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I was a well-behaved, respectful, nerdy student with good grades, so most of my teachers seemed to like me, and in high school several also told me they would be glad to write recommendations.
However, I had this one teacher in elementary school, our art teacher, Mrs. C, from 1st to 4th grade, who was very mean to me. I just couldn't understand it, and I think it was really the first time in my life an adult treated me so unfairly, and it shattered my notion of "grown ups are always right." I was known as the kid in school who could draw. I used to win art contests in the town and in the local library, other kids used to ask me to draw things for them, so I guess that empirically, I was an above-average artist. I was never the type to brag or show-off though. If fact, I was pretty harsh on myself, responding to compliments with "it's not very good, but thank you." But Mrs. C, our art teacher used to deliberately ignore me, and sometimes she would walk around the room and say "good job Mike, nice work Lisa," and then skip over me, then go on to say, "that's really good Michele, much better Steve." Once in a great while, she would say something positive to me, and then add something like "but my daughter is a year younger than you, and she draws a dog much better." Other kids even used to whisper to me "wow, Mrs. C is being mean to you, your picture is good!"
I never wanted to cry in front of other kids, but I would sometimes go to the bathroom and cry. I used to try and try to make her like me. I would volunteer to clean the tables, or carry around the trash can so everyone could throw out their trash, but she would pick someone else. I made sure I was extra respectful in her class, and even more obedient than usual. I even remember sitting at the table before or after we did a project, and folding my hands in front of me, because I had the idea that this was what a "good kid" would do. She gave me good grades, but would hardly speak to me, and when she did, it would be something hurtful. SO when we got report cards, I couldn't even feel good about the good grade in art.
It was really strange, that this grown woman would single out a little girl to be mean, for no reason at all.
Then we had a different art teacher, Mrs. S, for 4th-8th grade, and she was wonderful. She gave me positive feedback and actually taught me things to improve my artwork. I even got an award at graduation for art. After I graduated 8th grade and moved on to high school, I went back to visit Mrs. S, and she admitted to me that she had thought that Mrs. C had treated me unfairly, and that if the two of them ever discussed me, Mrs. C would also compare me with her own daughter, and go on about her daughter was a better artist than me. Mrs. S said she really thought Mrs. C "had some problems" and I should not feel bad.
I guess when you're 6, it's hard to figure out that an adult can be really screwed up in the head. It sure was good to get that validation though, so I finally knew it wasn't me.
Most teachers liked me because I was a good student who was respectful and did not cause any problems. However, my sewing teacher (had to take home ec back in the day) really did not like me, which is really regrettable because I really wanted to learn how to sew well. My cooking teacher was great, which has served me well. I also had an art teacher back in elementary school (Miss Fay) who used to call me names and this was at a Quaker school and, unfortunately, before any parent even cared. Thankfully, Miss Kay, my first grade teacher liked me.
My favorite teacher was Mrs. Moyes, my typing and shorthand teacher, and she really liked me. My English teachers always liked me and their instruction helped me immensely for English 101 in college.
Mr. Storey, my driver ed teacher was great as was Mr. Barracca, my civics teacher.
My teachers all liked me, and I liked...most of them.
We did have an art teacher at the middle school level who was elderly and very ill-tempered...approaching 70 and clearly not enjoying students at all anymore, if she ever did. Even she was no nastier to me than she was to anybody else. She was just unpleasant all-around. She did retire partway through my middle school time, though, and I had a really great guy for 8th grade art elective.
Overall, I was a rule-follower, respectful, did my work and turned it in on time, didn't screw around in class, and actively participated in any class discussion. I was essentially a teacher's dream.
OMG. My first grade teacher hated me. I still don't really remember what I did to tick her off. I transferred into her class midyear and was used to wearing soled shoes on my old gym floor. This teacher outright yelled at me when I asked if I could wear those same shoes on my new school's gym floor. I really thought she was going to hit me.
Then, at lunch, she would sit next to me to make sure I ate all my bread crusts, something I was in the habit of not doing. I remember once she went through my lunch pail and pulled them out, telling me I had to eat them. I complained to my mom then and my mom told her to leave me alone at lunch.
At one outing to Como Park, I remember she yanked my pigtail so hard I thought I would cry. At one point during class, she pulled me up to the front of the classroom and asked everybody, "It was real peaceful here until (me) arrived, wasn't it, class?"
I'm sure I was a rowdy child, but there's ways to handle kids like that, and those ways don't include making the kid remember you with hatred for years to come. Mrs. Hallberg, you were such a jerk. There, I got that out of my system.
I loved my 12th grade German teacher. He treated us all like adults and no one in that class did less than his best. He was our mentor in starting the Foreign Language Club. Mr. Melvin, thank you, wherever you are.
Last edited by rodentraiser; 06-09-2015 at 05:07 PM..
Can't say that any of my teachers had any specific liking for me, any different from others. But there was one teacher, who I had for 7th, 8th, and 9th grade English. Lord that woman hated me. To this day, I don't know why. One day she stopped in the middle of the lesson to begin berating me for, I don't know, my existence I guess. She went on and on saying "just because my family was supposedly "wealthy", I wasn't any better than anyone else." We were about as far from wealthy as you could get. My dad was a salesman who painted houses and drove a trash truck to make ends meet. Doesn't seem very wealthy to me.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Teachers are often as cliquey and immature as their students (wonder why... )
The teachers who are only there for the retirement and paycheck are very apt to dislike students who think and ask questions.
"engaged" teachers are hard to find (burnout / dealing with inept administrators who couldn't hack teaching).
USA teachers are FAR more likely to 'dislike' students, as kids have little worth in the USA. LEARNERS... even less.
Since I am a 'lifelong learner', I would say 90% of my teachers and profs would rather NOT have me asking them questions and doing 'social experiments' with the prof as the Guinea pig. (Can hardly wait to be age 70 and get FREE college). I guess when college is free, I can no longer challenge the Profs who are useless. (there are many).
It is really SO SAD that people are so thoughtless as to 'dislike' co-workers, students, cops, janitors... It is the result of the lack of relationship building. Cell phones, video games, wealth (choices)... are eroding EDU at a very quick pace. It is highly possible to turn the ship and be productive, but SOON (in next 2 months) it will be too late for this round. (Much effective change could take place TODAY, it the profs and teachers would pull their heads out of the sand. Very definable moment / crossroads at the moment. The 'positive changes' do not appear forthcoming.
My art teacher in high school told me I was "dark and nihilistic." She accused me of throwing spitballs at her. I don't even know how to MAKE a spitball, quite honestly. Not really "my thing," ya know?
I'm a full-time artist and people tell me that my artwork makes them feel happy. I have never thrown a spitball at anyone, ever.
This same art teacher took credit for the Picassos that she cut out of a book and framed. My mother asked her, jokingly, if they were her work. And the teacher claimed that, yes, they were her original art. Even though they had a Picasso signature on them.
I invite this former teacher of mine to every art opening and gallery show I have. She never accepts the invitation, for some reason.
Not all teachers can be good teachers.
My writing teacher, however, was encouraging and wonderful, and I was the teacher's pet, most definitely.
I also had a few other teachers who were wonderful: my English Literature teacher and a few elementary school teachers went above and beyond the call of duty, in my opinion.
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and ask questions.
