Help me Earl Grey. I’m convinced that one of my teachers (I won’t say which one) hates me! How can I get on a teacher’s good side?

Hi,

First I want to assure you that it is a teacher’s job to support and care about students, but I completely understand how you could feel a teacher is not on your side. We have all felt the same way at one point or another. So to clear the air I would recommend simply talking to them.

Express the vibes you are getting in a respectful, professional way. Try to use “I” messages instead of accusing your teacher of anything. For example instead of saying, “You always pick favorites”, you could say, “I sometimes feel like I am valued less than other students in your class”.

Before this conversation happens, I highly encourage you to try and see the teacher’s side of the story, as difficult as it may seem. If it’s hard for you to put yourself in the teacher’s shoes to see how your behavior or attitude might be perceived, feel free to ask a friend. They might be able to provide a more objective view about interactions with your teacher. Piecing together their side should ultimately help you talk to them about how you’re feeling.

So make sure you are respectful, and be open to their perspective. That fact that you are worried about your relationship is already a good sign; you are eager to repair it. No matter what, this teacher will think more highly of you because you had the courage to talk to them and did so in such a respectful manner.

Hope it all goes well,

Earl Grey.