<p>So my APUSH teacher from last year has since moved to the other side of the country and wrote this blog entry about her experience as a teacher.
<a href="https://livinginwinston.wordpress.com/%5B/url%5D">https://livinginwinston.wordpress.com/</a></p>
<p>I certainly see what she is trying to mean. I spent my late middle school and early high school years in a school at East Asia, and the teachers there were extremely strict. The grades there had to be earned though hard work, not simply given.</p>
<p>Most teachers there bragged how rarely, sometimes once in a few years, they gave As to students, and you pretty much had to have at least a slight sense of work ethic and study habits to just not fail there, kids there worked hard and got Bs and Cs, and nobody complained. May I remind you that this was a competitive high-school, where most kids took AP courses and went to four-year institutions?</p>
<p>But as soon as I returned to an American public school, I was practically horrified by my classmates’ study habits and work ethic. On my first day in Honors Algebra II, I was quite surprised when I saw that a little over half the classroom did not do their homework, and once again when I was the only person who completed the first Digital Media project. This is without talking about my US history classroom, where only three of the thirty kids did their assigned reading, a few more did their homework, and about a third never payed any attention to the teacher, and that was an honors course, where most of the students were above average.</p>
<p>It’s already gotten bad enough here to the point that teachers are dumbing their courses down enough so the lowest students can pass without any effort. The aforementioned US history teacher had to actually spend valuable class-time to read to the classroom, and the English teachers here do not bother anymore with assigning readings to the lower classes; they just play the movie of the book, and some kids still fail because they just text throughout the whole movie.</p>
<p>The problem here is that teachers here are not allowed to have standards. If an English teacher actually attempts to grow a spine and fail anyone who does not do their reading, which would put most of the lower students below passing level, they will be branded as terrible teachers because of their low passing rates. Not to mention how most kids here feel entitled to at least Bs, otherwise this will doom their college chances, which puts pressure on teachers and make them feel like they are crushing the students dreams if the snowflake is not given the appropriate grade.</p>
<p>And in the end, these so-called honor students end up going to colleges, and flunking because they never picked up proper study habits, or even a half-decent work ethic.
Hell, even I know I am a terrible student, despite though most teachers here agree that I would likely be the valedictorian or salutatorian if I started my high school career at my current school, I still do not believe I deserve most of the grades that I get. I would likely refuse them if I had a choice.</p>
<p>I mean. The Pandora’s Box of grade inflation has already been opened. By refusing these inflated grades I am placing myself at a disadvantage when compared to students whose frenzied helicopter parents helped them get their grades.</p>
<p>And a final note, even though this may seem like I attend an under-performing high school, it is not true. My school ranks as one of the best of my above-average district. And according to my class-mates, it is quite rigorous, to the point that several kids transfer out to “easier” schools.</p>
<p>Ouch… Haha just wondering, did you like him/think he was a good teacher? I could totally see my freshmen year US History writing something like this. He was like 22 and used to tell us he hated us all and was only teaching because he didn’t get enough hours as a bartender. Then he’d go and hangout with the seniors and their older siblings. </p>
<p>I agree though that we have it a lot easier in America because teachers are way more obligated to give good grades because of state requirements, personal relationships with students, financial reasons, etc. Almost everyone in my AP classes have As and it’s very rare for anyone in those classes to have lower than a B, even if they rarely do work or even show up. When I was in school in Germany, the students thought it was crazy to be “friends” with a teacher or to get a grade boost by going in after school for help or extra credit. They just couldn’t understand how teachers were able to just change kids grades and why they would want to. Our exchange students are always shocked by how teachers often seem to want their students approval, and how administrators seem to not be one the same side as the teachers. Ha I remember the look on my German friends faces when i told them about how it’s not completely uncommon for American students to do things with the teachers outside of school with other students if they’re close XD I guess they’re many reasons why the American Education system is less strict than others, but I think like your teacher, a lot of teachers just aren’t that passionate about teaching, and a lot of students aren’t passionate about learning.</p>
<p>She was an anomaly in my school, coming from the south with a navy seal husband and a conservative mind set. In a New England town that hasn’t voted republican since Nixon. I really enjoyed her teaching style (hands off, work hard & you’ll get a good grade) and I found her interesting, because although she had different beliefs than me, she was thoughtful and had rational reasons.
I think she brings up valid points that must be addressed for America to remain a strong country, but identifying a problem still leaves a need for a solution.
Before this I was thinking of asking for a supplementary recommendation from her if I get wait listed this spring.
I will always remember her assertion that Woodrow Wilson was the worst president ever.</p>
<p>Sorry- she may be bitter, but that was INCREDIBLY rude.
I feel like that was just bitterness and fatigue talking rather than actual analysis of the problems with teenagers.</p>
<p>This is going straight to my bookmarks, thank you!</p>
<p>“Sorry- she may be bitter, but that was INCREDIBLY rude.
I feel like that was just bitterness and fatigue talking rather than actual analysis of the problems with teenagers.”</p>
<p>Agreed.</p>
<p>“some frantic, barely dressed ho bag”</p>
<p>Why criticize high school students when you sound just like them?</p>
<p>“The one that took the cake, however, was a kid who merely printed out the article from the Internet, wrote his name on the top, and handed it in. The URL in the header was actually what tipped me off…”</p>
<p>This amused me, though.</p>
<p>Wow, I certainly feel blessed that I go to a public school where nearly everyone actually cares about their schoolwork and are collegebound, generally intelligent, and my teachers love their jobs (ie history teacher who said he would still teach even if he was the richest man in the world, he would just hire people to check essays :P).</p>
<p>Thanks for sharing that blog post. I found it amusing (other times just plain caustic) and even a bit eye-opening.</p>
<p>She was nearly as crass in class when talking about something she found distasteful.</p>
<p>Did you find the things the teacher described to be true for your class hminot?</p>