<p>I'm pretty sure the only reason she's even teaching is because she's a basketball coach, and if one wants to coach at my school, he or she has to teach as well, and she just picked English because she can BS through the course. I mean, the woman writes our tests, and on a pronoun-antecedent test, one of the questions had this sentence:</p>
<p>"Anita likes to go to Anita's house were Anita cuts Anita's grass and water Anita's flowers. Anita also enjoys to spend time with Anita's family." </p>
<p>I almost cried when I saw this, but I didn't want to approach her and make her hate me even more. Also, the other "accelerated" English II classes are reading "Julius Caesar," and we're stuck reading "Speak," which is what the normal classes are forced to do.</p>
<p>This lady also pronounces the words "pristine," "tether," and "ambiguity" incorrectly; "pristine" becomes "pris-tine" (like tines on a fork), "tether" becomes "teether," and "ambiguity" becomes "ambigooity." There are other words that she mangles, as well, but the aforementioned mispronunciations are the only ones I remember. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t mind an easy class if I didn’t have a state test at the end. They made the test INSANELY hard this year, and my teacher is doing virtually nothing to prepare us for it.</p>
<p>Forgive me for actually wanting to be challenged.</p>
<p>My Sophomore year would’ve been much easier if we were forced to read Speak instead of Julius Caesar. I love Speak. </p>
<p>Prepare for the state exam independently. What state exam are you talking about regarding English 10? The ELA MCAS? I’d say that majority of standardized state exams are a flat out joke. Anyone with basic literacy can pass the ELA MCAS if that’s what you’re referencing.</p>
<p>I’ll find out the name on Monday. While I’m pretty good at math and science, I’m relatively bad at English, so I don’t think self study would be viable. I wish we wrote all the time instead of having to do this crap.</p>
<p>Exams regarding the English language, when standardized, typically don’t test based on any curriculum but rather on the student’s already developed grasp on writing, reading, and grammar. I imagine that the state exam you’re going to take is going to be one based on the entirety of your career as an English student from, say, 2nd grade, so one bad teacher now really won’t jeopardize your score…</p>
<p>…the only kids who don’t pass the ELA MCAS at my school are kids who recently came to this country and speak next to no English whatsoever.</p>
<p>Speak is a fantastic book. I enjoyed Julius Caesar as well, but Speak is a little more relevant to the condition of American adolescents.</p>
<p>Okay, I’m a teacher, and I rarely advocate this, but I’m feeling your pain. First, go to your guidance counselor with the tests, and ask to switch classes, stating that you feel it would be in your best interests to be challenged more. If she doesn’t respond favorably, have your parents call.</p>
<p>If toy don’t have parents who will call, go to the principal if the guidance counselor is unresponsive.</p>
<p>If you cannot change classes, write a letter to the principal and the school board staying your concerns. Keep it academic, not personal.</p>
<p>Finally, approach the other teacher or a teacher of a higher level course, and ask for help with your English.</p>
<p>Your education is important and toy should advocate for the best education you can possibly receive, and help us rid the world of incompetent teachers. Let coaches teach PE.</p>