"
7. Don't tell me that I made a mistake with your grade. YOU made a mistake when you skipped class nine times/sat in the back and tuned me out/turned in every assignment late or not at all.
8. No, you don't have the right to text or answer your phone during class. Seriously, what is UP with your generation and cell phones? When I was your age, we didn't have cell phones! We talked to each other in person, while trudging for miles uphill in the snow!
9. If you want to see smoke come out of my ears, then don't come to class for three weeks and then ask me to e-mail you what you missed.
10. If you want to see me transform the way Bruce Banner does when he becomes the Incredible Hulk, then do all of the things listed above and then say, "If I get a bad grade, it's your fault because you're a bad teacher."
11. I don't care how many Pokemon are in this classroom right now. Turn your cell phone OFF.
11. I don't care how many Pokemon are in this classroom right now. Turn your cell phone OFF.
I always used to wonder why they portrayed teachers as being cranky disciplinarians in TVs and movies. After more than a decade of teaching, I understand.
What about you? What are some of the most frustrating things about your job?
My SIL is a high school teacher and this pretty much sounds like a conversation with her, too. Very sad. These are things I never would have done in school.
ReplyDeleteHi Tara,
DeleteI know, right? I never would have dared do these things either, especially because most of my teachers were really strict and wouldn't have let me or anyone get away with it. It's frustrating because a lot of young people really do have a strong sense of entitlement and don't think they should be held accountable for their actions. Or they think there's nothing wrong with their actions.
I can't imagine what that generation will be like when they have to take on responsible jobs - they really don't seem geared up for it :-(
ReplyDeleteHi Annalisa,
DeleteI know, right? Some of these students are in for a rude awakening when they start working. They say that they want to be treated like adults and yet they still act like kids. It's bad enough when they regularly miss class/show up late; their boss will definitely not be okay with that if they pull the same stunts at work. And yet they think (and in many cases demand) that people should make exceptions for them, rather than that they should grow up.
I admire all teachers. I admire you. Teachers have to do and deal with so much. They often don’t get the credit or praise they need.
ReplyDeleteHi Chrys,
DeleteThank you! That's nice of you to say. And the thing is, teachers are often blamed by parents and students for the students' failings (because God forbid the students should take responsibility for their own mistakes or bad behavior), but like you said, they rarely get credit for the good work that they do or for how hard they work.
I would never have done any of that stuff in class just because that's not who I am, but I went to school (both high school and college) who did things like this. Never understood it. Teachers handle way more than I have the strength to do.
ReplyDeleteHi Caitlin,
DeleteSometimes I feel like I'm running out of energy and strength to put up with all of the stuff that certain students do. It's tough because I used to love teaching, and I still like several aspects of it. But stuff like the ones I listed above (and I didn't even list all the things that college students do that drive teachers like me up the wall) make me feel burned out. I just don't understand why students think this kind of behavior is okay. Not all of them are like this, but a lot of them are, and it's frustrating that they think they should be able to do whatever they want and then get upset/surprised when they're held accountable for their actions.
It certainly wouldn't work out for me and a hunter.
ReplyDeleteAnd bait and switch with photos: wrong.
Hi Sandra,
DeleteOh, I know! It's like, what if he wanted you to go hunting with him? I know that would not be a fun date with me. And the thing is, I've seen a lot of fake pictures in people's profiles; some people actually use the pictures of A-list celebrities, as if other people wouldn't recognize them.
I love teachers who take no nonsense :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Deniz,
DeleteSorry about my late response! And the thing is, many students don't want teachers to be strict; they want them to make all kinds of "exceptions" for them because they don't think the rules should apply to them.