Who was your worst ever teacher?

boardsie12

Oh God, I still remember my Junior Cert history teacher, the lad just didn't give a ****!

He was an older man, close to retirement age.

He didn't even bother to get to know our names properly during the course of the three years, didn't even correct our homework, and honestly put so little into the job.

He didn't even read the exams after completion, he just ticked the answers and we would often get treated to a class when we would be allowed to do our homework for other classes because he was unwilling to teach.

Lazy wasn't even an appropriate word.

Did you ever have a teacher that just didn't give a ****?

gladvimpaker

I'm from the generation where a bad teacher was someone who's today probably a good teacher and visa versa.

We had a great teacher who was into soccer and a few times in the year he'd have us out looking for a soccer ball which went into scrub the night before,we loved getting out of class. He'd never check homework or anything...

We had a really bad teacher who'd be laying on the homework and it ruined our spring and summer evenings. Then if we hadn't it done we'd have to write a chapter... absolute bastard

ednwireland

a level maths teacher who used tell a bunch of teenage boys how to slit your throat correctly. oh and he thought that it wasn't his job to explain. if you didn't get it your problem.

DarkJager21

We had a German teacher in secondary school who was an Irish man but had a disturbing fascination with Germany, particularly WW2. One of the weirdest days occurred when he went off on a tangent about how misunderstood their intentions were in the war - while a solitary tear trickled out of his eye to stunned silence in the classroom. Nobody dared to laugh (we did afterwards in the yard of course) because he was an absolute bastard of a man even on a good day.

Learned absolutely nothing from him for 2 years solid because if he wasn’t ranting about some nonsense completely unrelated to the subject, he was throwing books at students or dragging them out of the class by the collar of their blazers. Hope he’s nice and toasty in hell alongside his idol now.

errlloyd

I had a pretty highly rated English teacher for Junior Cert. It just didn't click. I went to a pretty nice school and I was the only one in my year who was recommended ordinary level English for the JC which was pretty embarrassing (particularly because I thought I was pretty good at English - ignore the standard of my posting please).

For leaving cert I was very much in the lowest level class. The teacher was maternity cover, she was only in the school for those two years. I got an A1 in honours, it was my best result. None of my other classes varied between JC and LC. There was no other observable trend - and I promise I didn't love English anymore as a 17-year-old than I did as a 14-year-old.

I am not saying the first teacher was a bad teacher and the second teacher a hero teacher, but I went from failing under the highest-rated teacher in the school, to getting top marks with a teacher they didn't consider good enough to make permanent.

A Leaving Cert maths teacher was the worst. A de ent man, but he hadn’t what it took to get the subject across. All I remember was hearing him drone on all the time about iotas & logarithms, I just switched right off. In earlier times I had been one of the better maths students, when we had an excellent teacher although she had a snotty sounding Montenotte accent. For LC I had a superb biology teacher who literally instructed us NOT to buy any book, that we would be writing our own “biology book” twice over, and by that method it would get into our heads with almost no effort. She was entirely right and got excellent results.

sweetie

Had a teacher in primary school who scared the shite out of everybody. Used to give a good belt of a stick on the hand for practically nothing and I was one of the better students. Often lost her shot and grabbed students by the ear etc. Many years later her son turned around and killed her and his father. I'm sure he didn't have an easy life with her either. At least we could go home to our families.

Gregor Samsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118955285#Comment_118955285

So you're saying he was bad at explaining how to slit someone's throat?

I hope you found out how to do it properly afterwards, and were never faced with the embarrassing situation where you had to stop half way though slitting someone's throat and just admit you didn't know what you were doing. Morto!

circadian

Pretty sure my physics teacher in secondary school was going through a mental breakdown. He was a decent fella but never taught the subject and kept going on about mad conspiracy theories and end of the world scenarios, he had a PhD in physics too so it's not like he didn't know his stuff.

As a teenager I just saw him as an eccentric but looking back there was definitely deeper rooted issues. Completely failed my GCSE physics.

