Published on 12, July, 2020
I saw something today, which prompted me to ask this question: Did any teachers single you out, or treat you badly at school? I was in school from the 1970’s, and things were different back then.
I recall being singled out at age 6, and forced to stand on the table during the lesson as an example of a stupid child. I was often ridiculed, and she said things like it’s typical for me to be stupid because ‘people like you’ are. (Because of my skin colour).
At 11 I was constantly picked on by my maths teacher. She would ask me questions when she knew I wouldn’t know the answer. She picked me despite others putting their hand up to answer. She tried to make me recite my times tables or give her answers to some when she called them out. She told me that I should be able to answer them, as all children my age can, and what was it that was wrong with me that I wasn’t able to learn them. And other things when I didn’t get all questions answered in the time frame, or got poor marks in a test. I wasn’t ever ‘stupid’. My auditory processing is slow, and I can’t work under pressure if I’m also anxious.
I went to primary school in September 1986, so shortly after Chernobyl disaster in april and moving out of my granpa's house in a village to the nearest city in august. we got a flat in a block. I didn't realise it back then but now I think that being bullied by some teachers and students initially was an outcome of my dad being drunkard. Everybody knew. But it quickly became apparent that I'm not like others and I'm not one of the obediant kind, I wasn't because I can;t stand shouting at me. plus my ADHD was distracting me, there was so many completely alien to me things and people everywhere, so I was constantly berated by teachers for not paying attention, while I did, I still don't understand why answering question asked by teacher was not proving that. Most of the time short answer was what was needed so I was hiding my stammering. it was coming out only when emotional or confronted, so I often remained silent to hide it. By middle of 3rd year I was already losing my mind, I was punished for everything I did at school by my dad when I got home, and my mom did not want to hear anything, and so I came with brilliant idea that if I burn the school down I won't have to go there. Unfortunately I was caught by janitor and dragged to principals office (I've been there before many times). I was expelled I don't know how my mom managed to arrange it, but I started going to different school the same year. It was exactly the same there. Even math teacher was against me I think he thought I must have found a way to cheat because it wasn't possible for me to have max marks from tests always.
It went like that until 7th year when we got new math teacher. She quickly realised that I actually understand it, and I'm the only one in class that does. After some tests she decided that I'm actually more than just that and approached me with offer to train me for math olympiad, Since then I had a bit of respite at school, and something to focus on.
But literature teacher hated me, If I did write and essay myself i always got ''2'', it was the lowest grade, crossed everywhere with comments ''idiocy', ''out of context''. ''ridiculous'', and out loud they often said that I shouldn't be allowed to do it because it offends them to read it. if I copied somebodys work I did get ''3'' and so I stopped writing on my own. I struggle to remember names as well so whenever i was called to answer during classes I always got ''2'' as well because first question was always ''what's the name of main character?''
I wouldn't be allowed to sit down GCSE in polish if I failed classes by getting ''2'' at the end of year, but my math teacher arranged the deal. that if I joined school theatre to get those roles nobody wants they would be leniant and let me pass.
At uni I had physics teacher that didn't let me pass exam because I wasn't able to 'talk at length about the matter'', the reason why I dropped out, 3 years of failing to get a pass was enough for me.