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Good educators significantly impact a student's life. But so can the bad ones.
Today's list continues Bored Panda's series of articles covering some teachers' irksome and unprofessional behavior. While a few submissions are laughable, others prove that not everyone is fit for the job.
Some of you may have had similar experiences, so feel free to share them in the comments.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Teachers Need To Understand Students Don't Always Sleep In Class Just Because Of Laziness
#2
I Was A Teacher For 8 Years, And I Never Made A Student Feel Small After Asking For Help
Outgraygeous 5 months ago
The magic of washii tape! I partially open difficult things and then seal them for my kid.
#3
"They Both Tried To Laugh It Off Like It Was All A Silly Misunderstanding And Never Apologized To Me"
“Bad teachers are extremely rare,” according to decorated film producer, screenwriter, and English teacher Ellie Herman. But having seen her fair share of subpar educators, she found five common tendencies. One of them is having a noticeable dislike towards children.
“The number one quality I’ve observed in bad teachers is that they do not seem to like children very much. In high schools, this means they do not seem to find teenagers charming, funny, or interesting—ever.”
#4
Teachers Like This
#5
It Took Him A While
Just for some perspective, I emailed him in my 2nd year of undergrad. I have graduated from my undergrad, have two master's degrees, and I'm in the 6th year of my PhD.
David Paterson 5 months ago
That's why I wouldn't make a good teacher. Some time I'll get to answer those emails from 15 years ago.
#6
A Former Teacher Of Mine Publicly Ridiculing And Passing Judgement On Someone For Being Proud Of Their Sobriety
Disinterest in the subject they’re teaching is another tendency among bad teachers, according to Herman.
“If asked ‘why are you teaching this?’ will you respond ‘because it will be on the test’? Every teacher has dud lessons from time to time (believe me), but what I sense in the classrooms of bad teachers is that they have no interest in their entire subject.”
#7
Apparently Enjoying The Workout Is Part Of The Grade
#8
My Brother's Kindergarten Teacher Printed These Out For The Class
#9
I Had To Do A Survey For Math And Made It As Simple As Humanly Possible, But According To The English Professor, Hostel Isn't A Word
Beloved teachers have one trait in common: they care. They are genuinely invested in their students’ success. But some are already emotionally checked out, and Herman says it shows.
“A central quality in truly bad teachers is that they seem to have stopped caring; this lack of engagement is reflected not only in their interactions with students (or lack thereof) but in their seemingly random choice of lesson topics.”
#10
I Had An English Final Exam Today, And I Had To Describe This Image. Teacher's Copy vs. Student's Copy
ElfVibratorGlitter 5 months ago
Looks like a black and white copy, of a copy, of a copy, of a copy, of a copy, of a copy, of a copy, of a copy, of a copy, of the original colour photo.
#11
My 3rd Grade Kids Were Given This Ridiculous Project
Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 5 months ago
Must be able to fly. Must be able to turn lead into gold. Must be able to demonstrate we live on a Flat Earth.
#12
My Son Then Told Him That Was Offensive, Explaining That Autism Means Seeing The World Differently And That Jesus’ Perfection Was About Being Sinless, Not Neurotypical
Tobias Reaper 5 months ago
my nephew is autistic and when he was 5 or 6 he was upset and started cry and said his brain was broken someone had said something to me it absolutely broke my heart. Being neurodivergent myself i know its not something that needs to be healed at all so this dude can bugger right off
Teachers have their favorite students; however, it won’t be an issue if everyone receives fair treatment. It becomes a problem when these biases become evident.
“The truly bad teachers I’ve observed tend to engage only with a small number of very compliant, eager students, ignoring the rest except to reprimand troublemakers,” Herman says.
#13
We Are No Longer Allowed To Yawn In My College Course, With Points Off Our Grade As Punishment
Bernd Herbert 5 months ago (edited)
And while you’re at it, please stop breathing! That also has a negative impact on me
#14
This Typo Caused Me To Fail The Entire Assignment
#15
So Rude And For What
However, there are people who see some benefit in having their kids learn under bad teachers. Author Linda Flanagan is a mother of three teenagers, and here’s what she’s observed.
“An indifferent teacher can compel the self-motivated student to pursue his own interests,” she wrote in an article for HuffPost. “The teacher who spends class time devouring People while students fill out worksheets might not inspire, but she might prompt a little self-directed learning just the same."
