ADVERTISEMENT

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.

#1

Teachers Need To Understand Students Don't Always Sleep In Class Just Because Of Laziness

Teachers Need To Understand Students Don't Always Sleep In Class Just Because Of Laziness

Phantom_Wolf52 Report

#2

I Was A Teacher For 8 Years, And I Never Made A Student Feel Small After Asking For Help

I Was A Teacher For 8 Years, And I Never Made A Student Feel Small After Asking For Help

washedupteach Report

#3

"They Both Tried To Laugh It Off Like It Was All A Silly Misunderstanding And Never Apologized To Me"

"They Both Tried To Laugh It Off Like It Was All A Silly Misunderstanding And Never Apologized To Me"

JoyAng , JoyAng Report

“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

Teachers Like This

medfred3 Report

#5

It Took Him A While

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.

academijung Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#6

A Former Teacher Of Mine Publicly Ridiculing And Passing Judgement On Someone For Being Proud Of Their Sobriety

A Former Teacher Of Mine Publicly Ridiculing And Passing Judgement On Someone For Being Proud Of Their Sobriety

ander2kv Report

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

Apparently Enjoying The Workout Is Part Of The Grade

1Cryptic_Phoenix Report

#8

My Brother's Kindergarten Teacher Printed These Out For The Class

My Brother's Kindergarten Teacher Printed These Out For The Class

brendan1228 Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#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

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

reddit.com Report

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.”

ADVERTISEMENT
#10

I Had An English Final Exam Today, And I Had To Describe This Image. Teacher's Copy vs. Student's Copy

I Had An English Final Exam Today, And I Had To Describe This Image. Teacher's Copy vs. Student's Copy

Fastestbullet99 Report

#11

My 3rd Grade Kids Were Given This Ridiculous Project

My 3rd Grade Kids Were Given This Ridiculous Project

ThatsMrSmeeToYou Report

#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

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

AndrewTDraper Report

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

We Are No Longer Allowed To Yawn In My College Course, With Points Off Our Grade As Punishment

sleepiesen Report

#14

This Typo Caused Me To Fail The Entire Assignment

This Typo Caused Me To Fail The Entire Assignment

nlwfty Report

#15

So Rude And For What

So Rude And For What

EM0DOG Report

Add photo comments
POST
Tabitha
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Seriously. This doodle is done so well, I probably would’ve given a one-time extra credit point for it.

Load More Replies...
Passerby
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One of my professors from the university is the opposite. He actually gave one extra point for drawing a cat on the exam paper. He also told the students about this in advanced. My friend jokingly said that she practiced drawing the cat instead of reviewing.

ElfVibratorGlitter
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had a biology teacher who'd give extra points if you made him laugh. So our quizzes and exams were just covered with doodles and jokes. One day he was grading and just started laughing so hard he was like doubled over. He shared it with the class and it was indeed hilarious. Wrong, but hilarious. I can't remember what specifically the joke was about, maybe mitosis? So the student got the answer wrong but then got a few extra points for making teacher laugh. Never thought I'd be writing fondly about Mr. Mac. 🤷🏿

Load More Replies...
David Beaulieu
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am 50 years old this year. When I was 8, I had a teacher that saw that I doodled. I was always paying attention to her, but I was often looking down at my paper while she was talking. Instead of punishing me, me had me incorporate my drawing into the classwork. My parents asked her why she did that, and she explained that everyone learns different. She changed my life. I had many teachers after who pulled typical ego based stuff (look at me, don't doodle while I'm talking, etc). Today I am the Creative Director for a $10Billion technology company. I still doodle in meetings. Thanks Mrs Baker!

Iampenny
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Plot twist, the task was to draw a picture of a horse :)

Sergio Bicerra
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wanna give the teacher the benenfit of the doubt and say maybe wanted to do this? 01-667383cf9f7ab.jpg 01-667383cf9f7ab.jpg

Upstaged75
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you look at the writing the picture may even be related!

Aggressive Cupcake
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No need to ruin your cute doodle...! I feel sorry for this grumpy teacher.

MyWeird “WolvesGoTo” DailyLife
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In ela class I doodled King Arthur because we were learning about him— the teacher walked past my desk and then told me to “Erase that c**p”. Btw, I had unmedicated ADHD and me doodling that helped me focus— but when she told me to erase it, the only thing on my mind was the fact I had to erase it

Jonas Fisher
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Is it possible that the question (which looks to be some kind of bio question) asks about an animal, and the OP drew the wrong animal?

meow point1
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember my teacher once got mad at me for drawing a cat in my notebook.

InfiniteZeek
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I give out points for extra cool doodles. Double if they make me laugh.

geezeronthehill
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We must suppress creativity in students so that they are prepared to be worker drones for our capitalist overlords.

JNDauterive
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah, I had a plant collection that took months to collect and mount. Because I abbreviated the location of East Baton Rouge (parish) to EBR, he circled EBR in red ink on every single plant page.

Rebecca O’Donnell
Community Member
Premium
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hit on EMODOG and you can see the word rat in the previous paragraph not shown here. I think the student drew an excellent representation of the subject matter. :)

Becky Samuel
Community Member
5 months ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Becaus their job is to prepare you for the world outside. Turning in a business report with a 'doodle' on it is completely unprofessional. Use a bit of scrap paper if you can't resist the compulsion to draw on everything.

