Dealing with a Difficult Teacher
I’m currently taking chemistry with a teacher who has a reputation for being tough to work with. I consider myself a dedicated student, and I usually find school manageable, but chemistry has been a different story. While I believe my teacher has good intentions, his teaching style and grading methods are inconsistent. Sometimes we have direct instruction in class, but other times we’re just told to refer to slides and take notes independently. Often, he spends the class sitting at his desk while we work on the materials he provides.
I’m particularly frustrated after taking a quiz today that I barely passed. What made it worse is that he didn’t specify what topics would be covered—when I asked, he just mentioned “important things.” I assumed it would be based on what we learned last week, but it turned out to be material from two weeks ago that we had already quizzed on. To complicate things, he hasn’t put the previous quiz in the gradebook because he said he was overwhelmed with grading, even though all the quiz questions were relevant to today’s content. Unfortunately, I don’t recall that older material since we’ve been learning new topics in the meantime.
Another issue is related to our recent unit test, which took him two weeks to grade. Many students did poorly, and we’re scheduled for retakes, but that will be a challenge since we learned those concepts a month ago. I struggled then, and I definitely don’t remember it now.
I realize I’m venting here, but I feel a constant sense of stress in this class. We have long stretches with no assessments, and suddenly we’re faced with a slew of tests and quizzes, not to mention a DCA coming up next week. Currently, there are only five grades in the gradebook, and the quarter ends in two weeks.
I’m seeking advice on how to improve my situation. Should I respectfully confront him about my concerns? Should I reach out to a counselor for guidance? Or should I try to teach myself the material? I’m feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about what to do next.
It sounds like you’re in a really tough spot, and it’s completely understandable to feel frustrated. Here are a few steps you might consider to address the situation:
Communicate with Your Teacher: It’s crucial to approach your teacher respectfully and express your concerns. You could request a one-on-one meeting (either in person or during office hours) where you can calmly discuss your struggles with the current teaching methods and grading. Explain how the inconsistent feedback and lack of clarity on quizzes is affecting your learning and performance. This could help him understand your perspective and potentially improve his teaching.
Seek Help from Classmates: Sometimes, talking with classmates can reveal that others share your frustrations. You can study together or form a study group to help each other understand the material better. This can also be beneficial for quiz preparation.
Utilize Additional Resources: Since you mentioned that the material feels overwhelming, consider looking for supplementary resources like online tutorials (Khan Academy, Crash Course, etc.), chemistry textbooks, or study apps. These can help reinforce your understanding of the topics you’re learning in class.
Talk to a Counselor or Academic Advisor: If you feel like your concerns aren’t being addressed by your teacher, it may help to speak with a counselor or academic advisor. They can provide guidance and may even suggest ways to advocate for a better learning environment, whether through intervention or providing additional resources.
Self-Teaching and Organizing Your Study Schedule: Given the tight timeline, it might help to create a study schedule that breaks down what you need to review for each upcoming test or quiz. Set specific goals for each study session to stay focused.
Monitor Your Mental Health: It’s important to take care of your mental well-being during stressful times. Make sure to take breaks, practice stress-relief techniques, and find joy in other activities outside of school.
Consider Parent Involvement: If things don’t improve, you might discuss the situation with your parents or guardians and see if they can help advocate for you.
Remember, it’s important to approach each of these steps with a positive mindset aimed at finding a solution. Your education is important, and advocating for your needs is a critical skill that will serve you well in the future. Good luck!