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School problems...

Discussion in 'Coming Out Advice' started by Lychee, Mar 21, 2009.

  1. Lychee

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    Okay, so I'm in year 11 - my favourite subjects are maths and history, and I currently take: year 11 specialist maths (abstract and advanced maths), physics, English and literature, and year 12: maths methods (medium maths, lots of graphs and algebra) and international studies.

    I'm quite good at school - straight As... But this year, I have been having a problem with one of my teachers, for the year 12 maths. She's quite nice and all, but her teaching just doesn't work for me!! She's also quite intimidating so I'm scared to ask for help, because she presumes that I should know the answer.

    Because of this, I've been spending so much time stressing out, as it's a year 12 subject, and they're the only ones that count in the end. Like I've been crying about this at least a couple of times a week (as pathetic as that sounds :icon_redf.) Today, my mum decided that enough was enough, and she is going to call up my school to ask if I can change teachers. It works with the timetable and everything, I'd just have to swap English and maths.

    But, the problems with this are:
    - My maths teachers is in charge of the timetables for everyone in the school, so there is absolutely no way we could do this without her knowing the reason for it or anything.
    - She scares me. A lot. She'll probably come up to me and ask her why I did this in an aggressive way :\
    - She'll hate me forever more. She's also in charge of all the gifted kids activities, so I probably won't be chosen for anything anymore
    - My friends in my maths class will hate me for leaving, because they don't particularly learn well from her too.
    - I will lose my English teacher, who is the best English teacher in the whole school.
    - I might not even be allowed to move... AAARRGHHHH
    :bang::bang::bang:

    Advice?
    I really can't stand this class, so I really really want to move, because frankly, after two years I'll be out of this place, and any problems with the teacher and friends will be over, and I'll be in uni where I want to be. Also, there is no way I can ever get this teacher again, she teaches one class. And, if I do end up moving, then what can I tell everyone in my class?
    :help:

    Thanks guys, I love all of you :slight_smile:
     
  2. TheRoof

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    Hi!
    it does sound like a really sucky situation...
    have you talked to your classmates about this problem?
    maybe all of you and your classmates can go together and complain to the principle or someone in charge, and say that your math teacher sucks in teaching and something needs to be done?
    in my opinion, i don't think that's rude or aggressive or unfair. it's perfectly justifiable to complain when things aren't working out. i think complaining together with your friends will be better, since it gives more people to support you.
    also i don't think she's gonna hate you for doing this. plus it isn't fair if she hates you for you doing this. after all you are the student and you need to get the best education you can get.
     
  3. Colly

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    Teaching styles vary between people (as you have noticed).
    Can I ask - Is she an older woman? I had an older woman as a maths teacher - she was a bloody dragon. None of us liked her. I'm not even sure how I managed to pass, because I didn't understand anything that came out of her mouth. But my teacher the year before - he was awesome. He encouraged us to ask him to explain something differently if we didn't understand - and he would. He'd even offer to help you with it after class if you still didn't quiet get it.

    After I left, the dragon in question was ordered to some workshop on refreshing her teaching skills or something, and from what I heard - she improved.. But yeah. Who knows.

    That's just my 2c.

    EDIT: Not saying that older maths teachers are always horrible people, It's just been my experience..
     
  4. aerwolfen

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    i think colly might have a good point,perhaps if you were to involve the teacher in a way say you askedher who her best student was,and if she cold do you a favor by setting you up with a that student as a tudor, she will see that you are not quite understanding it all,and give you alittle break,might work to your advantage by gaining her trust in you for asking, thats my two cents worth,your a smart gal you'll do right,good luck.
     
  5. Stuie

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    Having a tutor is probably a slightly better thing to do than piss off your teacher and methods is the kind of subject you basically just slave away at hundreds of questions to learn the tools that you need, so work hard to self teach it and only ask if you actually need help. I personally find teachers matter less in maths than in other subjects and if you have a great English teacher, stick with them, as your teacher in English is more important than your maths teacher. Anyway, if you do 7 subjects, your lowest one isn't counted and the 5th and 6th have only a small impact on your ENTER score in the end.
    Good luck anyway!
     
  6. Lychee

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    I've already tried asking my mum if I can get a tutor. She said no, because she thinks that if every single person in my class needs a tutor (which they do) then it will be easier, and a lot cheaper, just to switch classes.
    I think I need to switch classes, because it actually is making me REALLY depressed, but I don't know what to do about the teacher and my friends...

    And aerwolfen, I can't ask her who the best student is, because it's probably one of my close friends and we already study together :slight_smile: We've been trying to make the best of this situation, even making a "maths club" (hahaha) of all the year 11s in her class, but it just isn't working.

    I don't think anything I do can stop mum now... :\
    I'm scared
     
  7. Greggers

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    Well, i STRONGLY advise switching.

    I have a personal connection to this, i truly do. I am dyslexic, but its a different form of it that is not as common and goes un-noticed for sometimes a life time. I didnt know till after i LEFT high school i even WAS dyslexic. Basically, its when your brain cant process something. For me, its numbers. I look at numbers, and somewere from the page to my brain they scramble. I cant do math, plain and simple. I had a teacher whos math learning style was VERY brute force. Not alot of time for questions or re-explaining. However, like you i tried to switch teachers. I actually got to go to the special needs teacher (sounds pathetic, but oh well) and learn from her. She taught it in a way that MADE sense. She used real life examples and would draw out explanations of everything it was brilliant. Because of her, i got a B in grade 11 P-math (the harder math) and was allowed to go to the school/program im in now. I got a C- in math EVERY other year.

    Ok, so im sure that didnt help, but basically i say go for it. Its worth the risk! WHY would you want to stay with a teacher who would get mad at you for leaving anyways? Teachers are supposed to want to educate you. If shes not doing it, why would she want you to suffer? You can try and explain that to her. As for your friend? Shes a friend. Tell her to stop being such a girl and get over it :slight_smile: Ok, thats harsh, but basically shes your friend and should want whats BEST for you. If she is so bitchy that shes mad at you for actively seeking to do better in math, then wow. You need to do good in this, cause like you said the grade 12 courses matter. You want to push hard in grade 12 so you can go to the schools you want later on.

    Its going to be hard, but its worth it in the end, trust me. I got alot of backlash for going to a SPECIAL ED teacher for math, but that B was worth it all :slight_smile:
     
  8. Lexington

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    I say switch. But put all the blame on yourself. "For some reason, I just can't get this material down. I've never had this problem with math before. I don't know if changing teachers is going to help, but I really don't know what else to try right now." By doing so, you're saving your teacher's pride, and she most likely can't hold that against you.

    Lex