Managing a difficult relationship with a teacher

It’s approaching that time of year when you’ll be finding out which classes you’ll be doing next year. This is mostly cause for excitement – new topics, new classes, new friends to make, and new teachers to meet. However, what happens if you find out that you have a teacher you clash with or you don’t learn well from?

Your first reaction might be to switch to a different class. If there are multiple classes, this could be a good idea. However, if this will result in lots of changes to your timetable, this switch may not be worth it.

If there’s only one option for the class, I would not recommend switching subjects. It’s not worth dropping a subject because of the teacher. You don’t want to miss out on a possible career path when there are ways to deal with the situation.

If you’re in a classroom with a teacher you clash with, try not to react negatively to things they say. As much as students may protest, a classroom is not a democracy, and fighting with a teacher will most likely end badly for you. Learn to take a few deep breaths and keep your mouth shut if you’re feeling irritated.

Even if you don’t like the teacher, you can still focus on the schoolwork. Throw yourself into doing work in that class – you can be the silent person at the back of the class who surprises everyone with your great work!

If you feel like your teacher isn’t teaching the subject very well, it could be a good idea to find a tutor. Tutors will explain things in different ways, and you’ll receive one-on-one attention in the areas in which you need targeted help.

You can also create a study group with your friends in a free period or after school to go over what you are learning (or think you should be learning) in class. This way everyone can contribute their own understanding of the topic, and you can collaboratively revise.

Even if you feel like your teacher isn’t teaching in a way you’d like, they have access to a lot of great resources. Ask them for different practice exams and revision questions so that you can see a variety of questions and ways the topics may be presented to you. Also remember that the VCAA website has a lot of great resources for you.