A letter I received from a student...

Whatsername868 · 3 days

I am an 11th grade English teacher. I am 26 years old. Like a lot of male teachers, I hear gossip about who thinks I'm cute or whatever, but there's nothing overt. I hear comments about the way I dress or this or that and I get a comment from other teachers or staff when one makes it to them. I am not allowed to accept gifts from students. I helped a female student with an essay and she bought me a tie as a thank you. I was advised by the administration not to accept it. She was not happy. I am not allowed to be alone in the room with fewer than two female students. My students wear uniforms. I am not allowed to ask any questions about the length of skirts in reference to adherence to the dress code because that implies I'm looking. I am not allowed to lean over or close to any female students.

Now, obviously it's better safe than sorry, but I started at a new school a few months ago, and this one student was the only one who didn't openly dislike me. You know how insulating it can be to be a teacher, and that one friend all day was nice for a while. It's a bit better now, but being a male teacher can be very, very lonely. (Not implying that being a female teacher can't, at all, but since you asked.)

I'll always have to keep my distance. Part of the job. It definitely helps with the whole "you're not there to be their friend" thing, disciplinary matters, etc. It would be nice to not be terrified that I'm talking to one particular student for too long, though.

Whatsername868 · 4 days

I wish.

Whatsername868 · 6 days

As a male teacher, I get in trouble for letters like this...

harsh2k5 · 11 days

Very interesting article. I teach at a predominantly black charter in Philadelphia, and we are experiencing quite a bit of parent complaint that so many white teachers are teaching their black children. They feel there should be more black staff members and a black executive director. So I suppose my school has the opposite problem.

CriginsMcJuggs · 18 days

I know I'm on the wrong side of this and it's going to just come off as bitter, but that kind of play is going to make him a lot of enemies. He's already had so many issues in the minors over the kind of player he is and his respect for the game. Looks like it's going to translate into the majors. Not saying he isn't talented and that I wouldn't want him on my team, I'm just saying he's 19 and soon he's going to get his comeuppance.

puffinprincess · 19 days

Backing you up here. Maybe that's why teachers are so misunderstood. Everyone thinks they can do it, but it takes a certain attitude to understand that it's not about just "putting your foot down" or "telling them to screw." I get harassed by parents who don't understand the assignment, and therefore why their kids got a poor grade. I have students who laugh when I tell them they should come after school for help and then fail tests (calling them unfair, or course). It's just the nature of the profession, but people will always say "those kids just need their asses kicked" because they won't be there the next day to see what happens.

puffinprincess · 19 days

It's something undefinable. I don't know why my 11th graders can't follow simple instructions and see no intrinsic value in education. But they can't and they don't (I'm generalizing). But we can't just tell the ones who are falling behind that they're jackasses. Yes, it's our job to be condescending and "teach those kids a lesson," but at the end of the day, we still have to do the best we can to reach them.

puffinprincess · 19 days

Again, this is your experience. My experience was similar. Guess what? I have kids in my 11th grade English class who have zero reading comprehension skills. They can barely understand what the directions say. Do I punish the kids for the ten years of failed education they received? I have to work with what and who I have. It's my job to help them.

Not for nothing, but just BEING a redditor means you're probably of a different disposition than 60% of people. That dynamic exists in our schools as well. You just don't see it until you're actually responsible for 100%.

puffinprincess · 19 days

Easy to say now. You're basing it on "your" experience. You have to be more pragmatic and realize that not every student in the class is as competent as you. Every single class has a group of students like you. Every single class has a group of students who desperately need their teacher to lay out every detail for them, and the rest fall in the middle. Being a teacher isn't about running through the material and showing the kids how smart you are. It's patiently explaining a concept over and over again in different ways.

puffinprincess · 19 days

Haha. How devious...

Knowing my students, they'd point out how unfair it is that I was trying to trick them and I'd have angry calls from parents. Gotta watch that these days.

puffinprincess · 19 days

Next time you make fun of this stuff, look around your class to see how many students are actually paying attention.

Yea, that's why that keeps happening.

puffinprincess · 19 days

It took YOU 1/3 of the period. Just recognize that you were paying attention, probably studied, and did the work. Now recognize that that is NOT what the majority of your classmates did.

puffinprincess · 19 days

Yea, it's easy to miss when you're in the class and not responsible for everyone else. Try to sympathize with the fact that we spend a lot of time clearly explaining things to students who are nodding off, shaking their heads without actually knowing what we're saying, or flat out not paying attention at all.

puffinprincess · 19 days

It's more the high school students who found reddit. Every single one of these memes has an explanation that makes sense when you're not 16.

Full disclosure, I'm a high school teacher. And the reason we spend 20 minutes explaining the instructions is because if we don't, you won't follow them. We can put them at the top, the bottom, in bold, in italic, on a separate page...it doesn't matter. If we don't go over everything beforehand, we'll end up with a miserable night grading.

And no, I'm not bitter. I love my job, and them not paying attention is a product of their developmental stage, not intelligence.

ursafang429 · 20 days

Is there anyone that upvotes these that isn't a high school student?

dunchen22 · 1 month

It looked like Humber might have been given some help with that last pitch. Not convinced he went around. But, regardless, that doesn't take anything away from a great game.

dunchen22 · 1 month

Thought it was awesome the way everyone in the stadium stood up. Very classy, Seattle.

themojowire · 1 month

I went for conservation of detail. Mentioning Andy in the title and then showing the warden saved me an entire line of explanation and reminded viewers of the post of the plot of the film.

themojowire · 1 month

No, it works in context. Sorry if it's confusing.

Dovercourt · 1 month

Wow, I think I just realized why the whole Castro thing even happened. "We need a way for this trailer to end..."

Inglourious_Ryan · 1 month

How do you not get romantic about baseball?

themojowire

TROPHY CASE

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