Teacher venting right over our heads.
The story
(18, job program student)
My horticulture teacher has been sharing emotional things that we don't need to hear about, and it's been pissing me off and making me uncomfortable. It's not directly at us, it's over our heads and to the assistant that she's comfortable with, but she says things like:
"Does a blow to your self-esteem,"
"Nothings keeping me here."
Among other things she'd openly vent about that would give me a weird gut feeling. Catering to an adult's emotions has been emotionally triggering for me (30s or 40s+ specifically). I don't say anything to give advice to her or make her feel better whatsoever, I'm more inclined to tell her to STFU. She wouldn't go out in full paragraphs, just a sentence or a few words.
I've thought about reporting it, but I value the good relationship I have w/ her. And it would make things awkward and I feel like it would heavily embarrass her - but she done something wrong, I don't really need to give a full shit.
I think I might say something directly to her to keep things to herself, like "Can you keep these things to yourself?" I'd see it at something far better and quicker.
I've already had an incident where an assistant (who doesn't cater to me anymore) said that whenever I left early, they don't get paid as much in a day. I had a full-blown, horrible moral OCD panic attack that same night. He got scolded by 3 people (an ex-worker and 2 staff) when the news broke out, possibly even more
I'm not responsible for their feelings. I'm not responsible for their paychecks. I'm not responsible for their consequences that are set against them. I've been doing my best to reassure myself of that.
The best outcome is that she never vents in class again and I don't need to say a thing.
Stories in the same category
Points of view
yeah dude totally get where you're coming from it's super annoying when teachers unload their personal baggage on students just not cool 😒 makes the whole class vibe weird and awkward; honestly had a similar thing happen in high school with a teacher who couldn't stop talking about her breakup it's like we're there to learn not be therapists right??? if she can't keep it professional maybe she shouldn't be in that position!! feels like some adult just wanna make it all about them... you’re totally valid in feeling off about it! sometimes adults forget boundaries... so annoying to deal with! stay strong and do what you gotta do!
wow, that’s weird 🙃
it's important to feel comfortable in your educational environment: when a teacher shares too much personal information it can create an awkward atmosphere in the classroom!
I get why you're feeling upset about your teacher sharing her personal stuff... it can be really awkward and distracting especially in class where you want to focus on work!! maybe your teacher just doesn't realize how it affects you...
update: this is all sorted, things are all good now
ah nice!
I totally get why you're feeling uncomfortable with your teacher's oversharing but maybe cut them some slack?? adults also have a lot going on and sometimes slip up with personal stuff while it might not be the best way to act in class it shows they're human too maybe try to think of it as a "teachable moment" for patience and understanding I've had moments like that with a boss who couldn't stop talking about his dog’s health issues!!! at first it was overwhelming but later I realized it helped build a different kind of connection hopefully things get back to normal in your class so you can focus better!!!
i see where you're coming from it's tough when educators blur the line between professionalism and personal issues especially in a horticulture class where the focus should be on plant cultivation and soil science; it can really detract from the learning experience i'm curious though did this affect how you engage with the material? it seems like navigating these situations could be challenging without support it's not unreasonable to hope for a more structured approach in class
i totally get your frustration about the teacher oversharing, but maybe there's a bit more to the situation than it seems. it's possible she just doesn't realize how her comments are affecting the class vibe. while it's not ideal to hear about personal struggles during lessons, sometimes these moments can offer a bit of insight into real-world challenges faced by those in the horticulture industry. perhaps a bit of patience could go a long way; it's understandable to want a more focused learning environment, but addressing it with a bit of empathy might help bridge the gap between professionalism and the occasional personal spillover. have you considered discussing it directly with her in a calm way? that might clear things up.