Editor #79
The manner in which your teacher handles student criticism seems undemocratic. If he or she wants your class to learn more effectively, then it must begin with a great educator. However, does your class return the favor and put enough effort into its learning? Whether your teacher is new to the profession or has been in the classroom for several decades should not be a factor in whether he or she decides to follow student advice or not. Even if a classmate suggests something silly or non-constructive, your teacher should be diplomatic and accept his or her input. If the situation worsens, there is no need to ignore your teacher’s actions. You could give a one-on-one conversation a shot with him or her.
It seems that one of the biggest causes of downfalls in communication is people failing to listen. Yes, you say that your teacher hears the advice, but he or she does nothing to implement the students’ advice. Aside from teenagers, adults can sometimes be ineffective listeners, often making them come off as unsympathetic. Now, I do not know who he or she is, but if you decide to talk to your teacher alone (not with a group), perhaps it will surprise you how personable he or she is. It is possible that your teacher may be coping with issues outside the classroom or communicates better on an individual basis. Respect your teacher’s schedule and ask him or her ahead of time if you can talk privately at lunch, after school or whenever they are available to talk. When explaining your concern, it is important to sound pleasant and reasonable no matter how you may feel on the inside. It takes not one, but two good listeners to create a resolution. Remember that you cannot just ignore advice just like your teacher does; you must listen to what the other side has to say. Your teacher only seems to listen halfway and not fully complete the circle of communication with his or her students. You can mention this to your teacher and say that it is like you only completing half of an assignment. You cannot give your teacher full credit for demonstrating good communication skills, so go ahead and talk it out.
Good luck!