Grades K-12, best and worst teacher and why
- Thread starter low-key
- Start date
disneychrista
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2002
For me the best teacher I had (looking back) was Mrs. Easterly - 5th Grade. I wasn't a very good student back then. Didn't finish my class work on time. I was always on recess "suspension" where I had finish my school work instead of play/hang out with friends. It taught me a lot and by the end of the year, I was much better at finishing my work on time. Looking back I think this helped me a lot becoming a better student. Can't say I enjoyed it at the time.
I can remember one teacher in high school that my dad and I hated and we ended up making her shut up about her religion while she taught science; the woman believed you couldn't cut your hair as a woman and probably is a flat earther...she was the worst teacher I've ever heard of, and sadly, the one I remember most.
I had a couple of great AP teachers -like my AP pysc teacher, who also taught at our local university, but honestly, I had a very pleasant pre-college (university was amazing!) schooling experience and it made 0 lasting impression on me. My teacher friends/family are always horrified about how much it just didn't impact. It was easy and fun, and then I was done. But seriously, I just never think about my pre-adult times. Late 20s/early 30s; now that was a good time.
I had a couple of great AP teachers -like my AP pysc teacher, who also taught at our local university, but honestly, I had a very pleasant pre-college (university was amazing!) schooling experience and it made 0 lasting impression on me. My teacher friends/family are always horrified about how much it just didn't impact. It was easy and fun, and then I was done. But seriously, I just never think about my pre-adult times. Late 20s/early 30s; now that was a good time.
Colleen27
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2007
Best was an English teacher I had for 3 of my 4 years in high school who tortured us mercilessly with active voice lessons. Nothing else I learned in school has helped me quite as much in my adult life and career as those classes.
Worst was probably my 5th grade teacher who insisted that 1) reading was not an acceptable way to fill the time when I was done with my work early and 2) that he was the arbiter of what was and was not age-appropriate literature. He probably took a book or two away from me every week for the entire school year, because I happened to be in a horror/Stephen King phase at the time and he didn't think that was acceptable material for my age, even after my mother made it very clear that I chose those books with her awareness/permission.
Worst was probably my 5th grade teacher who insisted that 1) reading was not an acceptable way to fill the time when I was done with my work early and 2) that he was the arbiter of what was and was not age-appropriate literature. He probably took a book or two away from me every week for the entire school year, because I happened to be in a horror/Stephen King phase at the time and he didn't think that was acceptable material for my age, even after my mother made it very clear that I chose those books with her awareness/permission.
neverlandsky
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2017
Worst: 12th grade Driver’s Ed teacher. He had a massive temper. Would throw desks, pencils, chalk, trash cans, & always yelling at the students who were messing around. Think Mad-Eye Moody here before Mad-Eye was even created. Thank goodness I was on his good side. Still the class was always stressful.
Best: Not a teacher yet School
Dean. I work as their aid in 12th last period. I hated my sexist art teacher, so I would ditch her class and go to the library often. Got away with it for awhile because my art class was during 1st lunch and I had 2nd lunch. The librarians didn’t care because they always blasted their Enya music and would let me eat lunch there too. I would go there to do all my homework because I was working 9 hours after school daily at my job. The Dean wiped me excused after he asked why I wasn’t going to that class because he knew I wasn’t leaving the campus. Yet they couldn’t pinpoint where I was going until they followed me. Then sat me down and asked me why I was missing her class and I told him. He said I was very smart since the library has cameras. They had me going in and out for every art class missed. Lol. Plus I always went above and beyond as their aid. I couldn’t just sit there waiting for a hall pass to be delivered. So I would type on the typewriter RCPs, answer phones, and calm down the trouble students. They said my presence made things calm. Was allowed to always leave early by 5 mins so I could catch my bus.
Best: Not a teacher yet School
Dean. I work as their aid in 12th last period. I hated my sexist art teacher, so I would ditch her class and go to the library often. Got away with it for awhile because my art class was during 1st lunch and I had 2nd lunch. The librarians didn’t care because they always blasted their Enya music and would let me eat lunch there too. I would go there to do all my homework because I was working 9 hours after school daily at my job. The Dean wiped me excused after he asked why I wasn’t going to that class because he knew I wasn’t leaving the campus. Yet they couldn’t pinpoint where I was going until they followed me. Then sat me down and asked me why I was missing her class and I told him. He said I was very smart since the library has cameras. They had me going in and out for every art class missed. Lol. Plus I always went above and beyond as their aid. I couldn’t just sit there waiting for a hall pass to be delivered. So I would type on the typewriter RCPs, answer phones, and calm down the trouble students. They said my presence made things calm. Was allowed to always leave early by 5 mins so I could catch my bus.
