You Just Have To Teach Yourself.
Shane had a little bit of trouble in math this year. I may have mentioned this earlier.
In fact, just before the schools closed, thanks to my pestering via email, Shane’s principal had said that she would be monitoring the classroom closely to make sure everything was above board.
Now though, I am able to monitor “the classroom” every time Shane participates in math. And this is not a good teacher.
The first “meeting” Shane had for math took place on Zoom – like most classes nowadays. In math only, though, the teacher completely lost control of the classroom and the students took over – quite literally – until the teacher eventually got frustrated and “hung up,” leaving the class alone to goof off at will.
So the math teacher has learned to simply post videos of math, and the students watch it when they want to learn. For Shane, this is once a week – and I can watch, too, if I want.
But it’s so boring. Even the most interesting subject matter is taught by a teacher whose apathy is evident even in the videos. The class is entirely taught by monotone mumbling.
There’s not only no enthusiasm for the subject matter, but the teacher simply isn’t clear about what he’s supposedly teaching. He just does the problems and the students are expected to figure out the “why” and the “how” by imitating the way the teacher does the problems.
It’s the equivalent of me teaching writing by sitting in front of the class and writing a story, pointing out the words I use as I go. There’s no actual teaching.
Dylan – who also had this teacher when he was in high school – told Shane, “You just have to teach yourself. That’s all anyone can do.”
And there isn’t one thing anyone can do to change the teacher. Surely the principal could hop online and watch the videos – but why? Why would anyone put themselves through this, unless it’s required by law?
And of course, the teacher – like most teachers – has tenure. He can’t be fired except for cause. Being a terrible teacher means nothing.
Shane has a backup teacher, if he needs her, who can actually teach the material in a way that makes sense. Better yet, she allows Shane the opportunity to actually enjoy learning math.
At least – thankfully – Shane only has to watch the weekly video and do the assignments. He’s been keeping up and doing all right – and I am almost grateful for the mercy of schools being closed, so he never has to sit in this guy’s classroom again.
Almost grateful.
Because Shane is also missing his final quarter of Creative Writing, which is the best class in the world for Shane, taught by our county’s Teacher of the Year – literally – who is possibly the best teacher I’ve ever seen, hands down, anywhere and anytime in my lifetime.
While I complain about math, I try not to mention Creative Writing. The overwhelming sadness I feel for Shane missing that class is too much to bear.