For the Teachers

[SacremPyrobolum]

SO I was reading a rather Pollard thread linked here http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.297385-Stupidest-Reason-Why-Youve-Gotten-Into-Trouble-In-School
and my mind just cant stop spinning from the pure stupidity these teachers show in their actions. Now, I in no way believe that teacher are all unfun hard assed bastards/bitches. Hell, my high school teachers were all the opposite of this. But to all the teachers out their please explain why some of your peers are so prone to act unreasonably. I am genuinely curious.

 

[Aidinthel]

Because people in general are prone to acting unreasonably.

 

[Hero in a half shell]

Because people's accounts of how they got into trouble are usually horribly biased towards them, and a teacher has to try and maintain control of a large number of children, focusing their energy on trying to teach them when none of them really want to be learning, and small disturbances are just things that should be dealt with as fast as possible without disrupting the momentum of the classroom, not important enough to start launching enquiries into what exactly happened so that justice can prevail.

 

[SacremPyrobolum]

Because people's accounts of how they got into trouble are usually horribly biased towards them, and a teacher has to try and maintain control of a large number of children, focusing their energy on trying to teach them when none of them really want to be learning, and small disturbances are just things that should be dealt with as fast as possible without disrupting the momentum of the classroom, not important enough to start launching enquiries into what exactly happened so that justice can prevail.

Interesting. Are you actually a teacher or have worked in some way with large groups of children or is this all speculation?

 

[ADDLibrarian]

Because people in general are prone to acting unreasonably.

This.
Oh, better make this reply longer to not get banned.
Just because a person is a teacher doesn't mean they are intelligent or competent. Sadly, in the US, teachers are hired based on their ability to "teach the test", make the standardized test scores go up. I was talking to a lady who has worked at a school district for years and was told from the principal that he won't hire any teacher who doesn't have experience teaching the test (thus damning new teachers looking for a job).
The field of education is a thankless, underpaid, difficult, and stupidly regulated one. Hence, people in the field of education become tired, jaded, disgruntled, and depressed.
This could be the reason for such odd behavior. While certainly, not all teachers are like this, teachers are people too, and are just as varied in their behavior and intelligence.

PS: This comes from someone with a teaching degree who has had a stressful student teaching experience, and a part time position in a school district doing a before and after school program (more like babysitting than teaching, sadly).

 

[Hero in a half shell]

snippety

Interesting. Are you actually a teacher or have worked in some way with large groups of children or is this all speculation?

I'm not a teacher, but I spent three years at university living at the teacher training college,, with all the trainee teachers, I proofread a few of their essays, and just generally had to listen to them complaining about classes or discussing topics, and my mum, dad and sister are all teachers, so I understand quite a bit about the theory of teaching, just from being constantly around people talking and complaining about it (but mostly complaining).

I was interested myself in becoming a teacher, and did a weeks work experience in a primary school, but I found the kids too entertaining to control them, it was like a room full of guinea pigs with opposible thumbs "Oh, that kids running with scissors, I should stop him but I'm too curious to see what will happen!"

I occasionally have to control large groups of kids at camps and things, and you just find that you will never get everyones full attention in a large group, so it's best to focus on the ones that are listening, and try to sideline the ones that are misbehaving, usually by not drawing attention to them.

You'll find that teachers aren't incredibly fussed about resolving non serious incidents to the most just and correct manner, they just want to control and subdue anyone who is making a distraction, and sometimes the victim of a situation is more of a nuisance to them than the bully, because they are more of a disruption. The teachers aim is to teach, not to protect, and when those two situations conflict, teaching is given priority (unless it is a serious issue, of course)

Also, I read through the first page of that thread, and the majority of the people posting totally got what they deserved, maybe not all, but most were being mischevious and disruptive.