I cannot over-state how a single bad teacher can create a lot of harm to so many kids.

[dodo_sipping@cupoftea.social]

@jeffowski one of our school PE "teachers" showed definitely sadistic behaviour. Not only during PE. He loved giving bad marks and really enjoyed when kids failed in math.
The other one was the opposite. A super athlete and former ballet dancer who also taught music. He never judged, always supported kids and even started a ballet course at school, where all had fun. Nobody failed in his classes, he never gave bad marks, saying the mark system itself is not fair, because everybody is different and he marks efforts, not results. Thank you, Mr. Imamovic.

[apples_and_pears@mastodon.world]

@jeffowski PE teachers were scraped from the bottom of the teacher barrel in my school district. They wanted everyone to be bullies, abusive, cheats, and all the other bad qualities that the PE teacher had.

Those qualities may work for a while, but in the end they tear down those who use them.

[chemicaleyeguy@mstdn.science]

@jeffowski Now do #Math and #Chemistry teachers, too!

Maybe the decades long drop of standardized PISA test scores for students in #American #PublicSchools should be cause for alarm?

There’s a *reason* #Trump famously said “I *love* the poorly educated!” after he won his first primary during the #2016election in #Nevada. https://youtu.be/O9F6EAMPky4

#Resist intelligently!

[soimd@toot.garden]

@jeffowski In one bit of hope, I have worked with a few really amazing PE teachers. They combine physical activities with problem solving, play games that require students to strategize before engaging and then discuss strategy afterward, and even have days where students get to choose from actually fun and somewhat old school activities such as wall climbing, scooters (the sit and push type not the electric ones), and even imaginative play time with actual toys that aren’t electronics.

They also play some seriously active games to support the kids who really like the competition and movement. Of course, they don’t really get those going until pretty much everyone already feels comfortable being active, so even the non-believers will give those games a try. It’s a real masterclass in how not to “other” children in a physical space.

They are, not surprisingly, some of the popular teachers in the school.

[gsymon@mstdn.social]

@jeffowski

Huh... That's exactly how I felt about Latin.

[detours_anachroniques@piaille.fr]

@jeffowski 100% agree, PE made me hate sports in general, physical exercise, and the most part of masculinity as it exists in western Europe. Still feeling uncomfortable and humiliated in sportswear and lockers 20+ after my secondary school years.