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Step 3Your Teacher's Personality Means Work for You
What type of personality your teacher has will determine how hard you will have to work to get a good grade. Try to surmise as soon as possible what their personality is. For this instructable, I lump all teachers into three basic categories: Hippies , By-the-Bookers , and In-Betweeners.
Hippies are easy to spot. They generally are very relaxed about deadlines, content, quality, tardiness, absences . . it would be easier to list what they DO feel strongly about: A good sob story . . . and politics. Generally you don't work as hard in these classes and you consequently don't learn as much in them. But they're easy. And should you ever get in a pinch, just:
1) Explain your situation to your easy going teach and she'll help you out. Hippies are good like that.
By-the-Bookers usually show up exactly on time. A rare few 'Bookers masquerade as Hippies by talking "cool" and "relaxed", but they'll give themselves away the first time someone's late and they overreact to it. Classes taught by 'Bookers will require more work from you, but you'll usually learn more. Be careful, though; whatever class policies the teacher has, she WILL STICK TO.
The best thing to do in a strict teacher's class is to:
1) Never be late. And always let her know ahead of time when you'll be absent.
2) ALWAYS turn your work on time. Let me repeat; ALWAYS turn your work in on time. A common trait of 'Bookers is the habit of dropping your scores 10 points for every day your work is late. Much better to turn in a B+ paper on the day of than a perfect paper a day late. Oh, and ask questions about anything that might possibly interest you. All that still won't be enough to save you from a strict teacher if you have bad work. So no lie, you will have to work hard, and double check your work.
It's a lot like the real world, where people get mad if you make the right kind of burger only 97% of the time--because that 3% that got the wrong burger didn't ORDER mustard on it. So it's good training for real jobs.
3) If you get in a pinch, admit openly and quickly that it's a problem and that you'll have to deal with the consequences. This won't increase your grade any at this point, but it will please 'Bookers. They expect everyone to deal with their own consequences. A sob story is the wrong way to go here. You might mention briefly the cause of your problem, but that's it. Tears will do you no good whatsoever, and will in fact annoy a 'Booker. You're an adult for Pete's sake (is their thinking).
The In-Betweeners: Most teachers are in this category--you'll learn as much as you want to, have to do a little bit of work, and can influence your grades a little. Every 'Tweener has the potential to turn to a Hippie or 'Booker depending on how much you've annoyed or befriended her. The teachers I've counted as friends were all 'Tweeners that truly cared about us as people (and you could tell). So do some of the things you'd do for a 'Booker:
1) Try not to be late,
2) Turn your stuff in on time, and
3) Ask questions.
Also, ask questions about the teacher's background. Get to know her a bit. If you get in a pinch and you're on her good side,
4) Explain your situation to them and she'll usually help you out. Do not do this more than a couple times or she may think you're trying to take advantage of her good will and quickly turn into a vengeful 'Booker. Why? Because she feels you're lying to her and not respecting her time and energy in class.
Hippies are easy to spot. They generally are very relaxed about deadlines, content, quality, tardiness, absences . . it would be easier to list what they DO feel strongly about: A good sob story . . . and politics. Generally you don't work as hard in these classes and you consequently don't learn as much in them. But they're easy. And should you ever get in a pinch, just:
1) Explain your situation to your easy going teach and she'll help you out. Hippies are good like that.
By-the-Bookers usually show up exactly on time. A rare few 'Bookers masquerade as Hippies by talking "cool" and "relaxed", but they'll give themselves away the first time someone's late and they overreact to it. Classes taught by 'Bookers will require more work from you, but you'll usually learn more. Be careful, though; whatever class policies the teacher has, she WILL STICK TO.
The best thing to do in a strict teacher's class is to:
1) Never be late. And always let her know ahead of time when you'll be absent.
2) ALWAYS turn your work on time. Let me repeat; ALWAYS turn your work in on time. A common trait of 'Bookers is the habit of dropping your scores 10 points for every day your work is late. Much better to turn in a B+ paper on the day of than a perfect paper a day late. Oh, and ask questions about anything that might possibly interest you. All that still won't be enough to save you from a strict teacher if you have bad work. So no lie, you will have to work hard, and double check your work.
It's a lot like the real world, where people get mad if you make the right kind of burger only 97% of the time--because that 3% that got the wrong burger didn't ORDER mustard on it. So it's good training for real jobs.
3) If you get in a pinch, admit openly and quickly that it's a problem and that you'll have to deal with the consequences. This won't increase your grade any at this point, but it will please 'Bookers. They expect everyone to deal with their own consequences. A sob story is the wrong way to go here. You might mention briefly the cause of your problem, but that's it. Tears will do you no good whatsoever, and will in fact annoy a 'Booker. You're an adult for Pete's sake (is their thinking).
The In-Betweeners: Most teachers are in this category--you'll learn as much as you want to, have to do a little bit of work, and can influence your grades a little. Every 'Tweener has the potential to turn to a Hippie or 'Booker depending on how much you've annoyed or befriended her. The teachers I've counted as friends were all 'Tweeners that truly cared about us as people (and you could tell). So do some of the things you'd do for a 'Booker:
1) Try not to be late,
2) Turn your stuff in on time, and
3) Ask questions.
Also, ask questions about the teacher's background. Get to know her a bit. If you get in a pinch and you're on her good side,
4) Explain your situation to them and she'll usually help you out. Do not do this more than a couple times or she may think you're trying to take advantage of her good will and quickly turn into a vengeful 'Booker. Why? Because she feels you're lying to her and not respecting her time and energy in class.
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