How do you deal

[Lady_Chaos]

With a teacher that doesn't know what she's doing? Even though the quarter is over, I'd still like to know... I usually get a's in English but this year my teacher had no idea what she was doing. Half the class is failing. Is that the students fault or the teachers fault? I think it's the teachers. I walked into the class feeling like I was going to accomplish something great. Like I was going to breeze through this semester. I walked out of the class feeling worn out and blanched... As if just being here, at this school, was crushing my entire being. I had been working my ass off for this class. I stayed up every night until about 10:00, an hour passed the time I usually went to bed, sometimes stayig up as late as 1:00 or 2:00. I was fallng apart. And still getting less than satisfactory grades. I took charge in group projects. Making sure they met the criteria up to the very edge of being absolutly perfect. And I still didn't get good grades. ( my definition of good is an a) I know you probably think I was just trying too hard, and maybe I was, but I didn't know how to please her. And I still don't. And I also know that you are saying 'wow. A's? You can't get lower than that or you cry? You need to loosen up. Just shrug it off.' well I CANT. I was raised on very high standards and have always been the 'smart' one. I can't just stop that!!

What do I do? I feel so lost... School is ruining me... The pressure is going to make me explode... I break down all the time now... It didn't used to be so... Bad... As I write this down, I try not to cry... Why is everthing so damn frustrating and stressful?

Please help... If you have any questions about my situation please ask. And I'm sorry if this is in the wrong place. I figured 'teacher problem =education'

[Brazdar]

... I usually get a's in English but this year my teacher had no idea what she was doing.
Is it a new teacher or is the same as last year? If it's the same teacher and you don't get A's anymore even though you work hard, it means you did something or said something about her that would irk her, not at her class or at school, and she might have found out... well that's it I guess try do something that would touch her (charity or that sort of things).
If it's a new teacher try see what other students do to get A's, but if none gets high grades well you're sort of on your own to figure it out.

I have been through a situation like this one, with an English teacher also (where I am we study English as a foreign language) and I had a hard time, because none were getting A's at her class.

[Aspiringanonymous]

In my English class, half the class is borderline failing, and I am the only A. Ironically, I had went in with extremely low expectations, having dealt with the teacher before and being familiar with her marking standards. The teacher grades papers according to government rubric; she knows what she's doing. No one had yet to stand up and accuse her of grading unfairly, because the entire process is made clear and obvious for us to see. Most of these people had A's and B's in previous years - for whatever ridiculous reason, in the past teachers were allowed to grade according to personal discretion (which usually resulted in high marks) and this year, they were required to use standardized criteria (which grades very harshly).

Why don't you sit down with her and ask for a detailed explanation behind the grade in all of your recent assignments and papers? Let her tell you explicitly what you are doing wrong, and if there are aspects which seem unfair, speak up and ask for clarification. Also - as a teacher, she should know this - how does she account for these significantly lower grades this year, compared to the previous? Has the grading criteria changed? Is the course content more challenging?

English is a subjective course, however, and countless factors could be present that would result in absurdly low grades. The instructor's personal opinion of a student is definitely there, but it is certainly not the only. I know you said not to say it, but you do need to loosen up. As long as you've tried your best, and gained something from the learning process, that's what matters. If the grading process is absurd and/or unfair, then so be it; marks should not dictate one's self worth - that is a potentially dangerous trap to fall into.

And, it's just one course. I'm sure you're doing well in all your other ones.

[delete.please]

This is kinda risky, but assuming you really are an exceptional, ambitious and motivated student, you might want to try taking AP/honors classes. AP/honors classes tend to have much better teachers and much better students, which will provide you with a much better environment. The problem is, though, there is a LOT more work.

[Lady_Chaos]

This is kinda risky, but assuming you really are an exceptional, ambitious and motivated student, you might want to try taking AP/honors classes. AP/honors classes tend to have much better teachers and much better students, which will provide you with a much better environment. The problem is, though, there is a LOT more work.

This was an AP/honors class.

As long as you've tried your best, and gained something from the learning process, that's what matters.

I didn't gain anything, in my opinion.