u/Beneficial_Cup_8745

I teach high school physics at a high achieving school. (100% grad rate, students consistently accepted into Ivys, McGill etc. very smart driven kids) For my tests, I always provide practice questions and use those exact questions on my tests but with the numbers changed. For 5-8 points on my test, there is always something they have never seen before and need to apply the knowledge they have in real time to find the answer.

Most tests averages are around 85-90. Again, really smart kids. There are always hundreds as well. My idea is that, using Blooms Taxonomy, to show true understanding of the content, they should be able to apply it to every situation, not just use rote memorization of the practice tests.

Yesterday I asked a section how they were feeling about an upcoming test and one student (who does score below average, still like an 80) said "fine until you make your tests too hard with stuff we've never seen." I begin to explain that they should be able to use their knowledge on any question and those that do, get the hundred and those who don't still have a chance at an A (basically the cream of the crop will rise)

She continues that it's not fair, no other STEM class is like that and that it's also not fair I don't give extra credit (departmental rule) and finishes with "you just want us to fail."

I am so taken aback because, as teachers, that is literally the last thing we want. Like I have some personal vendetta against all teenagers? And want them to suffer??? Another chimes in, and this pissed me off cause this student has gotten consistent 100s on tests, saying "not that you want us to fail but you don't care if we fail"

This was it for me. Before I crashed out on them, I kicked them all out.

To think that I, or ANY teacher, make it our job to fail a student? To make their lives difficult? Literally the antithesis of why I got into this. Meanwhile I have spent hours of my free time helping struggling students, designed my class that it is almost impossible to fail unless you just don't turn things in. Do I make my tests a little harder? Yes. Because I want to make sure those who TRULY understand the material demonstrate it instead of just remembering what equations to use.

I cannot believe the audacity of those two and others who nodded in agreement. They literally just want me to give them the answers. SMH.

Rewatching the show and I thought about this: Is there ever a point in the series where, let's say if Walt had let something go, or Jesse too, everyone would live happily ever after?

I'm thinking when Jesse decided to kill the two guys who killed Tomas and Walt ran them over. If Jesse hadn't gone out and let things be, they wouldn't have had to kill Gale and set off the chain reaction that led to the end of the series. I could be wrong and forgetting some details but seems like the best point (Not saying Jesse should have let that go, screw those two guys).

Or maybe if Tucos guy never said "remember who you're working for" they would have made the meth, made the money, gotten in and out and that's it. Instead of seeing that they needed to take Tuco out for being slightly irrational and impulsive.

I've been dealing with a nasty student all second semester. She is a junior. I get constant attitude, side eye, talking under her breath, etc. typical teenage girl behavior but x 100 with her. About 2 months ago I pull her out of class telling her this has to stop as it is not conducive to a proper learning environment. She stopped for a little then picked it back up.

So I email her parents and lay everything out, bringing up specific instances of disrespect and unpreparedness. We set up a meeting and the mom basically calls me a liar.

1. "You yell at my daughter in front of the whole classroom" I have spoken to her sternly twice when she was being blatantly disrepectful.

2. "She asked you for extra help and you said no" She asked for a senior tutor, all of whom are occupied with other juniors and have been all year. She asked for help in the last unit. She failed to tell her mother that I offered my personal help closer to the test.

3. "She walked in late once and you didn't acknowledge her but did when another student walked in late" idk bro, maybe I was in the middle of lecturing when she walked in and not when the other? Either way, she shouldn't be consistently late to my class.

4. "She says she doesn't disrupt the class when asking for a calculator" She never brings a calculator and is always unprepared and then borrows from someone else. That's disruption.

5. Not a lie but something that annoyed me was the mom said "I pay a lot of money out of pocket, I don't take financial aid, I don't want her feeling unwelcome and unhappy" as if I treat students differently based on their socioeconomic status? Idc if you pay $25,000/year, if your daughter is rude then she is rude.

Mom say "I know when my daughter is lying and when she is not" evidently you don't. The meeting ended with the mom and I deciding me and her daughter should have a meeting to "bury the hatchet" so I email the student and haven't heard back in over 6 days now.

Should I pursue this? Should I try to make amends? I believe she is starting to get other students who have been warm all year to turn on me. I have informed the guidance counselor. Idk, maybe I should just drop it?