Do You Think Teachers Really Care If You Do Well in School?

Another in our Whaddya Think series, where we ask students for their opinions.

Do You Think Teachers Really Care If You Do Well in School?

Shelly B., 18

It depends overall. I have been in both public and private schools. I found there’s a huge difference. The teachers seemed to care a lot more in private school. I think this was because students had to get tested and had to be above a certain criteria to get in, so the teachers knew that the students were above a certain level. Public school also had bigger classes with a higher student-teacher ratio. I think that teachers should care, but also students should take the initiative to show they are hard workers.

Liz L., 17

Yes. I feel that it is part of the job description of teachers to encourage students to do well. If a student isn’t doing well, then they usually contact the student’s tutors or parents which is okay, but maybe teachers should help out some more. I feel that teachers, for the most part, do genuinely care and if not, they should.

David D., 17

I think most likely teachers do care about us. The ones that have a great heart are the ones who are genuine. Some really want me to achieve my goals, but sometimes it’s annoying when they nag and nag—but in the end, it’s all worth it. I feel it is also our responsibility to do better.

William D., 15

Most of them do care, but I feel it is very noticeable that some teachers are only nice and care about the good students, whereas they really don’t care about the other ones that don’t seem to do very well in their courses. I guess that could be a good thing—why should teachers care if the kids don’t care?

Jade S., 14

No, I don’t think my teachers care about me. My teacher just failed me. They don’t have expectations from me and they all have favourites. Most of them just come into the class, write stuff on the board and don’t explain anything or explain so poorly. I think they should start by explaining things better.

Aaron M., 16

They do care. They always bug students to hand in their work on time, and if we don’t, we get a zero. Teachers have always helped and cared about me, so I think it is our responsibility to care about most of our work too. A majority of the teachers don’t really care about the kids who bring destructive behaviour to the classroom and cause problems.

Matt O.D., 16

Some teachers care. But I think a majority of them only care about the smarter ones that have futures because it makes the teachers look good. It’s like, “Ya, I taught him.” I think that teachers should not only teach us well, but care about us while we shoulder the burden and responsibility of our future and life.

Kristy H., 14

I don’t think teachers care at all. Some of my teachers just hand out the work and that’s it. They never push anyone to go in for extra help. I think it sucks because some students just need a bit more encouragement to do better than the others, and you cannot treat everyone the same way. They should care more for ones that need it.

Matt L., 17

No, and that’s because they are getting paid garbage. Some care, but a lot of them don’t care much. I think they should care though. In lower grades, it is noticeable how the teachers only pay attention to the smarter kids or at least kids who show they are hard workers (very biased)! In the long run, it’s the other kids who need encouragement. In the higher grades, I feel it evens out and the teachers feel the same towards everyone. We are ultimately responsible while they teach us, and that’s their responsibility—to teach well.