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An Observation
Feb. 27th, 2002 02:04 pmIt seems to me that teachers, especially in middle school and highschool, in an objective light tend to fall into one of two categories - stupid or sadistic. I'm sure the majority here will agree with me, but just look at the given situation - you're MADE to go on a retreat, which is supposed to provide time for you to reflect and contemplate, and remove you from the world, and the teachers give you EXTRA work? The same thing follows for any given break - it's been proven that 'all work and no play' can burn you out. It's presumed that this is the reason for breaks - so that you can settle down and unwind, if only for a few days. But teachers, in highschool especially, seem to see it as just a time when 'you're not doing anything anyways' and so it's FINE to give you work over the break. In an objective light, this all seems quite clear.
But this clarity breaks down when subjectivity enters the scene. When you get to know who your teacher is, and the motivations behind what they do, things aren't so cut and dry. It often turns out that a teacher regrets giving extra work almost as much as you regret doing it, and those that don't can often be turned with a little logic (How am I supposed to reflect if you give me all this extra stuff to worry about). However, in either case, regret changes little. Teachers, as such, have a ciriculum they must follow, and though all is meant well, it is sometimes difficult if not impossible to cover what needs to be taught in a certain class. Due to time constraints and the problems that come with juggling the learning faculties of 20 or more students, teachers often have 'no choice' but to do what they do. Rare is the teacher who truely does not care about his students, for they must have been drawn to the profession by something, and I garontee money was not it.
In closing, I think this is just a general note that teachers are human too, and though there may be frustration and stress on all sides, it is not right to try pointing a finger at any one party - it simply causes unessisary strain.
But this clarity breaks down when subjectivity enters the scene. When you get to know who your teacher is, and the motivations behind what they do, things aren't so cut and dry. It often turns out that a teacher regrets giving extra work almost as much as you regret doing it, and those that don't can often be turned with a little logic (How am I supposed to reflect if you give me all this extra stuff to worry about). However, in either case, regret changes little. Teachers, as such, have a ciriculum they must follow, and though all is meant well, it is sometimes difficult if not impossible to cover what needs to be taught in a certain class. Due to time constraints and the problems that come with juggling the learning faculties of 20 or more students, teachers often have 'no choice' but to do what they do. Rare is the teacher who truely does not care about his students, for they must have been drawn to the profession by something, and I garontee money was not it.
In closing, I think this is just a general note that teachers are human too, and though there may be frustration and stress on all sides, it is not right to try pointing a finger at any one party - it simply causes unessisary strain.
