A student lays their head down, their lack of sleep catching up, while another stares at a new assignment added to their growing list of work. Across the room, a teacher continues the lesson, getting increasingly more exasperated by what feels like a lack of engagement and attention. Both sides are trying their best to coexist and get their work done, yet there still seems to be a disconnect between the two. This divide holds two different realities and is often unspoken about, making it harder for students and teachers to see eye to eye. At FVHS, both students and teachers opened up about their perspectives and what they wish they understood about each other.
“I wish [teachers] understood that we have activities outside of school, and how it can sometimes be hard to manage work, especially assignments given after school,” said junior Ava Medlin.
Freshman Mary Travers shared a similar perspective, saying that students may be going through stuff behind the scenes; sometimes it could be overwhelming to deal with extra work.
“Teachers assume that we put off our work and don’t do it, but some students may be going through stuff, especially during high school,” Travers said.
Freshman Imani Murungi also felt that students are often misunderstood.
“[Teachers] assume that students are lazy, and they just don’t want to work, but we often have so many assignments and responsibilities that it’s hard to complete everything on time,” Murungi said.
Together, the students described feeling overwhelmed and sometimes misjudged when trying to balance schoolwork with responsibilities outside the classroom. Their responses indicated that what may be perceived as laziness or disengagement often stems from stress, exhaustion and personal obligations that teachers may not always see during the school day.
While students described feeling overwhelmed and misunderstood, teachers explained that many of their expectations come from wanting students to succeed both inside and outside of school, and just like students, teachers face their own challenges as well.
“Apathy can make teaching more challenging when students don’t try or don’t seem to care; it becomes harder to help them grow and succeed,” said English teacher Wallace Robinson. “I wish students understood that teachers are people too. We have good days and tough days just like they do, and even with everything going on outside the classroom, we’re always trying our best to be there for them.”
Similarly, biology teacher Laura Armfield shared a similar perspective, explaining that some students “throw in the towel or give up a little bit too soon,” especially later in the school year when motivation is low. However, Armfield says teachers often push students because they care about their futures.
“I’m tough on them for a reason,” Armfield said. “It’s because I want them to be successful after high school.”
Science teacher Jason Wolfe also emphasized that teachers at FVHS ultimately want to support their students.
“The vast majority of us are here to help,” said Wolfe.
Teachers stressed the importance of understanding and communication between teachers and students. There are different realities and challenges both parties face, which may make it difficult to grasp or understand each other.
“Communication improves when both sides recognize that everyone is doing their best with what they have; we’re on the same team and want what’s best for [our students],” said Robinson.
