Dear Teacher...
Dear Math Teacher,
Before I even start this letter, I want to reiterate that my criticism doesn't stem from my lack of preference for math but rather, from a constructive standpoint from which I genuinely want to make my (and my peers') learning experience better, and help you be a better teacher as well. I understand that math is basically just numbers– that is it's nature. I can also understand how constantly being exposed to this nature may create a bias for yourself, in which you value quantitative data more than qualitative data. But here is what I want to make you understand– we too are humans, and often times, a bunch of numbers are not a true reflection of who we are as students or of our future potential. I find it unfair that just because of one bad grade, the rest of our average also drops– specially now that we are in the final years of high school, we can't afford to have an unfair grading system as that can affect our university applications.
As a teacher, you must recognize that you are teaching students, not robots. We each respond to different teaching methods and approaches, something that is observed through qualitative approaches. If the exact same method is being used for all students, there are bound to be a few who simply don't speak out in fear of defying your, and sit in painful silence not understanding what to do. Furthermore, when it comes times to tests, this clearly is reflected in poor results, consequently leading to a loss of confidence and a loss of initiative and love of learning. I also believe that you shouldn't expect us to be perfect– faltering in one test should not be the year's reflection of our level in mathematics. As adolescents, our lives are always fluctuating, experiencing dynamic change, and whilst we try to keep studying a constant the five days of the school week, it can be highly complicated to refrain that from becoming a variable rather than remaining a constant.
This factor is just as important as the number written in the front of a test. As teachers, not only do you have to push us to do our best, but also understand that we won't be able to reach that standard every single time. It all is a matter of observation and recognition of how hard we are trying to reach our full potential. So rather than becoming frustrated with yourself because students are not producing the numbers you want them to be producing, observe why exactly it is that they aren't reaching their full capabilities. And from there, make adjustments that may either be collectively applicable to the class, or to an individual. And ask us too– more than anything, we don't want to be intimidated by you as a teacher, rather, we want to look up to you and have a friendly respect that creates a healthier learning environment.
Sincerely,
Fernanda
Before I even start this letter, I want to reiterate that my criticism doesn't stem from my lack of preference for math but rather, from a constructive standpoint from which I genuinely want to make my (and my peers') learning experience better, and help you be a better teacher as well. I understand that math is basically just numbers– that is it's nature. I can also understand how constantly being exposed to this nature may create a bias for yourself, in which you value quantitative data more than qualitative data. But here is what I want to make you understand– we too are humans, and often times, a bunch of numbers are not a true reflection of who we are as students or of our future potential. I find it unfair that just because of one bad grade, the rest of our average also drops– specially now that we are in the final years of high school, we can't afford to have an unfair grading system as that can affect our university applications.
As a teacher, you must recognize that you are teaching students, not robots. We each respond to different teaching methods and approaches, something that is observed through qualitative approaches. If the exact same method is being used for all students, there are bound to be a few who simply don't speak out in fear of defying your, and sit in painful silence not understanding what to do. Furthermore, when it comes times to tests, this clearly is reflected in poor results, consequently leading to a loss of confidence and a loss of initiative and love of learning. I also believe that you shouldn't expect us to be perfect– faltering in one test should not be the year's reflection of our level in mathematics. As adolescents, our lives are always fluctuating, experiencing dynamic change, and whilst we try to keep studying a constant the five days of the school week, it can be highly complicated to refrain that from becoming a variable rather than remaining a constant.
This factor is just as important as the number written in the front of a test. As teachers, not only do you have to push us to do our best, but also understand that we won't be able to reach that standard every single time. It all is a matter of observation and recognition of how hard we are trying to reach our full potential. So rather than becoming frustrated with yourself because students are not producing the numbers you want them to be producing, observe why exactly it is that they aren't reaching their full capabilities. And from there, make adjustments that may either be collectively applicable to the class, or to an individual. And ask us too– more than anything, we don't want to be intimidated by you as a teacher, rather, we want to look up to you and have a friendly respect that creates a healthier learning environment.
Sincerely,
Fernanda
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