How to Be Popular With Teachers
Try to help in the flow of the class., If you meet teachers a lot during school hours, or on the streets, grab the opportunity., It's the small things that get noticed., Perfect your small but considerate gestures., Be over-polite., There might be...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Try to help in the flow of the class.
If you ever have to stand at the head of the class and lecture a group of people you didn't know who are inclined to be hostile towards you, you'd see why it's supremely annoying to have the class disrupted; not many people can put up with it.
Agreed, it's also meaningless to act like a nodding vegetable throughout class, but whatever you do, always think that you're secretly betting your money against the other students on this teacher to perform well. -
Step 2: If you meet teachers a lot during school hours
Smile, go up to them, greet them, talk about the weather, ask them if they're fine, and maybe throw in some question about when some test is going to be held.
But remember! Pick questions only according to how much s/he knows you, how much time s/he has, and whether s/he's the type who thinks it affronting for a student to talk on a level with a teacher.
If you don't do any of these, effectively hide yourself; in other words, never give the impression that you're avoiding the person.
No one likes feeling that, yes, not even the grumpy gloomy teachers
- and in general, the more malicious someone is, irrespective of the age, s/he craves for greater attention. , If your school has particularly foul-tempered librarian, she could be calmed if someone offered her a chewing gum or asked about her daughter.
Make sure the teacher has sufficient supply of stationery, like chalks in class.
Offer to carry the stack of copies or bags that s/he's evidently laboring under.
Offer to distribute or collect the sheets (unless you think s/he wants to do it her/himself for some reason, maybe to check everyone's desk,etc).
Add him/her on any networking sites s/he's on (if you dare).
If you know the teacher in person, ask about his/her family at Christmas (warning: don't do this more than once or twice a year). , When you get up, push your chair back in.
If everyone else in the class has gone rushing out, leaving the chairs awry, bring a general order to them too, at least allowing passage between desks.
There's nothing a teacher likes to see better than a considerate student
- and this way, you'd be helping out the cleaners too! Pick up the dry rubbish from the classroom or grounds and throw them into nearby dustbins.
Also
- and this is vitally important
- do not call teachers names, even among your friends, unless you know they wouldn't mind.
Even you wouldn't like being called a "mentally-affected *beep* *beep* *beep*" behind your back.
If it is so tempting, try to come up with witty and creative names, not crudely offensive ones. , This is another vital step
- be very polite, but avoid sarcasm.
Do not lose your temper with the teachers.
Whatever they say, say "thank you" or "sorry".
If you have an argument or excuse, try putting it forward once, but if the teacher isn't so intent on listening, drop it.
This might seem like selling yourself out, but it's not
- it's basically avoiding conflict in a system where you'll probably always be victimized in a teacher-student conflict.
Also, this is a basic fact for all humans
- if you do not argue, you do not send the other person into a self-defensive mode where they can say "I was right in turning him/her out of the class." You wouldn't enjoy butchering a little kitten into pieces if it just stares quietly, would you? But if it puts up a fight, hurts you, you can justify to others and yourself, "See? I had to get rid of that monster, it was dangerous." If you don't argue, remorse is bound to hit the teacher sooner or later.
Some would go as far as to apologize or avoid your gaze, the rest would almost definitely let you off the next time for any offense.
Any time the teacher thinks s/he's winning some battle against you, don't be verbal
- just smile at them, and greet them as politely as you can
- make full use of point 2, as there's nothing you've got to lose now.
Just hold on and do it even if you hate the teacher
- as long as you're in the school and in the system, its suicidal to get into conflict. , In such cases, it'd be best to start off and go slowly.
If you start getting popular among teachers gradually, your friends would also probably want part of the glory and follow suit.
Never, ever turn back on them or criticize their ways regarding this.
Moreover, only get "friendly" to teachers, don't try to become the "teacher's pet"
- that sort of student who is dying to answer every question, who slobbers through class sitting in the first bench and melts if the teacher asks him/her to do something.
That kind is detested by students and sensible teachers alike.
Teachers hardly ever look on these pets as humans, but academically brilliant sycophants.
Do NOT sell yourself out, try to establish a relation that goes beyond academics and class, a relation between the human that is you and the human that is the teacher.
In the class, your fellow students should always be your first priority
- never act detached from them to be closer to the teacher! -
Step 3: or on the streets
-
Step 4: grab the opportunity.
