FML General Thread [6]

[Sorrow]

Could you share the context? It's always fun to consider how horrendous a teacher's self-image may be.

[Nuclear Lunchbox]

There was a concept that I didn't understand. I tried to see him at multiple times when he was free, but he always had something to do. Understandable. I went to the other econ teacher, but mine came over and said "No, go work on it over the weekend, and meet with me on Monday." A little strange, but okay. Over the weekend, I thought that I had understood a certain concept that he was teaching us, but I wanted to make sure my reasoning was correct. I came in on Monday for our scheduled meeting. He was just leaving-- he said that there was something that had come up but that he had sent me an email. I had checked that morning. No email. I checked later. No email. Kind of weird, but alright. Today rolls around and I go into the math office. He's there, he's free, so we sit down and we start talking about the problem. More accurately, he starts talking about the problem. He lays the entire thing out for me, punctuated only by my uh-huhs and yeahs. He finishes explaining, and says, "Does that make sense?" I say, "It does, but I haven't been able to get in a word yet about what I thought I did incorrectly."

Apparently this was a mistake.

You could practically hear a switch click in this guy's brain. His face went blank, his voice and body language turned hostile, and he said, "If you want my help, you will not speak to me like that." I felt my sinuses go cold, my face flush, and it felt like my innards were turning to gelatin. He then asked, "So what was your question?" It was more of a statement than a question, and you could practically hear the heat in his words. Fight vs flight had completely taken over at this point. I responded, "Um, nope. That was it." I promptly stood and hightailed it the fuck out of there.

I later recounted the incident to a friend.

In the classroom, this guy is fine. Outside of the classroom, I haven't had a single good experience with this man. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me; fool me three times, I'm an idiot. I get that there are plenty of reasons that he could be acting in the way that he is, but I've yet to have a single good experience with this man in terms of seeking help. That's what I'm supposed to do when I have a specific question! Find the teacher and get it resolved! Discouraging questions when I'm trying to LEARN isn't very helpful.

I'm quite frustrated about all this.

[Sorrow]

Does he perchance stand with his shoulders hunched forwards when you see him minding his own business?

The fact that he sent you away from the other teacher, told you to work on it and see him later, suggests to me that he hasn't the time, or the effort, to be dealing with you; yet still finds it a minor insult that you should speak to someone who isn't your teacher. The mention of the E-mails is just an extension of his "no time" attitude, but gives you the impression he hasn't forgotten about you. Which he obviously hasn't.

"It does, but I haven't been able to get in a word yet about what I thought I did incorrectly." Would suggest to someone, who is slightly peeved with you already and expecting a further slight, that you found his way of instructing you just then to be inadequate. It's completely over the top, but I can see this conclusion in your wording.

Has he been teaching, and at this specific place, longer than the other teacher you went to see? I'd like to bet he has.

Of course it's an awful situation; it's not like you can have it out with him, without it all going bad for you. It's embarrassing and frustrating that you should be put in that position, with the student-teacher dynamic making you feel instantly small. It is a shame.

[Nuclear Lunchbox]

In the classroom, this guy is fine. It's only outside the classroom when I try to get help that I have this opinion of him. I really need the grade (and for him not to think I'm flippant), so it looks like the best thing that I can do is roll over like a good little puppy and do some serious brown-nosing.

[Sorrow]

In the classroom, this guy is fine.

That's why I wondered if his shoulders were hunched when he's minding his own business. He's normal when he's doing his allocated classes, but anymore than that, like trying to see him on his own, is probably too much of an ask from this sort of character. I wouldn't take it personally, though perhaps you've since earned his scorn.

I suppose sucking up isn't a bad idea, but it doesn't give you the answers that this whole ordeal was in order to get. Heh.

