I had a math teacher in 6 th grade who was amazing outside class, but hated me during it. I was smart, but I was slower than everyone else. Math was my weakest spot and my teacher didn’t give me the attention I should have gotten. So I knew I was going to get a C in the 3rd semester. In my entire school career, I hadn’t got less than a B. I tried so absolutely hard, but I couldn’t do it. I did my homework, but I’d started getting migraines and loosing it. No one knew that was the problem so we couldn’t treat it. In school I paid attention as much I could, but I couldn’t keep up like everyone else. I embarrassed myself daily.
On the day she called us up for grades, I was nauseas. I have an awful fear of failure. When I got called up I put a smile on my face and was going to take it with grace and move on. She glared at me. She told me I had a c minus. She showed me my grades and told me I deserved it. I never tried in her class or paid attention. She said that I made myself look dumb and that if I would have actually tried for once in my life I could have got an A. She said that I never do my homework and when I do it’s like I hardly paid attention. I was sitting next to the smartest girl in school, why wasn’t I doing better?
She had whispered the grades and any off her comments to others.
I immediately started crying, but I tried to keep it quiet so I didn’t embarrass myself further. I think she realized what she said then, because she looked horrified. She tried to apologize, but it was too late.
I turned around and realized everyone was watching. Rather than whispering like everyone else, she had spoken conversationally. Everyone heard. They knew my grade.
I had to sit there for another thirty minutes.
Once I got out, I sat in my next teachers room all recess because I couldn’t stop crying.
After that I blanked out her lessons. We couldn’t look each other in the eye. I had migraines every day. I didn’t even try and I think she realized then that I just wasn’t prepared for that class (it was above advanced).
The next year I didn’t bother with math. My teacher was lovely, but I don’t think she noticed. I would get aura symptoms in her class everyday. I just did not care. I managed to get all b’s somehow.
Then this year, a teacher told me that I never tried. Again. It was my l. Arts teacher this time. And I’ll be honest, it was my fault but not completely so. My parents were divorced and I was going between three houses every week. I managed to to forget things now and then.
I flashed back for a second, but I had i was fine. I decided that I would stop being a cry baby and take it.
Then later in class, I was still thinking about it. I felt my migraine come on, and by know I knew what it was and only got them once a month, but I thought I could make it to the end of class. I put my head on the table to stop the light and kept listening.
She yelled at me. She said that I need to get my act together and pay attention. And I proceeded to completely fall apart. She had to call the counselor to get me.
(After I got over that she actually became one of my favorite teachers. I think that sort of made her realize how hard she was being on the students and she stopped yelling and ect. She apologized too, and I eventually got an A in her class and got into honors.)

And with math, I straightened out that year. Actually got an AMAZING teacher. She personally helped me understand concepts and was ok with me being a bit slower than other students. She didn’t make me feel guilty about it, and praised me for what I could do.

So umm, yeah. Happy ending, sort of. Maybe. Anyways, please don’t assume things about people’s situations and especially that they aren’t trying (unless they’re.. You know… Obviously not trying). And be careful with what you say. I still have issues from some teacher in 6th grade. Stupid, but they’re real. And when you make a mistake, make an EFFORT to fix it. Yeah, well, at least I’m not crying anymore. Woo!