QCE Stuff > The QCE Journey Journal
ATAR will be the death of me :)
Jimmmy:
Hi Katelyn,
I had a similar sort of issue with my Methods teacher last year also, at almost an identical time. Just before our first Methods SAC (around first week of March), I got very ill, and missed a whole week of classes as well as a few SACs (including Methods). The day I got back (Friday) was two days after the Methods SAC was run, and that morning in Period 0 my Methods teacher approached me and told me I was going to do it Period 1 & 2 in the back of the room during our Methods class while she was teaching so she could keep a watch on me. Knowing our standard protocol at school (as of last year) was to do it the following Tuesday, I was puzzled, but additionally so considering I had already gone to our VCE coordinator about my SAC buildup and had already organised a time on the Tuesday morning before school. When I told my teacher this, she wasn't rapt, to say the least, but she begrudgingly accepted it.
I later found out I actually ended up doing the same SAC as everyone else, so even though I didn't go to my peers asking about the SAC (I got pretty bad marks for that first SAC...), I can understand her concern. However, at the time I even went to our coordinator and asked if there was a chance to swap Methods classes....no such luck.
However, I'm glad I didn't because that teacher and I patched things up and it ended up being one of the more enjoyable classes I had come Semester 2! I would suggest talking to that teacher, even if you don't feel comfortable doing it alone. Maybe find them at a lunchtime or even at the end of a class. Nobody wants to be the one to call out irregular practice (I did cop some flak whenever a delay in marking SACs due to an absentee came up...), but ultimately everyone respects you for campaigning for consistency for all your peers. If you talk it through with your teacher and show that it was a misunderstanding, I'm sure she'll be sympathetic. If not, I'd definitely recommend going to the higher power.
Like Bri said, it's highly likely this was the bubbling over of something else she's stressed about. Of course, not your job to cop it, but potentially something you could try sort out informally first.
K.Smithy:
--- Quote from: Bri MT on February 06, 2020, 09:03:21 am ---It sounds to me like there are things happening outside of the class that have resulted in your teacher being highly stressed and more easily interpreting your comment in a mocking tone or as criticism rather than as a genuine question. You shouldn't have been the recipient of that and if you're now finding it hard to engage in your class this is something that absolutely should be addressed. Not only do I think that action should be taken on this for the sake of your learning but also for your wellbeing so it's not something you are continually ruminating on whenever maths comes up.
--- End quote ---
Yeah, I was talking to another friend about it (who is also in methods) and she thinks that our teacher may just be stressed and unsure about how to go about teaching us, considering she is a TAFE teacher and hasn't taught minors in a long time.
Apparently she has been shouting at kids in other classes too, so my class isn't the only one to have experienced it.
--- Quote from: Bri MT on February 06, 2020, 09:03:21 am ---If you frame your discussion around trying to resolve the difficulty you're now facing in your learning, then it seems very highly unlikely to me that it would be interpreted as being about hatred towards your teacher.
Best of luck!
--- End quote ---
Yeah definitely. The only thing im worried about is how the school is going to handle it. Last year when we shared some of our concerns regarding an English teacher, we all got pulled aside and were given a lecture on how our behaviour (speaking up about our concerns) was unacceptable - but finger crossed this one is handled better!
Thanks Bri!
--- Quote from: Jimmmy on February 06, 2020, 03:34:05 pm ---I had a similar sort of issue with my Methods teacher last year also, at almost an identical time. Just before our first Methods SAC (around first week of March), I got very ill, and missed a whole week of classes as well as a few SACs (including Methods). The day I got back (Friday) was two days after the Methods SAC was run, and that morning in Period 0 my Methods teacher approached me and told me I was going to do it Period 1 & 2 in the back of the room during our Methods class while she was teaching so she could keep a watch on me. Knowing our standard protocol at school (as of last year) was to do it the following Tuesday, I was puzzled, but additionally so considering I had already gone to our VCE coordinator about my SAC buildup and had already organised a time on the Tuesday morning before school. When I told my teacher this, she wasn't rapt, to say the least, but she begrudgingly accepted it.
