Expectations of students are high. Whether you have finished your days in school or are presently attending, I'm sure you agree that teachers expect maturity from students. How often have you heard the phrase "Grow up" thrown at you?
Which is all well and good, provided the speaker of that phrase sets a "mature" example themselves. (After all, no one likes hypocrites.)
As a high school student, it is common knowledge that students are expected to take responsibility for themselves. High school is the point at which students are supposed to become young adults. (I'm speaking in terms of mental maturity... Not physical. Though, uhm, that happens too.) Perhaps I'm just speaking in a biased manner in accordance to the events that happened today (more on that later), but when one sets a certain expectation, it would be hypocritical of them to act against their expectation.
(Perhaps that wasn't very clear.)
Meaning: Just as students are expected to act as "adults", there is indeed also a need for students to be treated as "adults".
That's not to say that we should have students running around with quite as much authority as, say, the President. (Heaven forbid.) Yet, the expectation of maturity does incite action (of the expector) that matches.
A more specific matter concerning this is an issue with a teacher.
Shall I go into depth?
Yesterday, in art class, we were presenting our digital portfolios to the entire class (as part of our final exam). I was feeling quite good about my presentation... Then, horror! A girl (how about we call her "Janet"?) at my table presents her portfolio.
Guess who's conte piece and charcoal piece are slyly thrown in and claimed to be Janet's? ... Yes, mine and this other girl at our table (let's call her Dana). Gasping simultaneously, we look at each other. Yes, it is really happening.
Now, let me add in some background info on these girls. Since I moved in, I had no idea about the "histories" and "rumours" concerning people. Which, frankly, is quite good. I'd like to say that I was rather friendly and nice to Dana and Janet. Dana and Janet were nasty toward each other. Dana being rude, Janet being outright catty. At first I thought that Dana had been bullying Janet, but it turns out that it was actually self-defense. (Lovely, huh?)
Janet was a compulsive liar with a malicious, rumour-spreading personality, and an ability to manipulate a situation into making herself look like the victim. And, being the new girl, apparently I would pay for being sucked into. (Yeah, that's the thanks I got for defending her against Dana.)
And so, Janet had cheated off Dana and me. Taking our artworks as her own. Dana (right after agreeing to go to the teacher about this with me after class), having a horrible temper, blew up on Janet in front of the entire class. I was trying to defuse the situation, as it wouldn't help the situation, would it?
By which point the teacher (Shall we call her Mrs. W? Or Mrs. Witch would be more appropriate... Without involving some very vulgar language.) verbally attacked me and Dana. She snarled at us to "shut the **** up" and "stop trying to do her job".
Was she having a bad day? Or was she just nasty?
After class, I went to Mrs. W alone to notify her of Janet using my project as her own. I was very nice and polite, yet she screamed at me to "calm down" (hypocritical, yes?), belittled me, implied that it was my fault, and said other very nasty, malicious things implying that I was a snotty liar.
I was appalled. That is not how a student should be treated. You see, now we come full circle to the beginning of this post, yes?
Students face severe consequences regarding such behavior toward a teacher, yet it seems not to be the case when a teacher is outwardly cruel toward a student.
Anyhow, let us continue.
So today, I decided that perhaps she was having a stressful day yesterday. Perhaps today emotions would be calmed. I decided to bring in my art piece (with my signature) as proof.
Me: Good morning Mrs. W. Concerning yesterday's event, I thought that lending you my art work as proof would help you.
Mrs. W: Okay you need to calm the hell down about this. I AM THE TEACHER. STOP TRYING TO DO MY JOB. Who do you think you are coming here and showing me this? Look at this- (at which point she shoved a pile of papers in my face) -I can compare your art pieces, and I don't need you telling me what I need to do. It's NONE of your business!
At which point I gave an apology that wasn't at all convincing and walked out on her.
My friend, who had been there watching, was shocked and disgusted.
"I can't believe that a teacher is able to treat a student like that," she hissed.
And unfortunately, teachers are able to. This particular teacher has been doing this to students for the whole year now, and only recently has she turned on me.
I would slightly understand had I provoked her in any way, but the fact is that I hadn't. I wasn't the one who had cheated. Perhaps the teacher's response would have been appropriate had I cheated or allowed the girl Janet to cheat, but I was the one cheated off of.
Perhaps before one demand respect, he should show others respect. Is it right that teachers get away with verbally abusing a student, while a student would get suspended had he done such a thing to a teacher?
Perhaps I'm blowing the whole situation out of proportion.
