What can I do if a teacher does something that I think is wrong? (Andrew)

Dear Andrew,

That’s a tough situation, especially when the person you believe is in the wrong is the person who wields more power.

To start off, I don’t think I’m qualified enough to say that I’ve experienced this same thing before, but have definitely had people close to me complain about a teacher who’s actions didn’t quite rub the right way with much of their class. Yet because they were too scared that voicing their criticisms to teachers would either cause the teacher to grade them harsher, or that the teacher may just view the feedback with indifference, they decided to remain silent on the issue. 

Now, as I’ve previously mentioned, I’ve been fortunate enough to never have experienced this difficult situation before, so I can’t share what I would do as I find it difficult to put myself in your shoes. However, I’ve gone ahead and personally asked a few teachers their thought on this topic, and their answers basically all fit a pattern highlighting some key points! One oddly specific thing all the teachers mentioned when asked about this, was that they appreciated students coming forward and informing them of their mistakes, except they shouldn’t be rude about it. They all stressed the importance of communication and constructive criticism, brought on by a student who’s polite about such an issue. So I think what you can see here Andrew, is that teachers appreciate feedback and criticism, and that you shouldn’t be afraid to voice it bearing in mind to remain polite and respectful! 

Sincerely,

Askolotl