#16
My Teacher Still Refuses To Give A 100% Score
#17
Apparently, My Answer Was Wrong Because The Teacher Forgot To Add An End Parentheses
#18
My Teacher Only Lets Us Go To The Bathroom 3 Times A Month
Flanagan's example of a bad teacher is someone she describes as a "tyrant" and "petty dictator" who is more about control. She says having these people as mentors is a valuable experience when entering the real world.
"These skills will come in handy when it's time to renew a driver's license, contest an insurance payment, or dispute a cable bill. Having a tyrant for a teacher helps young people appreciate why abuses of power must be resisted throughout life."
#19
This Teacher Is Wild
Red Wyvern Emperor 5 months ago
Dude for 200$ an hour I will pick that cotton and prepare field for next year. XD
#20
I Would Hate That In My Classes
#21
I'm A Blind Guy, And My Teachers Tell Me They Don't Know Why I'm Not Looking Forward To The School Trip To The Museum. Can Anyone Guess Why?
Flanagan also experienced what she describes as “the idealogue” when her son’s seventh-grade biology teacher pushed his belief in creationism onto his students.
“It introduces kids to mankind’s endless capacity for self-deception. Warning: this lesson only applies when there’s a rational adult in the mix to provide a reality check.”
#22
I Did My Biology Assignment. It Counted Me Wrong Because I Put Their First And Last Names
#23
My Teacher: "Go To This Link And Fill Out The Form"
#24
My Son Misspelled A Word, So The Teacher "Corrected" Him
ElfVibratorGlitter 5 months ago
Teacher correction "way can't it be night." Icyww, should be "why".
#25
Woke Up At 7 AM, Headed To Class In The Freezing Rain, Just To See "Class Is Cancelled" Written On The Whiteboard And The Door Locked. No Email Or Anything First
#26
My Son’s First Grade Teacher Sent This Home Today
#27
Our Driving Class Teacher Is Never On Time. She Should've Been Here 20 Minutes Ago
Things like this repeat all the time. Previously, we had to wait for her for 30+ minutes.
#28
I Received This As A Grade For A Quiz
#29
My Teacher Printed The Video File On Paper
#30
Online School Is Painful Sometimes
#31
The Article For An Assignment In Class Is Paid
Cathy Homan 5 months ago
This is normal. Usually you can get access to it via your college library
#32
This Program Our Professor Wants Us To Use For Our Tests
The reviews all say it's spyware and that it ruins computers. In the past, we’ve used Honorlock, but this professor just had to be different.
#33
The Lines A Fellow Teacher Gave A 7-Year-Old Student To Write 20 Times As A Consequence
#34
When Teachers Give Diagrams Like This
#35
My Four-Year-Old Daughter's Preschool Homework. "Match The Pictures" With No Other Context
#36
This Sign Is On A High School Classroom Door
#37
My French Teacher Gave Us New "French Names" About Two Weeks Ago And Takes Off Points From Your Exams And Daily Participation If You Don't Refer To Yourself By Your French Name
#38
Teachers Who Write Feedback Like This
Lee Mei 5 months ago (edited)
i am happy to hear that you managed to see a lesson that can be inspiring??
Blue Bunny of Happiness 5 months ago
Teacher obviously missed their vocation, should have been a doctor…
Heeku the Marshmallow 5 months ago
Hope that kid's parents are pharmacists.
Load More Replies... 
Jeremy James 5 months ago
"I am sorry to hear that you managed to see a lesson has can of Imperial?"
Two Cat Studio 4 months ago
"I am happy to know that you managed to size a ? that can be ?" ???
Bonkers & Curious Panda 5 months ago
"I am happy no math that you manage no see a cuss was cas de impala" There I fixed it :D
Kelly Scott 5 months ago
I had a writing instructor once who wrote on my paper to "double space", but I couldn't read his handwriting. It took two more papers before he finally told me what he was trying to say.
Janos Schumacher 5 months ago
"I am happy no wetn that you remembered no see a cursive was catw die' implemented" How did I do?
Leah Brown 5 months ago (edited)
"I am happy to hear that you managed to see a XXX that can be XXXXX!" (Best I got...) 🤷♀️
Mermeow Overlord (they/she) 5 months ago
Don't worry, I translated it: I ar sappy no wen_ ismr yuu mawaulrr no su2 A cussuu iwas ca_ De (~l?,,cl^ ( !
