I think that my teacher hates me, now what?

Hi, I’m in Form One and I really don’t mind my new school and even enjoy the subjects. Except for one thing. There is a teacher who is very rude to me, she picks on me more than the others when I make a mistake and she has embarrassed me in front of my classmates many times. I now hate going to her class which is Biology, which I actually really enjoy. What do I do?

As teens, it sometimes feels like the world is against us. It’s easy to believe your friends, family and teachers are going out of their way to make your life difficult. When you think a teacher is out to get you, it can feel like a personal attack.

Communication is key; there is no point keeping it all inside when you could simply express yourself and sort out the issue.

In fact, your teacher might not even know what is going on and would be more than happy to dispel your doubts. Sometimes teachers say or do things that are taken the wrong way, but it can easily be resolved through a discussion.

“In all cases, I think the students are mistaken, and I would suggest they talk to the teacher,” English said. “And if they are too nervous talking to the teacher (by themselves), they should bring the counsellor in.”

If a student doesn’t talk to the teacher or an administrator, they may be able talk to a fellow student who can help them get through the class. I would suggest building a bond with your teacher by breaking the ice with a joke. If you’re still wary of talking to a particular teacher, try interacting with that teacher only during class when you’re surrounded by other students.

Students could also ask questions during class to have a more friendlier atmosphere than having the fear of having an individual appointment to ask questions.

Ultimately, it’s up to you to get over whatever prevents you from doing your best in class.

If students can’t fix it, they should ignore it and do their work,” English said, “because it’s that old cliché that nobody has to like you, and I guess that’s true.

If the teacher goes on being rude to you even after you have expressed your feeling then I would encourage you to speak to a trusted adult about what your teachers have been doing. This could be a parent or another teacher in school who you trust.

You could also show them the diary if you decide to keep one – this can help them understand what school life has been like for you. If you wanted to talk to the school’s head teacher perhaps this adult can help you to do that.