School Day Memory: Teacher Review
Posted in Once I Was a Kansas Girl and tagged with History, Kansas, School on September 6, 2008First off, you may notice that I’ve been moving things around on the sidebar. Just a little spring cleaning in September. I wanted to highlight some of my best/most interesting posts. Is there any that come to mind? I’m not asking you to search back through my archives or anything, but if you remember something that I wrote that was good/decent, let me know. Thanks!
Happy Saturday, everybody! I’ll be dodging raindrops (and hopefully nothing else) from Hanna.
Today’s school day memory will go back to the most awkward age: middle school. In Kansas, our state history is a big deal. You may wonder what is important about the history of the state of Kansas, but I tell you, it played a very important role in the start of the civil war. At the time, it was called “Bleeding Kansas.” I’ll simply tell you that there is real animosity in the past behind the tension between KU and Mizzou.
Anyway. It’s always dangerous to get me talking about history. Just ask my RL buds.
So, because Kansas history is so important, we take a whole class on it 7th grade year. My teacher, Mr. Teacher (not his real name), was a fairly new teacher. He wasn’t a horrible teacher, but certainly sub-par. I didn’t particularly like him because he would make fun of students in the class and he didn’t ever really encourage us to learn. I was frusterated at one point because I was the secretary for my group during a group project, and he returned our work saying he couldn’t read it. I HAD GOOD HANDWRITING, Y’ALL (not very Kansan of me, I know). My writing has gone south since then, but I wrote well then. He always seemed to have a problem with me, maybe because he was intimidated that I really wanted a learn? (once a nerd, always a nerd)
Anyway, at the end of the class we had conferences. I went with my mom to my conferences, and then it was time to meet up with Mr. Teacher. He told my mom something to the affect, “Ronnica is a good student so I trust her opinion. Do you mind if you ask her a question?”
He then proceeded to ask me what I thought of him as a teacher. Never been one to lie to make someone feel good, I told him exactly what I thought: that he wasn’t a very good teacher, he didn’t encourage learning, and I didn’t like that he would “jokingly” call the students names.
You should have seen the look on his face. He replied with something like, “That’s what I get for asking the question.” I really don’t think he realized how much I did not enjoy his class!
Past School Day Memories:
Kindergarten and First Grade: Kisses and Skunks
8th Grade: 100 Marble Pick Up
College Senior Year: Why Procrastination Might Not Be My Thing
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September 6th, 2008 at 7:51 am
How is it that, as a lifelong Kansan, I never had to take a Kansas history course? We touched on it in a lot of classes, but never was it required…
Out of curiosity, what was your mother’s reaction to hearing your response? I applaud you for your honesty!
September 6th, 2008 at 8:56 am
I love these stories of younger Ronnica!
September 6th, 2008 at 9:46 am
Asking a middle schooler her opinion? Yes, he was definitely a first-time teacher! I love the mind of a middle schooler – old enough to articulate their opinions, young enough not to care.
September 6th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
I’m a Kansas girl, too. I love all that history. People think we are dull there, but that is so wrong!
September 6th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
But you know what? The fact that he asked you that, he probably knew you really would be honest and I bet it changed his teaching manner, at least for a short time to hear your honest thoughts. Good for you!!
September 6th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
You sure were gutsy. I don’t think I could have said something like that to my teacher at that age.
September 6th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
I hated history with a passion until I lived in Europe and could see so much of it come to life through ancient ruins and such. Walking where God’s disciples once walked gives you a feeling like none other. Boom! History was real. It was interensting and it finally all made sense! As for the Mr. Teacher. He must not have heard the addage, “If you don’t want to or can’t handle hear(ing) the truth, don’t ask the question.”
October 24th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
I am a 7th & 8th grade science teacher in Kansas and I frequently ask students their opinions. How are they going to learn to articulate their feelings and opinions on academic matters if teachers do not give them the opportunity? I believe that Ronnica's teacher knew what he was doing and knew his student well enough that he could value her opinion, whether he agreed with it or not.
Kansas history is taught in 8th grade in our district, as a part of the year long American History course.
"Debateur": Many kids these days will say anything to or in front of their teachers, sadly enough.
October 24th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
VTXLR8: Thanks for stopping by. I do think that my teacher wanted to grow, as he was a fairly new teacher. I just don’t think he realized I didn’t think highly of his teaching style.