For the most part, clueless teachers are pretty harmless. Sure they might get on your nerves or even make you dread going to class, but it’s usually nothing that you can’t handle. Other times your clueless teacher might cross the line and do something that really does deserve some sort of resolution. Check out our solutions about what you can do to make the year more livable.

If you’re dealing with a Drill Sergeant…

• Try to follow the rules, but don’t take it personally when this teacher reprimands you.
• Remember that you can’t please everyone all the time – this type of teacher will make it really difficult (or impossible) for you to be on his or her “good side.”
• If it gets to the point of throwing stuff, yelling at students, or trying to humiliate students, don’t just sit back. Stand up for yourself and other teens at your school. When teachers bully, it’s definitely NOT OK. Tell your guidance counselor or the principal about the problems. Get other students involved. Tell your parents. It’s important that teachers know when they cross the line.

If your teacher acts like a newcomer to modern society…

• Realize that your teacher is in a different “place” mentally…try to sympathize with him or her by imagining a time period in which your teacher’s slang/ clothes/ hair style would actually fit in.
• If your teacher never knows the current events, you might ask him or her to have a part of the class in which students bring in news stories. This works great in social science, government, or politics classes. It can help you to bring the outside world into the classroom.

If your teacher can’t do anything right…

• Volunteer to help set up equipment or experiments if you don’t trust your teacher to get it right. Sometimes just knowing simple things, like how to work a VCR or DVD player, can really save the day when your teacher is ill prepared.
• Talk with your teacher after class if you’re finding it hard to learn in class without clear lesson plans or organization. Suggest writing a schedule at the beginning of each class right up on the chalkboard or white board so that everyone can see it and make sure that it actually is followed.

If your teacher forgets everything that he or she says…

• After class confirm homework and test dates if you’re worried your teacher is going to forget that he gave the class an extension on a project or canceled a test.
• Write down dates in your planner or a notebook, and let your teacher know when he or she forgets to do something important that was promised to the class at an earlier date.

If your teacher is all talk…

• Suggest that the class hold a debate or discussion. This will force your teacher to give up the soapbox for awhile.
• Raise your hand, and don’t give up! Make sure that your voice gets heard.

If your teacher says offensive stuff…

• Correct him or her in class. Don’t let an offensive comment go by unnoticed!
• Talk to your teacher after class. Let him or her know that the comment was offensive. If your teacher doesn’t care or continues to act offensively, bring it to a higher authority. Tell your guidance counselor, another teacher, the principal, your parents, etc. You deserve to feel comfortable in your school!

Would you recognize an offensive comment? Here are two real-life examples:

• In an Oregon public high school a student informed her teacher of her decision to major in English at college. The teacher replied that she was getting an “MRS” degree. This is an example of a sexist comment that should NOT be made by a teacher!!
• A government teacher listed every big topic in the presidential election. He talked in depth about each topic EXCEPT for gay rights. When a student called him on the omission he got all red in the face and refused to talk about that issue with the class.