I had a teacher who was a "genius" who couldn't comprehend that we didn't comprehend what she was saying. NOT teaching.
We cheated (she didn't comprehend cheating, either) on the final and I failed. I had to take it again on my own and "passed." I never did believe that!
We also had a science teacher whose C & D students tutored when they got to college.
Grades are relative, I guess.
BTW, the Algebra teacher was a dear, sweet soul who really tried. The Science teacher was a tyrant but any time school is mentioned in my hometown, the conversation always turns to him and everybody who ever took a class under him has a tale to tell. My dentist said that those HS science classes got him through dental school.
I took a 9th grade General Science test 5 times and never did pass it. He finally quit giving it. We had the answers. One Q was, "Explain how a mercury light works; a doorbell; the difference between dry & wet cell batteries."
One of his good students went on to become the foremost authority on lightening in the country, a physics prof at Rice, and a consultant to NASA...among other important things.
All this happened 50 years ago when public schools were good. We could diagram sentences by 6th grade. I think they have done away with that, also.
I LOVED diagramming sentences!
I still don’t know how to diagram a sentence. Completely useless, even to those who have plans to write as a career.
“The Science teacher was a tyrant but any time school is mentioned in my hometown, the conversation always turns to him and everybody who ever took a class under him has a tale to tell. My dentist said that those HS science classes got him through dental school.”
I wouldn’t doubt it! Sounds like an excellent teacher, but man, that must have been a wakeup call!