Over the years, I have been writing about misconceptions regarding the schooling process. The purpose of these posts is to explain why I disagree with various comments that I have heard people make about schooling. These are meant as personal thoughts rather than conclusive proof, and I will admit that I'm not always the best at explaining my thoughts. Regardless, I have decided that I should be willing to share these posts when I encounter someone online who makes an argument that I have already discussed.
When I was in school, every teacher had class rules. On each set of rules, we were told to respect others. Another similarity between these classes was that none of the teachers respected their students. They acted as though they were above their own rules. Oddly enough, they feel like they could pat themselves on the back for the respect they show. Simply put, teachers don't respect their students.
A lot of disrespect coming from the teaching profession stems from the arrogance of the profession. Teachers want to believe that they are among the most important people in society. They want to believe that anything that you ever learn is strictly because they intervene. They also want to believe that their students do not have any mental advantages over them. This includes abilities and knowledge.
If a student says anything, including personal opinions, that do not align with a teacher's views, that student is constantly considered to be wrong. If a student complains about his educational needs not being met, he is ridiculed for his lack of expertise on the subject. Even the first time a student and teacher meet, teachers will not consider the possibility that they could know less about how someone learns than the only person personally involved in all of that individual's learning. That would obviously be the student.
Based on observation, I have no problems saying that teaching is one of the world's most respected professions, despite the lack of respectability. While there are people who do show disrespect, there is a simple question of why. Is the respect irrational, or are students merely reciprocating the unprovoked disrespect received from their teachers?
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