We all know the feeling. You’re in class, taking a test, when you suddenly need help but the teacher is busy. Or you see someone else get an extension on an assignment that you don’t.
But what if it was more than that? What if the teacher is ignoring you for another student?
Every teacher knows that teaching in a classroom can be challenging. It can be hard to balance paying attention to 20+ students at once and ensuring they get the help they need.
Because of this, teachers may be seen as giving a student more attention than the others. This is on accident, of course. However, some teachers may also do it for the wrong reasons, such as knowing one student more on a personal level than the others, leading to something called favoritism.
The UCLA Mental Health Project defines favoritism as “the act of giving preferential treatment to someone or something” or “the tendency to favor one person over another.”
Favoritism can happen in a lot of ways in schools including grading, punishments, attention a student receives, privileges, and more.
A few students/staff of DAHS have spoken about their past experiences with being treated differently and/or being the favorite.
“In middle school, I (felt like I) was always put in places I shouldn’t have been in, like in groups with people who were raised racist or homophobic.” sophomore Antoine Pringle explained.
While some have had negative experiences, others say they have benefited from being a favorite.
“Some perks I got were being able to move to hallways and work with friends when we weren’t supposed to,” said freshman Callie Withers.
According to a student article in The Central Trend, favoritism affects students mentally and academically; however, many people may not know that it also affects them socially.
For example, if a student sees another student getting more attention or being the “teacher’s pet,” they may feel resentful toward that student.
From the ‘favorite’s’ point of view, this student may feel one of two things: They might feel superior or prideful and take advantage, or they may feel excluded during group activities or upset, especially if they aren’t trying to be the favorite.
While it affects students mentally, it also affects them academically.
“Academically, it was bad because I would rush through things to get them done so that I could be that person to help,” Health teacher Mrs. Nicole Boyce said.
If a student becomes too comfortable with their “benefits”, and starts slacking on their work or becomes distracted while getting away with it, it may cause them to slack on their education skills, affecting them in the real world as well.
For teachers, however, giving students special treatment (i.e. giving them unnecessary extensions but not allowing it for others) can get them in trouble with the administration.
While it is a reasonable punishment for teachers aware of their actions, it can be unfair to the teachers who are not.
One solution could be if a teacher notices that they are beginning to give a student extra attention or little to none at all, they should take a step back and either try to figure out how to balance giving all of the students the same amount, or they should try to communicate with the student that is being “ignored” and figure out what would help them and what they are comfortable with.
According to the National Education Association, there are many ways to avoid favoritism, including making sure that teachers interact with every student, every day in class.
A few teachers of DAHS were asked if they had any advice for teachers favoring students, even unintentionally.
“Try to focus on making a connection and reaching out to all of the students,” Boyce stated.
She went on to talk about how hard it can be as a teacher, especially if there are students who keep to themselves. She explains how they might want to just be left alone, and you don’t want to push attention onto them, because that leads to them becoming uncomfortable, however, to other students, it may look like you’re simply ignoring them as a whole.
“I think teachers certainly need to be aware of student needs and to treat students as individuals, being available for each of them as needed.” English teacher Miss Gable said.
She also talks about how she believes that no teacher purposely ignores students or tries to play favorites. She explains how sometimes there may be students who interact more and that leads to them getting more attention.
Teachers were also asked if they had any advice for the students who fall victim to being ignored.
“For students who are feeling neglected, I think the first step is to make sure the teacher is aware of your needs. If you feel you aren’t being seen or if you are too quiet to say something, an email goes a long way. Reach out and let them know that you have questions.” Gable explains.
She also adds that it may be a good idea to ask your teacher to request you for Wildcat and to ask questions when needed, whether that be before, during, or after class, or maybe even all three. This way, the teachers can hear your concerns.
“Think about how you hold yourself in class because if you are the ones that sit there and are very quiet, the teacher might think that you don’t want attention,” Boyce added.
This ties to what Boyce talked about previously. Teachers don’t want their students to feel uncomfortable, but at the same time, they want them to be treated the same as everyone else.
If there is another way to can receive help, like Wildcat, where teachers can meet with students one-on-one, it will be beneficial to both parties.
According to Mary Beth Solano, a retired teacher from Colorado, “Every kid needs to know they have the same opportunities to succeed and that their teacher likes them. It’s important for their self-motivation and their self-esteem.”
