Unfortunately we have all had some experience with a bad teacher. Honestly, how did they ever get into education? Did they get burned out or have they just always been this bad? Well, let’s be realistic; some students just don’t do the work or even show up to class. If you fit this profile your opinion just became nullified. The teachers I am speaking of are the ones that don’t teach. They show up to class, take roll, and talk about nothing that helps you with assignments or tests. If this sounds ridiculous and you have never had this experience, lucky you.
Let’s take it a step further and say you did the assignment and you got a lower grade than you expected. Obviously you go to the professor and ask them what you need to understand to improve your grade for the next assignment. You would expect some sound advice; perhaps have them tell you to read a chapter in you text, take more specific notes in class or come in during their advising time for some extra help. No this is not remotely what the bad professor does, instead they blame your previous professor for not teaching you the skills you need. Okay so I am an idiot, that’s why I am in school to learn. In fact I am paying this joker to do just that, teach me something.
Maybe it is just me – so I asked around class about the bad professor and many felt the exact same way. Yeah, now I am preaching to the choir. Please understand that I have had tough teachers and classes that I had to put a mega ton of hours into just to get a good grade, but with those teachers I always knew that if I did the work, I would get an A. The professors I am speaking about make you wonder why the department head keeps these slackers employed, especially when there are so many good teachers hungry for work.
DC Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee said that, “Every child in a District of Columbia public school has a right to a highly effective teacher in every classroom.” Then she fired the lot of them. We can all agree teacher’s salaries are low on the financial scale compared to the overall impact they have on the whole. This is no excuse for them not to do their job. Take a cop – same crappy pay dealing with idiots all day – then imagine them deciding not to uphold the law. Cop, teacher…does not matter. If you don’t do your job find someone who will.
I can’t speak for you, but I enjoy school and leaning – it’s exciting. Some days I even feel smart enough to go as far as to shave my mullet and actually park my Nova in the driveway. Perhaps that is why it really messes with my Zen when a professor is that bad. I believe people are generally good-I don’t think that any teacher in their right mind would want to hamper someone’s education-yet this is exactly what a bad professor is doing, messing with an individual’s future. Believe it or not, I imagine someday becoming a professor. They say the best carrier for the future is the one you can improve on.
Take control of your future by researching out professors before taking their class. Sadly to say some accidents you can’t avoid. There are a couple good websites online where you can get the information on professors. These sites have posts from past students or you can ask around campus what teachers your colleagues like.
FYI – Greg Larson is a teacher I highly recommend. He holds the bar high as a teacher who truly cares about his students. Good luck. May you find inspiration and avoid disillusion.