CNN 2000ats Page 62
Why Not Go to Teachers?
For those students who do not mention teachers as a source of support, what are their
reasons? Students offer a range of responses. Across situations, students often offer
that teachers are not helpful or don't understand, they don't like or trust teachers and
teachers don't care (Exhibits 4.8-4.10). However, in relation to help when they feel
threatened at school, students also mention they wouldn't go to a teacher because of
peer pressure (11%). Concerning help when they are sad or depressed, students are
also more likely to mention that they wouldn't go to teachers because it's too person-
al to involve a teacher or it's not their business (18%).
For example, students offer that:
·
"I don't really know I'm just afraid to ask for help sometimes." (11th grade girl)
·
"Don't like them or trust `em." (11th grade girl)
·
"I think they would have a hard time understanding." (8th grade girl)
Exhibit 4.8
Reasons for Not Asking Teacher about Classes
Q335 Why wouldn't you go to a teacher for advice?
Base: Student Internet respondents and could not go to teacher
Total
Base: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .986
%
Teachers are not helpful/don't understand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Don't like/don't trust teachers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Teachers don't care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Teachers don't know me/I don't know them . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Don't feel comfortable with them/hard to talk with . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Not feel close . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Feel more comfortable talking with my friends/family . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Too personal to involve teacher/not their business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Too busy/no time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Can handle my own problems/can make my own decisions . . . . . . . . .2
Teachers don't like me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Not their job/not their expertise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Peer pressure/no respect from other peers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Comfortable talking with a counselor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Depend on situation/teacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Would change teacher-student relationship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Would only promote their classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .*
Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
I would go to teacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
None . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .*
Don't know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
No answer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .*
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