Ample Aardvark 5 months ago
Easy!!! "I an sappy to heail ihat yuu mawaugr no self a cussw iha5 caw df imp,,4nl.!"
Genevieve Smith 5 months ago
I am happy to hear that you managed to see a lesson that can be impartial?
_physically_insane_(he/him) 5 months ago
I An sappy to uctic RnT yuu mAwAcG> no sGs A crssw I has caw of imi?,qnb.❕
Iampenny 5 months ago
I am happy to hear? that you managed to see a ???? that can be inspiring
Cat Palmer 5 months ago
"a lesson", I think. I never thought years of deciphering academics' handwriting would be useful on BP!
Load More Replies... Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 5 months ago
Looks like it is written in Arabic? It certainly is not English even though it is meant to be.
#39
My Blind Child Came Home From School Today With This Homework
Jas Warner 5 months ago
I've accidentally put work in people's cubbys who shouldn't have gotten it. WE ARE OVER WORKED! CHILL. It was probably an honest mistake and things happen.
#40
Kindergarten Homework Is Kicking My Butt. "In Front" Or "Behind"? I Got -2 Points For This
#41
This Stressed My Son Out. Literally Impossible
#42
My Kid's Science Teacher Assigned An 82-Question Packet To Be Done Over Spring Break
#43
No Point In Studying For The Final
#44
Teacher Not Happy With Marching Band Score And Award
#45
I Didn’t Know People Actually Covered Clocks In Schools
#46
The Way My Math Teacher Numbers His Worksheets
#47
I Really Hate My Teacher
#48
My University Cancelled Class Today Due To The Weather (A Freezing Rainstorm Caused Thick Layers Of Ice All Over The Campus), But My Professor Still Wants Us To Go To Our Lab
UncleJohn3000 5 months ago
Forward it to the office that closed the school. Massive liability could occur.
#49
All Of My School's Printers Are Auto-Configured To Print Double-Sided. However, My Programming Teacher Requires Code To Be Printed Single-Sided
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Justin Smith 5 months ago
It would be better to say that these people arent teachers ar all.
Load More Replies... Teachzebra 5 months ago
I’ve been teaching 30 years. I tell every young teacher the same thing: 99% of the job is being calm, patient, and reasonable.
Libby King 5 months ago
As a teacher, I’m not excusing bad teachers (and some are HORRIBLE), but people think teachers have much more autonomy than they really do. Or have endless amounts of times/resources. Teachers are micromanaged to within an inch of their lives. Plus a ton of these are “this online program marked this answer wrong because of such and such format”, but teachers have access to those quizzes/tests. We can go back and add points if the program marked something as incorrect that wasn’t wrong. And frequently these programs import directly from mandated curriculum resources, so teachers can’t even change the “correct” answers even if we wanted to (see: lack of autonomy). I ASSURE you this happens because it happened in my district last year and teachers were SO frustrated because it was sold as this big time-saver (just import and the program grades it, easy peasy!) except we would still have to go through and manually check each answer PLUS deal with students freaking out/angry parents
Libby King 5 months ago
Because the (incorrect) program grades would automatically upload to our online grade reporting system and would be visible until teachers had time to regrade and do a work around to input the correct grade into the online system, etc.
Load More Replies...
Irishwoman abroad 5 months ago
Some of these teachers had me wondering what century these teachers lived in! The sheer pettiness, lack of understanding of childrens' needs and cruelty in some cases left me shocked. Thes are NOT typical teachers, and should not be in this profession.
Trisec Tebeakesse 5 months ago
I'm a lifelong volunteer in a major global youth organization. I have always thought of my self as a teacher - and I do it for "love of game". There was a thing circulating around a while back about something people would be surprised to learn about you, and my answer is "Despite my gruff and unapproachable exterior, I remain a kind and patient teacher of youth". I do not know who these people are here, but they're not teachers.
Noname 5 months ago (edited)
“Those who can, do; those who can't, teach.” This was said by George Bernard Shaw in his 1905 stage play 'Man and Superman' . Over a century later, and (really?) the derogatory phrase (is) often thrown at educators in a disparaging way (that) stubbornly persists. ----------------- I copied this from https://www.ethicssage.com/2023/04/those-who-can-do-those-who-cant-teach.html The grammatical corrections and the comment of despair in parentheses are mine.
