Most teachers are amazing, but sometimes . . . |
Status: Open Round 5 Deadline: January 15, 2025 Introduction: This contest was inspired by some conversations I've been having with friends and family about my plans for educating my son. Learning is intrinsically enjoyable, but school often takes the enjoyment out of learning for many students. Personally, I enjoyed school for the most part, but many of my friends didn't. I remember one in particular saying over and over, "I can't wait to get out of this place." This sentiment is nothing new. It has been expressed in countless songs and other media over the years. Here is one of my favorite examples: Here are a few more examples: https://youtu.be/kln_bIndDJg https://youtu.be/JMEgY57FNo0 https://youtu.be/8xe6nLVXEC0 Feel free to suggest more to add to this list if any come to mind! I've recently heard two educators from different school districts complain that parents are not teaching their children to respect authority anymore. Here's my take on that: respect has to go both ways. Both as a student and as a merit badge instructor, I've noticed that when educators respect their students, the class runs much more smoothly. That's the nutshell version, at least. If you'd like to read my full rant along with some thoughts and feelings from others, you can read this forum thread: https://forum.scribblehub.com/threads/redpill-quotes-on-schooling-from-diggy.112... The bottom line is that students often feel trapped and powerless in school, but it doesn't have to be that way. As a parent, my plan is to offer my child a choice between homeschool, public school, or independent study. If he encounters a teacher he feels doesn't respect him, then I'll file any necessary paperwork to get him into a better learning environment. Prompt: A teacher disrespects students and wastes their time with off-topic rants. One student talks to his parents, and they agree the teacher's behavior is too disruptive to the learning environment. They help their son set up an independent study plan for the topic. Their son forms a study group with some classmates who also want to drop the course. Word quietly spreads, and more students form their own study groups. The next time the teacher gives an annoying off-topic lecture, the entire class walks out. Please feel free to deviate from the genders used to describe the characters in the prompt. The family structure is up to you as well. Fanfiction will be accepted as long as the story can be enjoyed by someone who is not familiar with the fandom. You may include additional characters if desired such as friends of the main character, siblings, school administrators, etc. If you like, you may use non-human characters, write in second person, go forward or back in time, and more! Have fun with it! I'm looking for content created by humans and will run entries through an AI content detector. Length: 1,000 to 10,000 words Format: Short story Language: English Prizes: Grand Prize: 15,000 GP Runner Up: 5,000 GP Round 5 Deadline: January 15, 2025 Results will be announced on or before February 1, 2025 Round 4 (August 2024) winners! Grand Prize:
Runner Up: The challenge of a child learning by Richard Allen (see comment section) Round 3 (January 2024) winners! Grand Prize:
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Round 2 (August 2023) winners! Grand Prize:
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Round 1 (January 2023) winners! Grand Prize:
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