Interesting day...

[Suna-chan]

Well, my day sure was interesting. Thank goodness tomorrow is the WEEKEND!

This morning on the way to school, I hit a TON of traffic (that normally doesn't build up in that location), which resulted in me running late for school.

Then I get there, and someone has parked in my parking space! And to make matters worse, all the "unassigned" spots are taken! (We have assigned parking spots which cost $100 per year, and if you do not park in your assigned spot and you are caught, you get a ticket.) So I had to go find another empty spot, run into the front office and explain what happened and then repeat my story to another administrator.

Anyway, this whole ordeal makes me late to get to class... and usually I could just explain it to my first period teacher (she can be understanding if you are calm and respectful) but today we had a substitute. So, since the people in the attendance office do not count "having someone else park in your parking spot" as an excused tardy, I have to explain what happened to the sub (because they wouldn't give me a note).

SO then, the sub is confused by what I am telling her and makes me write down my whole story on a piece of paper and turns it into the office.. which means that most likely I will have detention :( (since they don't count that as an excused tardy). But anyway, so that is the beginning of my morning.

Then as the class goes on, someone brings me a note to go see my counselor. So I leave class and wait to talk to him, where he asks me about my grades. Now I guess I know my counselor pretty well (by the way, he's jst there for grades and school and stuff... he's not an 'emotional' type of counselor) and he sits me down and asks me, "Alison, what's up with this F in German?"

Oh German class.

I explained to him the whole situation... (which he actually already knew, but for purposes of making my story understandable, I will tell it here.) Anyway, last semester there existed TWO German II classes - German II and German II Honors. However, so many people failed German II that my Honors class was redesignated as "German II" and then a German II Y (meaning that you take the class everyday instead of every other day, like normal classes) was created for all those who failed.

Ok, so, for some reason my teacher thought it would be a great idea to spend 2nd semester doing an assignment really designed for German III or German IV... WTF?? We're reading a story and taking a quiz EVERY SINGLE CLASS about the reading (which is not easy.. in fact, it is very difficult. And to give you an idea about how I do in German.. I've made a 100 in the 3 previous semesters I've had the class.) So anyway, I've made a few bad grades on some of the quizzes (mostly because I missed a couple classes because I was sick), and yeah. I just don't understand how it makes sense to do an assignment intended for students with an extra year or two of German in a class where not everyone is even meant to be in Honors?

Right.. so that's taken care of. I explain that to my counselor and tell him my grade will go up as soon as my teacher puts in my grades, and we're good to go. I go back to 1st period.

Well, I get back and we were doing a group activity that we started before I left. I was gone for.. I'd say about 30 minutes talking to my counselor and expected my group to at least have made a little headway. NOPE! When I get back, they are still at the same place where I left them. Ah well..... even though it was a frustrating feeling, we were able to catch up with everyone else so no worries..

but then a few minutes after we finish our assignment, our sub asks the class "do you guys smell that? it smells like something's burning..." and we all kind of sniffed around for a second and we realized "yeah you're right!" so we look up, and there's smoke pouring out of the vents in the ceiling. SOOOO.... we show the sub and she kind of freaks out and tells us to "remain calm" and she goes to get another teacher .. and then they tell us to leave and go into another classroom. A few minutes later, they tell us "okay we're evacuating the building."

By this time, the whole entire hallway smells of the smoke and everyone's leaving. So we go stand outside, and a few minutes later the firetrucks and ambulances arrive... and everyone (okay i have to admit, I did it too) pulls out their phone and starts snapping pictures. Well, after about 30 minutes we are told it is safe to go back inside ... apparently all that had happened was that a motor in a light in the ceiling had broken and just started smoking - there was never any real fire.. just smelly smoke!

So then I go on to 2nd period, and chill out... nothing eventful happens there. But after 2nd period, it's time for MATH. Oh dear.

So the beginning of the class goes... well.. it goes decently. Until the bell rings for lunch. As the bell rings, the teacher says "okay everyone else can leave except these four!" (and she kind of motioned with her arms which four she wanted) ... now, I thought I was included in this four (and I was cool with that, because the others she pointed to are the ones who make the best grades in class...)

well, she looks at me after a minute and says "you can go." and I realize that I was not actually one of the ones she wanted and as i left she shut the door behind me (now the person I eat lunch with was one of the "four" so I waited for him in the hallway.)

At this point, I felt really terrible. I am not stupid.... I know I am not stupid! In fact, I had the highest grade in the class all last semester! But I failed the first test we took 2nd semester, and suddenly she acts as though I am a moron. The reason for my poor performance on the previous test is that she refuses to let me ask my peers questions (I prefer to ask others questions because they are usually able to simply explain to me what it is that I need to do to solve a problem. If I ask the teacher, however, she starts throwing all this theory at me and goes off on tangents and ... all sorts of crazy things.)

Her teaching method is "lecture lecture lecture" (usually providing absolutely no examples.. only vocabulary and theory.) I realize that this may be what it is like in college.. but I kind of don't think so, at the same time. (I was recently at GA Tech visiting a friend and I attended her math class, which I found surprisingly understandable. But perhaps that was just because she got lucky ....? I hear there are also very difficult math classes. :P) BUT ANYWAY.