Irishwoman abroad 5 months ago
I've always hated this quote because it's so disrespectful of a profession which really is a vocation. Being a teacher - or rather,a good teacher - requires many skills, including not only the ability to explain things at the level of your students in such a way that they actually learn, but also needs patience, understanding and kindness. Many primary teachers loathe teaching teenagers, and many secondary teachers would be terrified facing a room of little ones, but they do respect their different abilities. But many people think it's an easy job, and give unwanted (and not very useful) advice, while it's a badly paid and often derided profession. I much prefer the quote that "teachers are the ones who teach everyone else, for every other job". Much more accurate, and more respectful.
Load More Replies...
Jennifer .S 5 months ago
I'm currently working as a TA for two teachers at the same time and oh my god the subject knowledge they have is pushing me to the brink. They said that a regular pentagon has only 1 line of symmetry (it has 5), they were unsure of the statement 'lower in pitch means it gets quieter' and they pronounced apartheid "apartheed" with emphasis on the 'th' as in thimble
Irishwoman abroad 5 months ago
I once had an English teacher insist that the word "obstreperous" doesn't exist, and it must only be used in Ireland because she didn't know it. Cheeky cow! She wasn't a brilliant teacher, either, now I come to think of it...
Load More Replies...
Jonas Fisher 5 months ago
People tend to believe that because they were once students, they know how to teach. That's like thinking that because you watch sports, you're ready to coach a team. What you see in the classroom (or at a game) is a fraction of what a teacher does, and is stripped of the context of the job. Dealing with parents, admin, school boards, districts, laws, accommodations, and more is incredibly complex. There are often a host of reasons behind what teachers do, but students only see the one thing that makes them mad.
Pittsburgh rare 5 months ago
Bad teachers on a power trip. This post could be a lesson on what NOT to do as an educator
Dawn Davison Clements 5 months ago
My 6th grade math teacher in Louisiana used to thump me I'm the head and call me stupid. He also put me in remedial math after failing a metrics test when I had never had never done metrics before and I'm pretty sure the rest of the class hadn't either. They sent me back from remedial fairly quickly just after a couple of classes because I wasn't remedial. I'm pretty sure his goal was humiliation I have no idea why he hated me so much. To this day I have trouble with math comprehension. I'm talking about you Gus Martinez, never should have been a teacher or a principal. He also subsequently abused one of my younger brothers after becoming principal of the school he attended.
Rocket Scientist 5 months ago (edited)
Some people are true teachers. Some are just plain incompetent. And some are in it for the power trip.
Danish Susanne 5 months ago
It is frightening to read about teachers supposed to teach English who cannot write it themselves.
Regina Holt 5 months ago
When I was in elementary school, really young, class had to draw a tree. Everyone else did the straight brown trunk and green circle on top. I drew what a tree actually looks like, with branches, irregular branches and leaves, really kinda realistic looking for a young kid. The teacher told me I did it wrong. It was just supposed to be a green circle on top of a tall brown rectangle. I never drew again the rest of school.
Lyone Fein 5 months ago
As someone who taught for over 20 years, it is painful to know how many awful teachers are out there just ruining other human beings.
Jess Smith 5 months ago
I think that I'm lucky to have been homeschooled (by parents who weren't fundies and actually taught me)
Justin Smith 5 months ago
It would be better to say that these people arent teachers ar all.
Load More Replies... Teachzebra 5 months ago
I’ve been teaching 30 years. I tell every young teacher the same thing: 99% of the job is being calm, patient, and reasonable.
Libby King 5 months ago
As a teacher, I’m not excusing bad teachers (and some are HORRIBLE), but people think teachers have much more autonomy than they really do. Or have endless amounts of times/resources. Teachers are micromanaged to within an inch of their lives. Plus a ton of these are “this online program marked this answer wrong because of such and such format”, but teachers have access to those quizzes/tests. We can go back and add points if the program marked something as incorrect that wasn’t wrong. And frequently these programs import directly from mandated curriculum resources, so teachers can’t even change the “correct” answers even if we wanted to (see: lack of autonomy). I ASSURE you this happens because it happened in my district last year and teachers were SO frustrated because it was sold as this big time-saver (just import and the program grades it, easy peasy!) except we would still have to go through and manually check each answer PLUS deal with students freaking out/angry parents
Libby King 5 months ago
Because the (incorrect) program grades would automatically upload to our online grade reporting system and would be visible until teachers had time to regrade and do a work around to input the correct grade into the online system, etc.