--- End quote ---
The exact same thing happened to my friend! He was sick for a week and missed three exams and the day he got back - without warning - they forced him to sit 2/3 of the exams he missed... Because he was so sick he hadn't studied for them, so he requested an extension and they denied him one... It was rather unfortunate...
--- Quote from: Jimmmy on February 06, 2020, 03:34:05 pm ---However, I'm glad I didn't because that teacher and I patched things up and it ended up being one of the more enjoyable classes I had come Semester 2! I would suggest talking to that teacher, even if you don't feel comfortable doing it alone. Maybe find them at a lunchtime or even at the end of a class. Nobody wants to be the one to call out irregular practice (I did cop some flak whenever a delay in marking SACs due to an absentee came up...), but ultimately everyone respects you for campaigning for consistency for all your peers. If you talk it through with your teacher and show that it was a misunderstanding, I'm sure she'll be sympathetic. If not, I'd definitely recommend going to the higher power.
--- End quote ---
Ohh man, I don't think my teacher and I will be patching things up very soon... If this is how she reacted when asked a question, I really don't want to know how she would react if I expressed my concerns. I've overheard some conversations she has had with other teachers and omg she comes across as being so so arrogant, and after our whole debacle, I don't believe she will think too highly of my peers concerns... But its worth a shot, I guess....
Thank you for the reply :)
Bri MT:
Hey,
Hope things have gone better for you over this week :)
K.Smithy:
--- Quote from: Bri MT on February 13, 2020, 04:01:42 pm ---Hey,
Hope things have gone better for you over this week :)
--- End quote ---
Heya :)
Things have been pretty good :) I spoke to the head of mathematics on Monday and omg, he is one of the nicest human beings on the planet! He really took the time to listen to my concerns, and said that he had already planned a meeting with my two math teachers that day (so I think other students may have spoke to him already). But he said he is aiming to build our rapport with the teacher and if we are still having troubles with her and if she isn't conducting herself well, we have to go straight to him and let him know asap. Unfortunately, he isn't confident with methods content so my support network at school for maths is pretty much non-existent (but at least I always have AN to turn to ;D). But I can say the head of maths is the biggest psychology nerd! Which is awesome because I haven't found anyone at school who is as interested in psych as I am, so I was nerding out to him the other day :)
I also found out that my bio teacher is still in contact with my old bio/physics teacher, and my old methods teacher (!!!). He asked my old maths teacher if he was teaching methods at his new school and if so, if he was able to send us the link to his one note so we aren't completely lost through the year... Unfortunately, he no longer teaches methods, he is a specialist teacher now (good on him though, I know how keen he was to teach spesh)
Ive only had a couple math lessons this week (due to interruptions), so its hard to judge if anything has improved. But fingers crossed :)
K.Smithy:
So I have some sort of exciting news. I recently discovered the Peter Doherty Award for Excellence in STEM Education and I am contemplating whether or not I should apply.
In order to apply, you need to have achieved an A standard of achievement for at least 2 STEM subjects in year 11 (I received an A standard for 4).
You also need to show your commitment to STEM education beyond the curriculum. I have::
- Participated in STEM holiday experience days at Griffith University
- Participated in ICAS science competitions
- Completed extension work at school for science
- Explored STEM fields at university open days and STEM career exploration days
- Participated in the University of Southern Queensland's Mathematics Enrichment Program
- Been a founding member of my schools STEAM club
- Competed in the Australian Brain Bee and progressed through to state finals
- Attended a public forum on stem cell research
I also have to include any academic awards I have received, and in the past two years I have received:
- A gold academic award for achieving an A standard for 7/8 of my subjects in grade 10
- A silver academic award for achieving an A standard for 5/6 of my subjects in unit 2
- Award for Top of Subject for Psychology
Annnnndddddd, I also have to talk about my future university STEM pathway...
I kinda wanna apply but then part of me doesn't want to as there is good chance I won't be a recipient. But I also have to remember that there is no harm in just trying. So, yeah. I'm gonna talk to some teachers and see if they would be willing to be references for my application.
Fingers crossed all goes well! :)
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