As I've stated before, she refuses to let me ask my peers questions when we are working. If she designates class time to "work on a problem" after she has finished lecturing, she always adds "do this independently!" ... everything is independent! And that is not my style for math.

Now, I realize that just because it's not "my" style does not mean that the class should be based around what works for "me". I completely understand assigning independent work... but isn't that what tests and quizzes are for? Not classwork? Anyway, I have even tried to talk to her before and after class and explain to her that "it really helps me to be able to ask a neighbor a quick question if I get stuck on a step." ... she has no sympathy because HER learning style is to work "completely independently."

... okay now I'm just repeating myself. sorry!

After she releases the "four" to lunch, I sit with my friend and get a bit upset about what happened. But then I realize that I really can't expect to always be the best at everything and get over it. (but I'm still a little emotional about the class.)

Well, when we get back from lunch... she lectures some more, and then when we have 10 minutes left in class, she hands us a "think-tac-toe" worksheet (which, in case you are unfamiliar with the concept, is a chart with 3 rows and 3 columns each with an assignment inside the box and you have to choose 3 that are either horizontal/diagnol/vertical to complete.) and tells us to complete it before the end of class.... INDEPENDENTLY!

I begin to do the worksheet and I finish one problem.. ALMOST completely. At the very end (since she had only just "taught" us the concept in class today) I get confused about how to finish it.. and I turn to my neighbor and quickly ask "hey do we write this like this?" and before my neighbor has a chance to respond the teacher yells at me and says "If you have a question, do not ask your neighbor but ask ME!" and I raise my hand and have the teacher come over and I ask her my question.. to which she responds "I'm not answering your question."

... wtf. SO ... then I just can't take it anymore and break down and start crying and everyone else is finishing their work and turning it in and here I am, with just one done because I can't remember how you write something and I am refused help. Finally, at the very end of class, my friend from lunch sneaks over and tells me the very teeny bit of information I needed to complete the problem.. so I complete it and turn it in, even though I still needed to complete the other 2 parts.. but I had to leave. I couldn't stay any longer.

Then I went to another teacher who has been very understanding about the whole situation (there have been NUMEROUS other complaints from students and teachers alike about my math teacher) and I tell her what has happened and she very kindly listens to my story and lets me sit in her classroom for a few minutes before I have to drive home (I was in no shape or fashion in suitable driving form) and explains to me that she will try to help me out.

Anyway.... then I went home and ate some chicken pot pie and my sister, upon hearing my story, gave me the rest of her sqworms (sour gummy worms.. yumm.... ) and that made me feel better.

And now I have written this message and I do feel better.

I apologize for all the ranting in there... but I just needed to get it out in one big chunk.

If you have read all the way.. wow. haha you sure do have a lot of patience :p

I'm glad the weekend is here.

[Zazabar]

WOW SUNA-CHAN! that sounds like quite the day you had there! BOO TO TRAFFIC!!! >.>...... wow if i only could be like you! ^_^'

[Buda]

/comfort
Shit happens, but you got though the day. Use the weekend to recover, and im sure next week will be better for you.

and, just so you know, your only allowed one good(good does not nessisarily mean english speaking either O.o) teacher/semester at college, anymore and the laws of physics start to break down @_@(at least freshman year)

[Kugyou]

Suna, part of me is wondering what member of the Cult of the Shaft you annoyed into sacrificing a chocolate bunny against you.

So sacrifice one back.

[FawkesFyre]

I've had my fair share of crappy teachers...and Math was one of my dreaded classes...its what caused me to only get straight A's once in High School. I've never heard of a Math teacher who only talks theory and doesn't work the problems to go with them, that'sjust not right...

Math classes are all the same to me...same with the onesin college...its just the quality of the professor and how well they communicate that you have to worry about.

It sounds like you are at least fortunate to have that counselor who is looking our for you as far as your grades are concerned. You have a great spread of teachers who have all sorts of quirks and screws loose.

[Blackmage]

I had a Geometry teach... his first year teaching, we came up with CPCTC as "chad pitman cant teach class" as we generally were more confused after the less than before it.

[Silver Adept]

Warg. Sounds like a bad day right from the beginning.

Having someone else park in your parking spot is not considered an excused tardy? That's less than fair, especially if all the unassigned spots are already full. Might just be the substitute teacher, though, so hopefully you get through that ordeal unscathed.

The German class you're taking sounds more like what I would have had to do here at university. I know that teachers are supposed to push you to do well, but if the whole class is struggling with the material, then it's not a signal to go barreling ahead at full speed.

As for that math instructor, there are several non-repeatable, censorable words that describe that situation. Even at university, there's a discussion/recitation section for understanding the concepts tossed out in the lecture. And the "ask me, not your peers" attitude is pretty stupid. Understanding is the goal, and if you can get it more easily from peers (who may be able to filter the teacherspeak into something useful) than from the instructor, then that should be permitted. What this teacher is probably trying to zealously guard against are people who will always pester the person that understands to do their homework for them, without getting any understanding themselves. It sounds like this teacher is doing more harm than good at the moment. And refusing to answer questions, without even providing a bit of a hint as to how things should turn out or what to do next isn't helping.