Why do high school teachers simply lose hope on some of their students??

If you were a teacher and had to deal with class after class of students who either didn’t care or simply wanted to put forth the minimum amount of effort to get by, you’d get cynical too. It’s only human nature that teachers are going to concentrate their efforts on the students they perceive to be the most receptive to them. This means honors and AP classes. However, I’ve rarely come across a teacher that wasn’t receptive to a student who was reaching for some help or extra attention in any class. Sometimes it takes a little effort on your part, but if you show the teacher you’re serious about learning, I think 99% of teachers will give back in some way.

You are bound to run into a few jaded teachers on your trip through public school, but in my experience even the grumpy ones can be happy to help out students if they are convinced they aren’t wasting their time. So don’t be discouraged by your teacher’s attitude, and if you really are interested in getting the best out of your education, then do what it takes to get it.

I’m sorry this is happening to you. I am a middle school teacher and I see some of my co-workers do this with our students. It bothers me to no end, but there is nothing I can do to change the way they think and feel. Our principal has noticed it, too. She doesn’t like it, but unfortunately it is a difficult area to address. It seems like it shouldn’t be, but it is. I just go about doing my own thing and challenging each and every one of my students as if they are going to make it to graduation and college, whether they are honors or not.

It could get difficult for you if you set out to try to prove her wrong. You know that she is wrong. Your classmates know that she is wrong. If it is really a problem and she is constantly putting you down, I suggest talking to the school counselor. He/she will be able to give you suggestions and possibly call a conference with you and this teacher. You could even request a teacher change for that class. If that doesn’t work, bring in your parents. Have them talk to your teacher first, and then move onto the principal and then the school board if necessary. The higher up you go the more results you could possibly see. However, the higher up you go the worse it could get too. Just be careful, talk to your parents about this, and always remember that YOU WILL PROVE HER WRONG!!!!

I am an elementary teacher so I guess I am a bit different. I am usually very hopeful for my students. I know that there are some that will slip through the cracks and I do my best to stop it, but I also know once they leave my room I have no control over their futures…its up to them and their parents.

I always have this hope that they will some how get things together and make a good life for themselves, even if they don’t go to college. But I guess as kids get older the amount of time they have to make a good life shortens and the outlook and hope for this is reduced.

Now I don’t think its right for your teacher to say what she said at all, no teacher should ever say that no matter who s/he is working with or what s/he really thinks. However it does become frustrating to teachers to work so hard and see little results and especially hard to see little effort given back.

Did you talk to your teacher about this? She should be open to talk to you about it. I know I have done things that I apologized for when a student felt disrespected and through out my education I had a couple teachers apologize to me. I think most teachers would at least talk about it if you confronted her before or after class.

Good Luck

It’s bit prejudicial, but you tend to those who are excelling and have potential.

Unfortunatley that’s not always a true case. A Ihad a friend who got virtually all A’s went to Junior College at 17 part time through a high school program and then got into UCLA where he flunked out of AstroPhysics and calculus.

What teachers don’t take into account is the Peter Principal. Sooner or later everyone rises to the level of their own incompetence.

Had he gone to a smaller school with semesters (Like Cal State Northridge) instead of a fast paced quarter system school with audiotorium size classes like UCLA he might have survived better.

So the high school favored him and even put him into a college program parttime and he did a nose dive once he made it to the Big University.

Now your remedial students might be able to survive in a 2 year junior college. In reading my story, you have to agree that they too, might go down the drain at a UCLA type school.

With my friend with Honors A’s in high school squeeked out with Cs or Ds what are those in general high school math going to do when College math covers your 4 years of high school math in 10 minutes and moves on from there.

This will get their attention.

Collaborate with the other students – “strength in numbers.”

and tell the teachers this: “We feel that many of the teachers, at this school, have given up on many of us students because we are not in ‘Honors’ classes.”

Then add: “But that’s ok because we will not give up hope that the teachers will improve their understanding and acceptance of us regular students.”

When you do your best opening day presentation for your subject matter. You really get into it, you think the students are interested and ready. And at the back of the class you have a student raise his hand and ask you “What do I need to do for a D-, I am taking this class pass/fail?”

Forget about what the teachers think. Just study hard and work hard on you homework and you’ll be fine. Also don’t mind if other teachers care about honor students as long as you do your role as a student. Goodluck! I hope my advise helps you.

because they have thier sterotypical views that honours students are ‘smarter’, or proberly in the past honours students have done better. I have the same problem at my school. But i know that to change thier view i need to show that not only honours students are smart. And it doesnt matter, everyone is smart or bright in thier own ways. Dont lose hope, try your best.

Teachers start off with hope and drive and dedication. Day after day they persevere handling difficult kids, situations, verbal and physical abuse, and few victories compared to the defeats. It wears you down, despite your dedication, it wears you down, year after year, class after class. And on top of everything, we are grossly underpayed and have to work extra jobs and hours to compensate.

on the other hand… teachers likes our class because we are the most active students among all the class in our school… so teachers dont lose hope among us students to make it in our college…