teacher's pet

This article hopefully explains why teachers seem to favor some students and thus, those not favored accuse teachers as having "favoritism". I've been teaching for 25 years and I know that teachers do have favorite students in the class. Is this unfair? Why do teachers practice favoritism?

In order to answer this, let me first give you the type of students who are most likely in the teachers' list of favorites. Who are these students?

1. They are students who are always present in the class and always on time.

2. They are attentive. They know how to respect others and know how to listen. (Personally, I dislike students who are inattentive or do not know how to listen---students who distract others' attention by talking while the teacher is talking---grrrr!)

3. They actively participate in class discussions.

4. They submit their work/project on time.

5. They know how to follow instructions because they know how to listen.

6. They score high in quizzes and long exams.

7. They exhibit enthusiasm in all class activities.

There could be more but basically those are the characteristics of students in the teachers' list of favorites.

I am amazed at how anyone can even wonder why. We can't help it. Students who are always late, absent, talking while the class is going on, not submitting projects, and failing in exams just don't make it to the list. A student should work to earn it and we cannot blame teachers entirely for having the tendency to favor those with the above characteristcs.

Do you want to be your teacher's pet? Then go over the list above and start working.