Teen Embarrassment from Teachers
The other day at lunch, a friend and I were trying to figure out the proper amount to tip. I wished for a calculator, and she shared a story with me about why she’s so terrible at math.
My friend said that when she was in school, a teacher made fun of her while she was having trouble doing a math problem on the board. The entire class laughed, and that experience traumatized her so severely that she has trouble attempting math problems to this day.
Embarrassment Can Last a Lifetime
I had a similar unpleasant experience in my eighth-grade Spanish class. For whatever reason, I had a tendency to get really bad hiccups in this class, and my teacher, Mr. Felix, felt it necessary to stand me up in front of everyone and ask me what the problem was, to which I could only respond, “I don’t know.” This embarrassment happened every time I got the hiccups, which was nearly every day, and I still suffer from an intense aversion to the Spanish language. I’ve both studied and been exposed to it over the years, and I just can’t seem to pick it up.
Be Watchful and Critical of Your Child’s Teachers
Teachers are only human beings, and we can’t expect them to be perfect. However, being a teacher is a huge responsibility, and people shouldn’t take the job unless they are fully committed to helping students learn and grow the best they can. Purposefully humiliating students is not a proper educational technique. It can clearly backfire, making students angry and resistant to learning about the subject for the rest of their lives.
You Are Your Child’s Main Teacher
They always say it takes an entire village to raise a child, which means that your child’s education is not something you can blindly trust his or her teachers to take care of. You must always be watchful of the teachers that come into your child’s life. If you see signs of improper treatment, purposeful embarrassment or any other inappropriate behavior, don’t hesitate to schedule a parent-teacher conference. If that doesn’t go as well as you hope, request that your child be placed in a different class.
Sometimes, a clash between student and teacher just comes down to mismatched chemistry. If your child gets into a class with a teacher he or she finds more enjoyable, there will be a better chance for improved grades in the future.
Keep Loving Yourself, Debra
