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Not too long ago, iI you spoke out oI turn you would get the cane. Talking back to the teacher could get you suspended,
and swearing in the presence oI a teacher? You wouldn`t dare. The relationship between teacher and student has changed, but is
Ior the better? I think so, but there are limitations. HopeIully this short piece will shed some light on what I see as some oI the
issues we are Iaced with when dealing with teachers.
' Hey Denstedt¨ I gave the hulking man a slight nod as we crossed paths in the Iormidable iDiv hallways, 'What do
you want Elias?¨ he retorted jokingly, 'Sir, no oIIense intended, but that hair oI yours.it looks like you Iell into an oil well¨ I
chirped, reIerring to the slight overdose oI hair gel. 'You crossed the line this time Elias¨ the all-star Geography teacher belted
back as he chuckled, giving me that dubious raised eyebrow. Perhaps I hurt Shrek`s Ieelings this time I thought.
The relationship between teacher and student is a delicate one. Students are taught Irom a young age that teachers are to
be treated with the utmost respect, and looked up to. However, in such an interactive school it is hard to maintain such robotic
relationships with the people you interact with day in and day out. Such bonds are healthy, just as in oIfce dynamics, and they
increase the perIormance oI teacher and student. Most students who know a teacher personally will think twice beIore goofng
oII in his/her class, not because they necessarily have more authority, but because a mutual respect exists. In the same way,
developing teacher student relationships can be benefcial Ior the actual learning process oI an individual. When a teacher is
aware oI how someone learns best (whether it be kinaesthetic, auditory or visual) they are oIten able to teach more eIIectively.
Most teachers are simply unable to decode such inIormation unless they know the students well, which requires getting Iriendly.
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I truly and honestly adore libraries. I fnd that the quiet, calming atmosphere results not only in a haven oI productivity,
but a peaceIul environment in which one can take the time to enjoy a good book. My love oI libraries is why I fnd it so desper-
ately disappointing that UCC doesn`t have a library. Not a real one, at least. Our 'Library¨ as it were, is a useless extension oI the
student centre, where playing videogames must be done with more discretion and talking is actually easier than it is the student
centre`s awkward acoustic environment. Now, beIore I go on, I`d like to make it quite clear that, by my knowledge, the Librarians
are not entirely at Iault. Neglect by the administration, abuse and misuse by the student body and a general sense oI apathy Irom
the greater school community in general has resulted in the sad state in which we fnd our library. By this point, I`m sure that I
will have ruIfed more than a Iew Ieathers, and I can imagine the many whiny responses that will ensue, with students claiming
that the harsh library rules need to be 'relaxed¨ and that the library is a great place where they do 'lots¨ oI work. These people
must have never experience a real library.
The Macintosh library, by and large, is extremely noisy. Recesses and Lunches are not even worth discussing; the loud
printer noises and the constant fow oI people through the door, exposing the library to the colossal noise oI the student centre,
makes Ior an intolerably noisy environment. BeIore and aIter school are hardly better, as people talk loudly, destroying the quiet
environment oI the library, to talk about subjects oI total irrelevance. A similar unIortunate circumstance occurs during spares.
The point is, the library is hardly ever quiet, and those seeking a quiet space to work are Iorced to scour the school Ior an empty
classroom, or go to the Centre Ior Learning, both oI which are not ideal solutions, as empty classrooms are oIten Iew and Iar
between, and the centre Ior learning is oIten not quiet Ior quite legitimate reasons. On a diIIerent note, the library Iaces two other
signifcant and related issues: Firstly, the selection oI books is rather small but, more importantly, there is nowhere to read them.
The Library has one copy oI On the Origin oI Species. Personally, I think that there ought to be a number more, though I suppose
one is enough, since you were actually allowed to take it out oI the library. You, oI course, are not allowed to take it out. Instead,
you are expected to sit in the odious environment which characterizes our library, annoyed by the persistent chatter regarding
poorly made fash games, trying to ignore the Iact that you are sitting on a hard, uncomIortable plastic chair and the consistent
sound oI paper being slurped up by the printer.
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IlA·llk ·IuDl:I kllAIl·:·... When in TOK or
other classes where discussion dominates the class, having
Iriendly, almost peer-like relations with the teacher ensures
open, uncensored conversation, and in turn a more compel-
ling class. This can also make Ior a more interesting class;
well placed banter on Friday during a period 4-math class
is oIten the liveliness needed to revive our attention.
Sports, clubs and house meetings play a major role
in developing the less-Iormal aspect oI relationships be-
tween teachers and students. The sports team is a totally diI-
Ierent dynamic where, still being respectIul, students rarely
conIorm to the etiquette oI a classroom. It is here where
the typical teacher/student bond breaks down to more oI a
Iriend` relationship. However, these inIormalities are oIten
carried over back into the classroom. I have Iorged some oI
the closest relationships with teachers who were involved
with trips, clubs and sports teams, and I cannot think oI one
instance where there has been an inappropriate vibe back in
class. So it would seem I am all Ior teachers and students
getting chummy, and I am, but not without checks. In to-
day`s revolutionary school where teachers chirp students
and vice versa, it is all too easy to cross the line into inap-
propriate territory. I Ior one love to make snide remarks to
my teachers, commenting on their poor halI- Windsor knot
or glistening hair (by the way Denstedt, do you use mousse
or gel.perhaps shoe polish?), but I`m always on the look
out Ior that line, which iI crossed, can oIten send a teacher
back into seclusion, cutting oII all amicable ties.
So I guess my point is, school would be boring iI
teachers simply lectured to students, and so it shouldn`t be.
But the line between teacher and student must be upheld
proIessionally, even iI there are moments oI inIormality.
We as students should be grateIul Ior the teachers` out-
reaching Iriendliness and embrace it to enhance our school
experience. Recognize that line, use it, and don`t abuse it.
Justin Elias
LONER`S HAIKU
Batt Ball is coming
Tux rentals are too costly
I don`t think I`ll go
lllkAkY kA:I.. So, what can be done? I doubt most people
actually care enough about things like libraries and learning
at UCC. Indeed, those words have Iallen secondary to Learn-
ing environments and experience. II however, my ranting has
struck some deeply buried chord within, here is what I would
recommend:
`Firstly, to the administration: Start treating the Li-
brary like it is a library. It isn`t a classroom, it doesn`t need
to run workshops` which history students in grades other that
Year 2 sleep through, it doesn`t need to be able to accommo-
date meetings, in Iact, all it needs to do is store books, and
provide a space where those books can be used to study. Allow
it to perIorm its intended Iunction. Take the Printers out, have
the meetings in the student centre, get rid oI that atrocious
confguration oI Iour-person desks, use one-person desks in-
stead.
Secondly, to the students: There`s a novel concept I
would like to introduce to you: being quiet. It`s really quite
simple, actually, you start by not opening your mouth and not
saying things, and then, you keep doing that. II you suddenly
need to say something, you can do this revolutionarily thing
called whispering, it`s really cool, you should defnitely try it.
All serious academic institutions should have a library,
not only as a place where books are stored, but also as a place
where there is quiet and calm, and work can be peaceIully
done. UnIortunately, UCC, or at least its Upper School, does
not have such a place. I do think, however, something should
be done, and in the Iuture, perhaps UCC will (once again, I`m
pretty sure) have a two-story library, with many individual
desks, a great many books that people will want to check out
and read, and a space so people can acutally read them.
Neil Macalasdair