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Dr. M is the author of five advice books for tweens and teens. Her latest is Where Should I Sit at Lunch? The Ultimate 24/7 Guide to Surviving the High School Years. She enjoys dancing, reading, working out and talking with young people about the issues that concern them. She holds a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology.
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Liz, a first-year college student, is the co-author of three books: Ask Dr. M and Liz; Getting to Know the Real You: 50 Fun Quizzes Just for Girls, and Girls: What's So Bad About Being Good? She loves to dance, paint, make collages, hang out with friends and, of course, give advice.
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Dear Dr. M,
My teacher is a bully! He is so mean. He does nothing but yell at us and give homework slips and detentions. What on the face of this earth can I do?
—Anonymous, 15
Dear Anonymous,
It sounds like your teacher is using his power in an abusive way, rather than using his position to inspire and motivate you and your classmates. Unfortunately, everyone, at some time in their lives, will come across some adults as well as kids who act like that. I remember having a couple of teachers like that at your age. Often bullies need to make others feel small to feel okay about themselves. Sometimes, they enjoy using their power to hurt and humiliate.
You and your classmates could ask for a meeting with your teacher. Doing this with others will probably be less intimidating than acting alone. But, if you're afraid that your teacher will become even more difficult to deal with if he's approached directly, talk to your school principal or guidance counselor. If you describe the behavior that you're observing (for instance, he often yells when a student gives the wrong answer), rather than just how you feel about your teacher (for example, he's a terrible teacher and we hate him), you'll probably get a better reception from school officials. You might also ask your parents to get involved.
—Dr. M
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