UncleMike101
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2014
Best: Mr Thompson, High school Algebra and the Director of our class plays and musicals,
Worst: Sister Mary Frankenstein, 7th Grade Rule Enforcer and part time Centurion (Carried a metal ruler like a Roman Gladius.)
Worst: Sister Mary Frankenstein, 7th Grade Rule Enforcer and part time Centurion (Carried a metal ruler like a Roman Gladius.)
A tale of two history teachers in high school. One was just so into it and had so much enthusiasm about the subject that you couldn’t help but to get swept up in in it too. He involved us, held our attention and could speak on all the topics off the top of his head.
The second stood at the desk with the textbook open and basically paraphrased what was on each page, in a sort of newscaster delivery.
I’ll leave it to your imagination to guess which was among the best and which among the worst!
The second stood at the desk with the textbook open and basically paraphrased what was on each page, in a sort of newscaster delivery.
I’ll leave it to your imagination to guess which was among the best and which among the worst!
tvguy
Question anything the facts don't support.
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2003
Best teacher? Mr. Gonzalez, High school Spanish teacher. Very close second, High School History team teachers Mr. Tracy and Mr. Lee. Mr. Tracy used to dress up like the historic figures he was lecturing about. Highlight every year was when he did his Adolph Hitler speech and shaved his mustache just like Hitler.
Worst teacher? Mr. Lawrence, High School writing class. Told me I couldn't write. Not sure he would remember me if he is still alive, but I have made my living the last 44 years writing. Writing has put a roof over my head, food on my table, cars in my garage, money in my IRA.
Worst teacher? Mr. Lawrence, High School writing class. Told me I couldn't write. Not sure he would remember me if he is still alive, but I have made my living the last 44 years writing. Writing has put a roof over my head, food on my table, cars in my garage, money in my IRA.
MrsDuck
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2011
Worst - Mrs. Merill - 1st grade. She was SO mean and made me hate/be afraid of math.
Best - whew, this is tough!
6th-8th grade: Mrs. Roberts - Theater. She was so so wonderful. So loving, smart, and fun. She came to my wedding.
12th: Mr. DiFiglio - AP Psychology. Such an AMAZING teacher.
Best - whew, this is tough!
6th-8th grade: Mrs. Roberts - Theater. She was so so wonderful. So loving, smart, and fun. She came to my wedding.
12th: Mr. DiFiglio - AP Psychology. Such an AMAZING teacher.
Worst - All four high school English teachers. Each was worse than the next. They did not foster any sort of reading, writing, or poetry. Feel like it was a wasted class each year even though it was a requirement. It got kind of funny to see how bad the next one would be.
Best is tied. Junior High Math Teacher and Junior High Social Studies (History) teacher. The math teacher was amazing and you could tell how much he cared about his students. He really made math a great class. He now is FB friends with tons and tons of his old students to see where they have ended up and everyone always gushes how amazing he was. The history teacher was very enthusiastic about the subject, and he really made us learn it. He only did essay tests and I learned more about writing from him than any other teacher I ever had. By strictly doing essay tests, he was teaching us to really understand the material and not just memorize facts.
Best is tied. Junior High Math Teacher and Junior High Social Studies (History) teacher. The math teacher was amazing and you could tell how much he cared about his students. He really made math a great class. He now is FB friends with tons and tons of his old students to see where they have ended up and everyone always gushes how amazing he was. The history teacher was very enthusiastic about the subject, and he really made us learn it. He only did essay tests and I learned more about writing from him than any other teacher I ever had. By strictly doing essay tests, he was teaching us to really understand the material and not just memorize facts.
jaybirdsmommy
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2008
Worst - first grade teacher...the woman is satan incarnate. My mother was and still is friends with her. I was her scapegoat, her example of how not to do things for the rest of the class, the kid who could do no right. I had friends and was an outgoing happy kid who loved school before first grade. I left first grade the social outcast, terrified of my own shadow, and absolutely despising school.
Best - hard to say, basically anyone who wasn't my first grade teacher. I never really bonded with any of my teachers after that.
Best - hard to say, basically anyone who wasn't my first grade teacher. I never really bonded with any of my teachers after that.
Praying Colonel
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2004
Best--I had a lot of good ones, but I'd say one of my HS English teachers, Mr. Holt. He taught cool classes (musical lyrics as poetry, English Romantic Poets, etc.) but he went the extra mile to make them fun. For example, in English Romantic Poets groups would recite poems every Friday (I still remember my little bit of "To A Mouse" by Robert Burns), and as part of that we'd have tea and finger sandwiches and try to act British and make it an event. He just had a great personality and related to us as people. He made you want to do your best, to live up to that trust.
