Walk down any hallway at any high school and I guarantee that you will be bombarded by whisperings. Per the high school norm, most of what you hear is student related stuff.

I have witnessed, however, a disturbing increase in the number of teacher-related snipes. Why, I wonder, is there seemingly more and more teacher-related-dismay with every passing day? 

A sudden change in teacher behavior couldn’t be the root of the rising resentment. Yes, I’m sure teachers have gradually grown tired of our nonsense, but this happens every year, I assume. If every year they flustered upon getting fed up with their latest class, I doubt they’d still have a job. 

For teachers, every year is filled with the same lectures, the same assignments, the same rubrics; the only thing that differs is the students who fill their seats. We, the students teachers are tasked with, are the dependent cause. 

On the first day of each year, teachers are met with a fresh batch of ambitious, bright-eyed  students, ready to set out their wide array of Flair felt point pens and let the learning commence (or in theory, at least). Gradually, though, as grades decline and material gets tougher, this enthusiasm quickly evaporates and spite begins to take its place. Basically, as grades drop, so does teacher appreciation. 

And in hopes of blowing off some steam, we cast our frustrations onto our teachers. 

Don’t get me wrong, I get it. When you’ve just gotten a bad grade on a test, it’s much easier to blame your teacher rather than yourself. 

Teachers are probably well accustomed to this, but so much so that the sneers of their students have lost their sting? I doubt it. Being a student, I cannot answer that with certainty, but as a human, I can. 

As humans, we need to all follow suit by acknowledging the human in our teachers and as students, we need to give them proper respect.  

As Thanksgiving break looms ahead, I encourage you to show thanks to your teachers. Not for the brownie points or for the extra credit you plan on begging for, but because you simply owe it to them.