[Nuclear Lunchbox]

Sorrow, this man is a teacher. His job-- the reason for his employment-- is to teach his students. It is not an unreasonable request to meet with a teacher to discuss a specific concept that you are having a problem with. If a teacher is unwilling to sit down with a student and work with them, then that teacher is not doing well at his job. Does he have to answer vague questions? No, he does not. Does he have to rearrange his schedule to my personal needs? No, he does not. Does he need to allow students to plan meetings with him? Yes, he does. He doesn't need to tolerate rudeness from his students. He doesn't need to stand for students forgetting their homework or being ill prepared to receive his help. He does, however, need to answer questions from his students if they are confused.

At the end of the day, I like this class. I want to learn the material. And I will be damned if I can't figure out how to do that.

[Sorrow]

I didn't expect you to reply to me with such a tone. I'm well aware of his position - I haven't been defending him, in the slightest.

You said you were frustrated, and made it quite clear you were confused by his reaction. I'm trying to offer an explanation as to why that may be, on what little information you've given me, and by asking more about him.

Perhaps you didn't want to talk about it? I would focus less on what happened, more on why it happened, so you can decide how to further proceed with this person, and others like him.

[Nuclear Lunchbox]

I'm sorry for the tone of my post. I'm still very frustrated by this entire affair, and it seems to be making its way into my responses. I appreciate your thoughts on the matter.

[Sorrow]

No worries. It's understandable.

[Nuclear Lunchbox]

The entire situation is just very bleh. I've never had to deal with anything like this before, so I guess you can say better late than never-- but I had still hoped that I wouldn't encounter hostile, this-is-my-class-you-do-things-the-way-I-say teachers during my education. It really isn't fun. It adds to the discontent when I consider that this year marks the most proactive that I've been in forming good relationships with my teachers, and that this one seems to have gone sour off the bat.

[Sorrow]

Better never than late though, eh? To be honest, if I were in your position, I wouldn't suck up either. It would seem to me, that it would be best to just stay under the radar. Do your classes as usual, and seek answers to your questions elsewhere. It's a shame, seeing as he is your teacher, but I guess that's just the way it goes. Sucking up might cause his opinion of you to be even worse - he's just another person, after all.

Obviously you can go about this however you see best; you've more experience with this person than I, after all. Just my opinion, for what it isn't worth.

[Princess Asuka]

The dog keeps on barfing.

[delispin25]

The dog keeps on barfing.

It's defective.
I know a certain G.Rinder that can help with that.

[Princess Asuka]

It's defective.
I know a certain G.Rinder that can help with that.

I wouldn't say she's defective, she just chewed up her new squeaky toy I got her.

[Catamari]

If I had my way, I would be slowly torturing someone to death, about right now. My university has golf carts that certain people can drive. You need training and there are strict rules. Chief among them is no driving on the sidewalks. Mind you, cyclists are allowed on the sidewalks, but not golf carts.

I'm biking to lunch and this nimrod who is fucking around in a golf cart decides it would be a good idea to round a corner and come in my direction. I pull my brakes and flip over the bars and faceplant on the cement.

The bastard then drives off, and since the carts are not plated, I don't know who it was, or which cart he was driving.

I'm pretty cut up at the moment. I don't think I've broken anything, though.

[delispin25]

Should have chased him down, a la Terminator 2.

[Nuclear Lunchbox]

Sorry to hear about that, mate.

[MAGI_01]

Wow, sorry to hear about that.

-----


Well first day on the opening shift at work went well except for two things...

Damn trash bag ripped open while emptying the trash, covering my left leg in day old, leftover food.

Then I cut my hand open on accident on the dumpster, which needless to say is not the cleanest thing there is. So I washed that up and bandaged it, hopefully no infection or other illness will occur.

Needless to say, I showered as soon as I got home after I got off work. That was just gross.

[Nuclear Lunchbox]

If you've got any Neosporin on hand, use some of that. It's a good antiseptic.

[MAGI_01]

I believe we do. I mean, I washed up a quick as I could, but it cant hurt to go the extra mile.