Worst--I didn't have many bad ones, but I'd have to say Mrs. Mitchell, 2nd grade. She loved to paddle anyone who got the least little bit out of line. I can't think of anything I learned in her class. She was just mean.
Worst--I didn't have many bad ones, but I'd have to say Mrs. Mitchell, 2nd grade. She loved to paddle anyone who got the least little bit out of line. I can't think of anything I learned in her class. She was just mean.
apirateslifeforme
The Next Mrs. Simon LeBon
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2003
2 Best and 2 Worst for me.
The best - Mrs. Birchall, HS senior year psychology, and Mr. DePino, HS senior year physics. Mrs. Birchall was just a really nice, down-to-earth, fun lady. Easy to talk to. I enjoyed her so much that when I went to community college, I took her geography class simply because she was the teacher, and I also volunteered on her campaign when she ran for town council. Mr. DePino made physics "phun." We all loved dropping a bowling ball on a clay Gumby (which literally went "splat," causing us to have to borrow a putty knife from the art classes to scrape the clay off the floor), riding his homemade hovercraft, and playing with Slinkies in the hallway. I did have difficulty with the class; I was in the lowest math class out of all my classmates (I was still in algebra 2 when they were all past trig and into calculus), not to mention that I skipped chemistry, and while I understood the concepts, it was very hard for me to do the math to prove and explain them. But he recognized that I enjoyed the class and I was making a tremendous effort; I also did ALL of the extra credit that he offered. He actually boosted me a grade simply for "effort and enthusiasm."
The worst - Mrs. C., HS junior year American history, and Mrs. B., HS senior year English. Mrs. C. even came right out and said that she hated kids. She once tried giving me a detention for literally no reason (seriously...she told us to turn to a certain page in the book, which I did, and suddenly she yelled my name, "Detention when we return from vacation!" Huh???). One of the boys in the class was a troublemaker; he made a joke at her expense one day, and even though we hadn't reacted, she separated ME and my 3 friends from each other. She also tried to hit me a couple of times. Mrs. B. one day told me, in front of the entire class, "Don't bother going to college, you'll never make anything of yourself." She lost one of my papers, even though I told her that I had handed it in during class and who was before me and after me. She accused me of impugning her integrity. She later found my paper crumpled up amongst those from another class - a class that was held nowhere near the same time as mine. Later when I got to college, my first English paper was returned with a "Please see me" from my professor. That professor asked me where I'd gone to HS and as soon as I told her, she said, "You had Mrs. B., didn't you? Forget everything she taught you." From that moment on, I received A grades on ALL of my papers throughout my college career. Before my junior year of college, when I transferred to a 4-year university, I won a scholarship from a local group of which Mrs. B. was a member. I had to attend a luncheon and stand up at the front of the room while a sponsor gave a little background on me. Mrs. B.'s jaw dropped, her eyes bugged, and she almost fell off her chair when my sponsor mentioned my 4.0 GPA in my 2 previous years of college. Karma was kind that day!
The best - Mrs. Birchall, HS senior year psychology, and Mr. DePino, HS senior year physics. Mrs. Birchall was just a really nice, down-to-earth, fun lady. Easy to talk to. I enjoyed her so much that when I went to community college, I took her geography class simply because she was the teacher, and I also volunteered on her campaign when she ran for town council. Mr. DePino made physics "phun." We all loved dropping a bowling ball on a clay Gumby (which literally went "splat," causing us to have to borrow a putty knife from the art classes to scrape the clay off the floor), riding his homemade hovercraft, and playing with Slinkies in the hallway. I did have difficulty with the class; I was in the lowest math class out of all my classmates (I was still in algebra 2 when they were all past trig and into calculus), not to mention that I skipped chemistry, and while I understood the concepts, it was very hard for me to do the math to prove and explain them. But he recognized that I enjoyed the class and I was making a tremendous effort; I also did ALL of the extra credit that he offered. He actually boosted me a grade simply for "effort and enthusiasm."
