Sunday, April 01, 2007
Working Out A Deal With An Angry Teacher
Dear Guidance Guy,
A while back ago I started a film club with my film teacher. I began the club as a sort of extension of his class run by students and he would have a hands off approach to the whole process, and he did that quite well. Later on though he began to be negative towards the club, claiming we have no time for it and that we would never accomplish anything, despite the fact that we had accomplished quite a lot of projects and were pending many others. Later on he started to bar us from the classrom, claiming he didn't trust us around the equipment, despite the fact that we were his top students and never damaged anything.
Near the end of that semester the club made a decision with the members as per the constitution of our club that we would change advisors and move our projects completely to alleiviate stress on both sides. After minor arguments with the teacher, our relationship was never the same. In his class I wouldn't be able to show any of my projects because he said I couldn't turn anything in that I had made with the club. My grade fell because of it and I couldn't do a thing about it. I ended with a D in the class despite the fact that a student that was of similar quality of work had an A.
What can I do, if anything?
John
*** *** ***
Dear John,
If everything is the way you say it is (and I always begin with that when I get information from one side) your teacher had some kind of reaction to what was going on in the club. For whatever reason, he became agitated about the club and his role in it. And you exercised the club's constitution and changed advisors. Completely cool.
Was there something in the syllabus of the course that says which projects are and aren't allowed to be turned in? I can see where the teacher would want direct supervision over the content of his course. But how did it get to the point where you were turning things in and he wasn't accepting them? This was a failure to communicate. You didn't let him know what your plans were and he didn't tell you what work was acceptable and what wasn't. What were you doing during class time, and why wasn't it monitored?
I suggest you sit down with him and another adult, perhaps a guidance counselor or a parent and discuss this more thoroughly. I wouldn't bring his former role as club advisor into the picture. It doesn't have anything to do with the current situation. He may bring it up himself, and if he does, it would demonstrate some unprofessional behavior. Since both parties seem to share some of the blame it seems like an agreement can be worked out.
Good Luck,
The Guidance Guy
A while back ago I started a film club with my film teacher. I began the club as a sort of extension of his class run by students and he would have a hands off approach to the whole process, and he did that quite well. Later on though he began to be negative towards the club, claiming we have no time for it and that we would never accomplish anything, despite the fact that we had accomplished quite a lot of projects and were pending many others. Later on he started to bar us from the classrom, claiming he didn't trust us around the equipment, despite the fact that we were his top students and never damaged anything.
Near the end of that semester the club made a decision with the members as per the constitution of our club that we would change advisors and move our projects completely to alleiviate stress on both sides. After minor arguments with the teacher, our relationship was never the same. In his class I wouldn't be able to show any of my projects because he said I couldn't turn anything in that I had made with the club. My grade fell because of it and I couldn't do a thing about it. I ended with a D in the class despite the fact that a student that was of similar quality of work had an A.
What can I do, if anything?
John
*** *** ***
Dear John,
If everything is the way you say it is (and I always begin with that when I get information from one side) your teacher had some kind of reaction to what was going on in the club. For whatever reason, he became agitated about the club and his role in it. And you exercised the club's constitution and changed advisors. Completely cool.
Was there something in the syllabus of the course that says which projects are and aren't allowed to be turned in? I can see where the teacher would want direct supervision over the content of his course. But how did it get to the point where you were turning things in and he wasn't accepting them? This was a failure to communicate. You didn't let him know what your plans were and he didn't tell you what work was acceptable and what wasn't. What were you doing during class time, and why wasn't it monitored?
I suggest you sit down with him and another adult, perhaps a guidance counselor or a parent and discuss this more thoroughly. I wouldn't bring his former role as club advisor into the picture. It doesn't have anything to do with the current situation. He may bring it up himself, and if he does, it would demonstrate some unprofessional behavior. Since both parties seem to share some of the blame it seems like an agreement can be worked out.
Good Luck,
The Guidance Guy
# posted by Larry Hochman : 4:39 PM