-
Step 5: It's the small things that get noticed.
-
Step 6: Perfect your small but considerate gestures.
-
Step 7: Be over-polite.
-
Step 8: There might be problems in your friend group if you start being "friendly" to teachers.
Detailed Guide
If you ever have to stand at the head of the class and lecture a group of people you didn't know who are inclined to be hostile towards you, you'd see why it's supremely annoying to have the class disrupted; not many people can put up with it.
Agreed, it's also meaningless to act like a nodding vegetable throughout class, but whatever you do, always think that you're secretly betting your money against the other students on this teacher to perform well.
Smile, go up to them, greet them, talk about the weather, ask them if they're fine, and maybe throw in some question about when some test is going to be held.
But remember! Pick questions only according to how much s/he knows you, how much time s/he has, and whether s/he's the type who thinks it affronting for a student to talk on a level with a teacher.
If you don't do any of these, effectively hide yourself; in other words, never give the impression that you're avoiding the person.
No one likes feeling that, yes, not even the grumpy gloomy teachers
- and in general, the more malicious someone is, irrespective of the age, s/he craves for greater attention. , If your school has particularly foul-tempered librarian, she could be calmed if someone offered her a chewing gum or asked about her daughter.
Make sure the teacher has sufficient supply of stationery, like chalks in class.
Offer to carry the stack of copies or bags that s/he's evidently laboring under.
Offer to distribute or collect the sheets (unless you think s/he wants to do it her/himself for some reason, maybe to check everyone's desk,etc).
Add him/her on any networking sites s/he's on (if you dare).
If you know the teacher in person, ask about his/her family at Christmas (warning: don't do this more than once or twice a year). , When you get up, push your chair back in.
If everyone else in the class has gone rushing out, leaving the chairs awry, bring a general order to them too, at least allowing passage between desks.
There's nothing a teacher likes to see better than a considerate student
- and this way, you'd be helping out the cleaners too! Pick up the dry rubbish from the classroom or grounds and throw them into nearby dustbins.
Also
- and this is vitally important
- do not call teachers names, even among your friends, unless you know they wouldn't mind.
Even you wouldn't like being called a "mentally-affected *beep* *beep* *beep*" behind your back.
If it is so tempting, try to come up with witty and creative names, not crudely offensive ones. , This is another vital step
- be very polite, but avoid sarcasm.
Do not lose your temper with the teachers.
Whatever they say, say "thank you" or "sorry".
If you have an argument or excuse, try putting it forward once, but if the teacher isn't so intent on listening, drop it.
This might seem like selling yourself out, but it's not
- it's basically avoiding conflict in a system where you'll probably always be victimized in a teacher-student conflict.
Also, this is a basic fact for all humans
- if you do not argue, you do not send the other person into a self-defensive mode where they can say "I was right in turning him/her out of the class." You wouldn't enjoy butchering a little kitten into pieces if it just stares quietly, would you? But if it puts up a fight, hurts you, you can justify to others and yourself, "See? I had to get rid of that monster, it was dangerous." If you don't argue, remorse is bound to hit the teacher sooner or later.
Some would go as far as to apologize or avoid your gaze, the rest would almost definitely let you off the next time for any offense.
Any time the teacher thinks s/he's winning some battle against you, don't be verbal
- just smile at them, and greet them as politely as you can
- make full use of point 2, as there's nothing you've got to lose now.
Just hold on and do it even if you hate the teacher
- as long as you're in the school and in the system, its suicidal to get into conflict. , In such cases, it'd be best to start off and go slowly.
If you start getting popular among teachers gradually, your friends would also probably want part of the glory and follow suit.
Never, ever turn back on them or criticize their ways regarding this.
Moreover, only get "friendly" to teachers, don't try to become the "teacher's pet"
- that sort of student who is dying to answer every question, who slobbers through class sitting in the first bench and melts if the teacher asks him/her to do something.
That kind is detested by students and sensible teachers alike.
Teachers hardly ever look on these pets as humans, but academically brilliant sycophants.
Do NOT sell yourself out, try to establish a relation that goes beyond academics and class, a relation between the human that is you and the human that is the teacher.
In the class, your fellow students should always be your first priority
- never act detached from them to be closer to the teacher!
About the Author
Jacqueline Kennedy
Specializes in breaking down complex lifestyle topics into simple steps.
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