The worst - Mrs. C., HS junior year American history, and Mrs. B., HS senior year English. Mrs. C. even came right out and said that she hated kids. She once tried giving me a detention for literally no reason (seriously...she told us to turn to a certain page in the book, which I did, and suddenly she yelled my name, "Detention when we return from vacation!" Huh???). One of the boys in the class was a troublemaker; he made a joke at her expense one day, and even though we hadn't reacted, she separated ME and my 3 friends from each other. She also tried to hit me a couple of times. Mrs. B. one day told me, in front of the entire class, "Don't bother going to college, you'll never make anything of yourself." She lost one of my papers, even though I told her that I had handed it in during class and who was before me and after me. She accused me of impugning her integrity. She later found my paper crumpled up amongst those from another class - a class that was held nowhere near the same time as mine. Later when I got to college, my first English paper was returned with a "Please see me" from my professor. That professor asked me where I'd gone to HS and as soon as I told her, she said, "You had Mrs. B., didn't you? Forget everything she taught you." From that moment on, I received A grades on ALL of my papers throughout my college career. Before my junior year of college, when I transferred to a 4-year university, I won a scholarship from a local group of which Mrs. B. was a member. I had to attend a luncheon and stand up at the front of the room while a sponsor gave a little background on me. Mrs. B.'s jaw dropped, her eyes bugged, and she almost fell off her chair when my sponsor mentioned my 4.0 GPA in my 2 previous years of college. Karma was kind that day!
fla4fun
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2006
Well, I would prefer not to name the worst, since you never know who lurks on the DIS, but she was my 6th grade math teacher. She got jealous when my parents took me out of school to go to Florida for spring break, and wouldn’t let me make up the work or even tell me what they studied while I was out. Math was always difficult for me anyway and it didn’t help that she treated me poorly for the rest of the year. She was young, probably in her mid twenties at the time, so she should have realized a sixth grade kid wouldn’t have had a whole lot of say regarding when and where the family vacation was taking place.
My high school choir director was one of the best. She came in my sophomore year, replacing a very popular, but really mediocre director whose daughter was a year ahead of me in school. That clique really made a lot of trouble for the new director, who took the abuse with class and dignity. She really knew her stuff, and we were a much better choir under her direction. When we had the chance to sit in and work with the OSU choir, and I didn’t have a way to get there, she picked me up herself so I could participate. I have never forgotten that kindness.
My high school choir director was one of the best. She came in my sophomore year, replacing a very popular, but really mediocre director whose daughter was a year ahead of me in school. That clique really made a lot of trouble for the new director, who took the abuse with class and dignity. She really knew her stuff, and we were a much better choir under her direction. When we had the chance to sit in and work with the OSU choir, and I didn’t have a way to get there, she picked me up herself so I could participate. I have never forgotten that kindness.
BlueStarryHat
South Philly Girl
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2013
Worst was Mrs. Weil, who I had for 4th grade. She gave me a stack of papers to hand out by taking one and passing the rest to the right. I got confused and passed to the left, and she punched me on top of my head. I went home crying and told my Mom, who showed up at my school the next morning to see the principal. Nothing was done-heck, my school at that time still had paddling at assemblies.
Best teacher I ever had was Mr. Cohen, who I had all 4 years at my arts high school. He taught graphic and commercial art, which was my strength. He was patient and fair and let you experiment with different media, so long as you kept to the assignment. We all adored him.
Best teacher I ever had was Mr. Cohen, who I had all 4 years at my arts high school. He taught graphic and commercial art, which was my strength. He was patient and fair and let you experiment with different media, so long as you kept to the assignment. We all adored him.
Cannot_Wait_4Disney
The Scalawag of Scallion
- Joined
- May 18, 2005
Worst. 3rd grade. Most people get that teacher they know they're smarter than in High School or Middle or so. I got mine in third grade. I'm not talking about looking back and knowing you were smarter. I'm talking about at the time knowing I was smarter. This teacher was lazy and incompetent. She wasn't totally mean or anything. But she always misinterpreted what kids said or did and would send them to the office or suspend them. We all got in trouble. Nobody left that year unscathed as far as reports or suspensions or anything. And I did not learn anything. I should have just skipped and gone to 4th grade.
Best Choir Teacher, 2nd through 8th. We were the best and we had the awards to prove it and her to thank for it.
Best Choir Teacher, 2nd through 8th. We were the best and we had the awards to prove it and her to thank for it.
Kathryn Merteuil
Barden Bella
- Joined
- May 11, 2012
As a former educator myself I am pondering this question. I would say the best teacher was my 2nd grade teacher. She reached me in a way that is hard to describe. I also remember she would read us Bible stories every day. (That would not fly in today’s world) She had such a positive impact on me. I was privileged to actually spend time with her as an adult.
Probably the worst was my 1st grade teacher. I don’t remember all of the details, but I know she kept me upset all the time. I really don’t know why she didn’t like me and vice-versa. So I cannot really cite the exact reasons why I have such a bad memory of her.