Dreaming Spirit
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have made a few very professional business presentations and they all had pictures, drawings and infographics in them. The critter drawn on the essay (?) seems to be connected to the topic, too.

Load More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT

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

My Teacher Still Refuses To Give A 100% Score

TheReallyEvil1 Report

#17

Apparently, My Answer Was Wrong Because The Teacher Forgot To Add An End Parentheses

Apparently, My Answer Was Wrong Because The Teacher Forgot To Add An End Parentheses

Clymmie Report

#18

My Teacher Only Lets Us Go To The Bathroom 3 Times A Month

My Teacher Only Lets Us Go To The Bathroom 3 Times A Month

Imayhaveeatenthedog Report

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."

ADVERTISEMENT
#19

This Teacher Is Wild

This Teacher Is Wild

reddit.com Report

#20

I Would Hate That In My Classes

I Would Hate That In My Classes

CLOVIS-AI Report

#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?

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?

Frikandelneuker Report

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

I Did My Biology Assignment. It Counted Me Wrong Because I Put Their First And Last Names

ChikinNuggetsRmine Report

#23

My Teacher: "Go To This Link And Fill Out The Form"

My Teacher: "Go To This Link And Fill Out The Form"

BramKalkman Report

#24

My Son Misspelled A Word, So The Teacher "Corrected" Him

My Son Misspelled A Word, So The Teacher "Corrected" Him

Edawg661 Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#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

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

Firecracker7413 Report

#26

My Son’s First Grade Teacher Sent This Home Today

My Son’s First Grade Teacher Sent This Home Today

highfivesandhandjobs Report

#27

Our Driving Class Teacher Is Never On Time. She Should've Been Here 20 Minutes Ago

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.

Olya_roo Report

#28

I Received This As A Grade For A Quiz

I Received This As A Grade For A Quiz

BrownEyeGivesPinkEye Report

#29

My Teacher Printed The Video File On Paper

My Teacher Printed The Video File On Paper

Huge-Technician2889 Report

Add photo comments
POST
#30

Online School Is Painful Sometimes

Online School Is Painful Sometimes

A-Lonely-Gorilla Report

#31

The Article For An Assignment In Class Is Paid

The Article For An Assignment In Class Is Paid

Accomplished_Bike149 Report

#32

This Program Our Professor Wants Us To Use For Our Tests

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.

TexasMeatMan Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#33

The Lines A Fellow Teacher Gave A 7-Year-Old Student To Write 20 Times As A Consequence

The Lines A Fellow Teacher Gave A 7-Year-Old Student To Write 20 Times As A Consequence

Illustrious-Laugh795 Report

#34

When Teachers Give Diagrams Like This

When Teachers Give Diagrams Like This

gr33nh3at Report

#35

My Four-Year-Old Daughter's Preschool Homework. "Match The Pictures" With No Other Context

My Four-Year-Old Daughter's Preschool Homework. "Match The Pictures" With No Other Context

chuck1830 Report

#36

This Sign Is On A High School Classroom Door

This Sign Is On A High School Classroom Door

cmonfiend Report

#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

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

dykejoon Report

#38

Teachers Who Write Feedback Like This

Teachers Who Write Feedback Like This

Exceon Report

#39

My Blind Child Came Home From School Today With This Homework

My Blind Child Came Home From School Today With This Homework

zixxty Report

#40

Kindergarten Homework Is Kicking My Butt. "In Front" Or "Behind"? I Got -2 Points For This

Kindergarten Homework Is Kicking My Butt. "In Front" Or "Behind"? I Got -2 Points For This

Fresh_Counter Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#41

This Stressed My Son Out. Literally Impossible

This Stressed My Son Out. Literally Impossible

IndependenceLumpy294 Report

#42

My Kid's Science Teacher Assigned An 82-Question Packet To Be Done Over Spring Break

My Kid's Science Teacher Assigned An 82-Question Packet To Be Done Over Spring Break

gardenbikie821 Report

#43

No Point In Studying For The Final

No Point In Studying For The Final

pizzadough_ Report

#44

Teacher Not Happy With Marching Band Score And Award

Teacher Not Happy With Marching Band Score And Award

DesertRat13 Report

#45

I Didn’t Know People Actually Covered Clocks In Schools

I Didn’t Know People Actually Covered Clocks In Schools

JacobIsAFroggyBoi Report

#46

The Way My Math Teacher Numbers His Worksheets

The Way My Math Teacher Numbers His Worksheets

adeel-a Report

#47

I Really Hate My Teacher

I Really Hate My Teacher

ShawnDSavage75 Report

#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

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

Lada730 Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#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

All Of My School's Printers Are Auto-Configured To Print Double-Sided. However, My Programming Teacher Requires Code To Be Printed Single-Sided

Smile_Space Report

#50

This Keyboard At My College. Teachers, Don't Let Us Clean It

This Keyboard At My College. Teachers, Don't Let Us Clean It

Benji0514 Report

Note: this post originally had 60 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.

Ic_chat

Progress:

Ic check outlined Dialog close

Ic_smile Ic_meh

Ic check outlined Dialog close

Ic_smile Ic_meh

Thanks! Check out the results:

Quiz icon

View alternative results:

Quiz icon

Ic_score

/

0