Load More Replies... Irishwoman abroad 5 months ago
Some of these teachers had me wondering what century these teachers lived in! The sheer pettiness, lack of understanding of childrens' needs and cruelty in some cases left me shocked. Thes are NOT typical teachers, and should not be in this profession.
Trisec Tebeakesse 5 months ago
I'm a lifelong volunteer in a major global youth organization. I have always thought of my self as a teacher - and I do it for "love of game". There was a thing circulating around a while back about something people would be surprised to learn about you, and my answer is "Despite my gruff and unapproachable exterior, I remain a kind and patient teacher of youth". I do not know who these people are here, but they're not teachers.
Noname 5 months ago (edited)
“Those who can, do; those who can't, teach.” This was said by George Bernard Shaw in his 1905 stage play 'Man and Superman' . Over a century later, and (really?) the derogatory phrase (is) often thrown at educators in a disparaging way (that) stubbornly persists. ----------------- I copied this from https://www.ethicssage.com/2023/04/those-who-can-do-those-who-cant-teach.html The grammatical corrections and the comment of despair in parentheses are mine.
Irishwoman abroad 5 months ago
I've always hated this quote because it's so disrespectful of a profession which really is a vocation. Being a teacher - or rather,a good teacher - requires many skills, including not only the ability to explain things at the level of your students in such a way that they actually learn, but also needs patience, understanding and kindness. Many primary teachers loathe teaching teenagers, and many secondary teachers would be terrified facing a room of little ones, but they do respect their different abilities. But many people think it's an easy job, and give unwanted (and not very useful) advice, while it's a badly paid and often derided profession. I much prefer the quote that "teachers are the ones who teach everyone else, for every other job". Much more accurate, and more respectful.
Load More Replies... Jennifer .S 5 months ago
I'm currently working as a TA for two teachers at the same time and oh my god the subject knowledge they have is pushing me to the brink. They said that a regular pentagon has only 1 line of symmetry (it has 5), they were unsure of the statement 'lower in pitch means it gets quieter' and they pronounced apartheid "apartheed" with emphasis on the 'th' as in thimble
Irishwoman abroad 5 months ago
I once had an English teacher insist that the word "obstreperous" doesn't exist, and it must only be used in Ireland because she didn't know it. Cheeky cow! She wasn't a brilliant teacher, either, now I come to think of it...
Load More Replies... Jonas Fisher 5 months ago
People tend to believe that because they were once students, they know how to teach. That's like thinking that because you watch sports, you're ready to coach a team. What you see in the classroom (or at a game) is a fraction of what a teacher does, and is stripped of the context of the job. Dealing with parents, admin, school boards, districts, laws, accommodations, and more is incredibly complex. There are often a host of reasons behind what teachers do, but students only see the one thing that makes them mad.
Pittsburgh rare 5 months ago
Bad teachers on a power trip. This post could be a lesson on what NOT to do as an educator
Dawn Davison Clements 5 months ago
My 6th grade math teacher in Louisiana used to thump me I'm the head and call me stupid. He also put me in remedial math after failing a metrics test when I had never had never done metrics before and I'm pretty sure the rest of the class hadn't either. They sent me back from remedial fairly quickly just after a couple of classes because I wasn't remedial. I'm pretty sure his goal was humiliation I have no idea why he hated me so much. To this day I have trouble with math comprehension. I'm talking about you Gus Martinez, never should have been a teacher or a principal. He also subsequently abused one of my younger brothers after becoming principal of the school he attended.
Rocket Scientist 5 months ago (edited)
Some people are true teachers. Some are just plain incompetent. And some are in it for the power trip.
Danish Susanne 5 months ago
It is frightening to read about teachers supposed to teach English who cannot write it themselves.
Regina Holt 5 months ago
When I was in elementary school, really young, class had to draw a tree. Everyone else did the straight brown trunk and green circle on top. I drew what a tree actually looks like, with branches, irregular branches and leaves, really kinda realistic looking for a young kid. The teacher told me I did it wrong. It was just supposed to be a green circle on top of a tall brown rectangle. I never drew again the rest of school.
Lyone Fein 5 months ago
As someone who taught for over 20 years, it is painful to know how many awful teachers are out there just ruining other human beings.
Jess Smith 5 months ago
I think that I'm lucky to have been homeschooled (by parents who weren't fundies and actually taught me)
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