On Teachers
Aug. 29th, 2005 01:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mari4212Have you ever had a teacher that made you fall in love with their subject? Who made it come to life, and you wanted to know everything about it? Who made it into a real, living subject that mattered to you?
For me, that teacher was Mrs. Walter, and the subject was Biology. I had her for three classes in high school: Honors Bio my freshman year, Anatomy and Physiology my junior year, and AP Bio my senior year. If not for her, I wouldn't have ever thought about going into Physical Therapy. For three years, she shaped how I learned Biology, and what I thought about it as a subject.
Freshman year of college, and my Bio teachers were the same way. They loved the subject and taught it well.
Now, however, I am taking a class from someone who, if I had had her in high school, would have made me hate Biology with a fiery passion. I'm talking about my Anatomy teacher, Dr. Gulgin. Out of three class periods I've had with her, of which two actually consisted of her teaching, I have walked out of the room with tension headaches all three days. And most of that is from holding back from screaming at her for her inacuracies or oversimplifications.
Where are you Mrs. Walter?
For me, that teacher was Mrs. Walter, and the subject was Biology. I had her for three classes in high school: Honors Bio my freshman year, Anatomy and Physiology my junior year, and AP Bio my senior year. If not for her, I wouldn't have ever thought about going into Physical Therapy. For three years, she shaped how I learned Biology, and what I thought about it as a subject.
Freshman year of college, and my Bio teachers were the same way. They loved the subject and taught it well.
Now, however, I am taking a class from someone who, if I had had her in high school, would have made me hate Biology with a fiery passion. I'm talking about my Anatomy teacher, Dr. Gulgin. Out of three class periods I've had with her, of which two actually consisted of her teaching, I have walked out of the room with tension headaches all three days. And most of that is from holding back from screaming at her for her inacuracies or oversimplifications.
Where are you Mrs. Walter?
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no subject
Date: 2005-08-29 09:28 pm (UTC)most of that is from holding back from screaming at her for her inacuracies or oversimplifications
Well, if you need someone to scream at I'm available. I won't understand half of what you say, but I'll listen.
no subject
Date: 2005-08-29 09:42 pm (UTC)At this point, I'm trying to ignore what she says.
no subject
Date: 2005-08-29 09:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-29 09:46 pm (UTC)Sounds like a good plan. You learn more from the book anyway.
Other teacher alternatives
Date: 2005-08-29 10:06 pm (UTC)Ignoring the teacher for the book is a worthwhile option, but there's another track you can use. Keep a careful record of the inaccuracies, oversimplifications and dismissive references to major issues, like isotopes (useful for tracking metabolisms, if you are a plant, or for tracking fluid circulation, if you pump fluids) and evolution. Then complain to the department, hopefully anonymously to your prof. Note that your teacher is an obstacle to your learning, which you can overcome by diligent OUTSIDE study, but that other students might not be able to overcome her teaching. A school like Evansville that prides itself on its teaching will likely respond.
Good luck
Dad
Re: Other teacher alternatives
Date: 2005-08-29 10:57 pm (UTC)One more from Dad
Date: 2005-08-30 11:15 pm (UTC)-----Original Message-----
From: Bonnie Walter [mailto:bwalter@alterhighschool.org]
Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2005 3:13 PM
To: J. Michael Clinch
Subject: Re: Weblog from Margaret Clinch
Thank you so much for forwarding this. I am humbled and honored.
Margaret is an exceptional person, as we both know. It was a pleasure
to have her in my classes!
>>> "J. Michael Clinch" <mclinch@ehstech.com> 8/30/2005 2:01:53 PM >>>
Margaret's Dad here - Margaret has a weblog for keeping in touch with
her family and friends. The address is:
http://www.livejournal.com/users/mari4212/
You can post notes there in response to her entries. As you start a new year, I thought you might like one of her entries:
"Have you ever had a teacher that made you fall in love with their
subject? Who made it come to life, and you wanted to know everything
about it? Who made it into a real, living subject that mattered to you?
For me, that teacher was Mrs. Walter, and the subject was Biology. I had her for three classes in high school: Honors Bio my freshman year,
Anatomy and Physiology my junior year, and AP Bio my senior year. If not for her, I wouldn't have ever thought about going into Physical Therapy. For three years, she shaped how I learned Biology, and what I thought about it as a subject.
Freshman year of college, and my Bio teachers were the same way. They
loved the subject and taught it well.
Now, however, I am taking a class from someone who, if I had had her in high school, would have made me hate Biology with a fiery passion. I'm talking about my Anatomy teacher, Dr. Gulgin. Out of three class periods I've had with her, of which two actually consisted of her teaching, I have walked out of the room with tension headaches all three days. And most of that is from holding back from screaming at her for her inacuracies or oversimplifications.
Where are you Mrs. Walter?"
As Margaret notes in other entries, this teacher is pushing Intelligent Design, ignoring evolution, and making other basic mistakes.
Mike Clinch