I would also mention my middle school English teacher... while his methods were quite unorthodox, he made a lasting impression as one of my favorites. He had a way of getting inside our twisted little minds and making learning challenging but fun.
From an educational point of view the worst would be my HS Science teacher. He really did not care one bit (or gave the impression he did not care) we as a class ran wild. I don’t know if it was that he didn’t care at all, or if he could not maintain control of the classroom. It got to the point (quickly actually) he didn’t attempt to teach. He would just put assignments on the board and sit behind his desk while we talked and threw stuff. Honestly I don’t know how he kept his job.
Probably the worst was my 1st grade teacher. I don’t remember all of the details, but I know she kept me upset all the time. I really don’t know why she didn’t like me and vice-versa. So I cannot really cite the exact reasons why I have such a bad memory of her.
I would also mention my middle school English teacher... while his methods were quite unorthodox, he made a lasting impression as one of my favorites. He had a way of getting inside our twisted little minds and making learning challenging but fun.
From an educational point of view the worst would be my HS Science teacher. He really did not care one bit (or gave the impression he did not care) we as a class ran wild. I don’t know if it was that he didn’t care at all, or if he could not maintain control of the classroom. It got to the point (quickly actually) he didn’t attempt to teach. He would just put assignments on the board and sit behind his desk while we talked and threw stuff. Honestly I don’t know how he kept his job.
portocall
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2008
Best teacher hands down was my senior English teacher. She instilled a lot of confidence in me that I hadn't had before.
Worst was 3rd grade. She taunted me, made me feel stupid and punished anyone who dared be friendly to me. She is probably long dead since she was old when I had her.
Worst was 3rd grade. She taunted me, made me feel stupid and punished anyone who dared be friendly to me. She is probably long dead since she was old when I had her.
aprilgail
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2001
Best was 2st grade- she was an older woman and I was a very nervous shy kid- I always remember her encouraging me to speak up more in class but never forcing me to.
Worst was 4th grade- to this day I hate this woman. She should have never been allowed around children. She was probably in her 50's when I had her and she would march the entire class down to the bathrooms and everyone had to go then-if you had to or not that was the time to go. Well I was a nervous kid and had to go more than one time a school day After the 4th day of me asking in the afternoon if I could go to the bathroom she announces loudly in front of the whole class "April Gail you have to bring in a Dr's note saying you have a problem and need to use the bathroom more than once a school day"- I was SO embarrassed! Then we all wrote in pencil and gradually the class was switched over to pen a few at a time- until me- she again said in front of the whole class "April Gail you will continue to only use pencil because your writing is to sloppy to be allowed to use a pen".
My 4th grade teacher experience made me vow to never allow a teacher to treat my child that way- the first time a teacher told my daughter she could not use the bathroom (she was in 1st grade and actually wet her pants because the lunch lady wouldn't let her use it) I was up at the school! I also told my daughter after that if she EVER really had to go and was told no to just walk out of the class, use the bathroom and go directly to the principals office and have him call me and I will deal with it and she will NOT be in any trouble at home for it as long as she truly had to go. That never happened again after my first talk with the school so she did not have to do that. One teacher was in the middle of the lesson and she asked her if she could wait until she finished that lesson and my daughter said yes but at least she was given the option and that was fine.
Worst was 4th grade- to this day I hate this woman. She should have never been allowed around children. She was probably in her 50's when I had her and she would march the entire class down to the bathrooms and everyone had to go then-if you had to or not that was the time to go. Well I was a nervous kid and had to go more than one time a school day After the 4th day of me asking in the afternoon if I could go to the bathroom she announces loudly in front of the whole class "April Gail you have to bring in a Dr's note saying you have a problem and need to use the bathroom more than once a school day"- I was SO embarrassed! Then we all wrote in pencil and gradually the class was switched over to pen a few at a time- until me- she again said in front of the whole class "April Gail you will continue to only use pencil because your writing is to sloppy to be allowed to use a pen".
My 4th grade teacher experience made me vow to never allow a teacher to treat my child that way- the first time a teacher told my daughter she could not use the bathroom (she was in 1st grade and actually wet her pants because the lunch lady wouldn't let her use it) I was up at the school! I also told my daughter after that if she EVER really had to go and was told no to just walk out of the class, use the bathroom and go directly to the principals office and have him call me and I will deal with it and she will NOT be in any trouble at home for it as long as she truly had to go. That never happened again after my first talk with the school so she did not have to do that. One teacher was in the middle of the lesson and she asked her if she could wait until she finished that lesson and my daughter said yes but at least she was given the option and that was fine.
Share this page
GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE
Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.
Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!
Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.
Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!