Itssoeasy

I wouldn’t say I had any overly bad teachers as in it was clear they had no clue about the subject they we being paid to teach, it was more that some of them were unable to convey the subject to their students. I had an instance where we had a sub teacher and she stuck to the same stuff the permanent teacher did but she was much better at explaining it. I remember that the class as a whole got better marks in an exam she gave.

Trigger Happy

The worst teacher I had ended up in prison for child molestation. Sadly he did not rot to death there as he fcked up a good few lives.

Fandymo

Had a prick of a woodwork teacher for 6th year. He wouldn't have been much older than us, but you could tell he was a weaselly prick. Refused to buy me any wood for my 6th year project as I hadn't any drawings done. I didn't do tech graphics. Told him i'd build it and then base the drawings on the finished piece. He refused, called him a prick one day when we were arguing over it, and he told me that all of the teachers in the staff room were talking about how poorly I was getting on and that I was going to fail my Leaving Cert. If i'd a thinner skin I'd probably be a statistic because of the cnut.

Passed my Leaving, including woodwork based solely on the written portion as I never got to do a project. I'd love to bump into him now. I'd have no issue taking the assault charge.

neris

We had 2 from 1st to 3rd year, both called Ryan. One was thick as **** and couldnt control a class or get any teaching done. The other was a sadistic pr* who back in the days of corporal punishment was fond of a bit of violence and you never knew in the mid 90s if hed lash out and try hit some on in the class.

theteal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118955407#Comment_118955407

We had an ""alleged" one who topped himself up in the mountains - I never had him for a subject but he had been there that long that he actually thought my old man.

We had a few that were just downtrodden and tired after decades of dealing with crap from the lads with no interest in learning. I remember leaving cert biology, I don't even think we finished the book. That man was just deflated and counting down the years I reckon. Thankfully it was my 7th subject so I didn't need the points - although might have been a dodgy tactic had Irish not gone well.

Spanish teacher stank of smokes and didn't like me. Had to fight to do higher level.

I didn't have him but there was an English teacher who stank of whiskey and apparently let the lads run riot.

......ah the good old days

Dempo1

I went to CBS school , South Dublin and the Brothers were generally awful teachers , more interested in sports than education. The head was a Thug, carried a leather in a holster and I'm not kidding.

Two lay Teachers come to mind though, one a commerce Teacher that most students were literally terrified of and he revelled on his reputation a complete bully achieved poor results and essentially mumbled to himself. The other was an Irish / Religion Teacher who had two extremes, Hyperactive or Moody silence, no one took him seriously, actually a very decent man, met him occasionally outside school environment and later in life he lived near my home. He was just so unsuited to teaching something he admitted to me long after I'd left school.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118955431#Comment_118955431

This is the worst teacher, not the worst student thread.

Hermy

Ex-Christian Brother, taught in Baldoyle.

Had him in 1st and 3rd class in the early 80's.

Knocked the **** out of us ever day.

Not just a bad teacher but one of the worst human beings it's ever been my misfortune to encounter.

Ubbquittious

Did he eventually move to North Cork?

Hermy

I'd love to know.

Why do you ask?

Did you encounter him there?

Strumms

Irish and languages were always subjects I’d excel at. Junior cert a brilliant young Irish teacher… I got a B on honours paper.

leaving cert, the form teacher and useless cünt.. only a year or two from retirement and you could tell he was already zoned out and didn’t care… couldn’t teach, dressed like Rab C Nesbitt… 80% of the class did pass Irish including me… got a B.

No interest in helping if anyone was struggling… if you didn’t understand.. his response was.. “ you are not putting in the effort “… for two years that’s all anyone got…

CGI_Livia_Soprano

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118955550#Comment_118955550

It's common to hear people blame "bad teachers" for their woes but they absolutely refuse to accept the idea that they themselves were bad students, or bad kids.

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118956258#Comment_118956258

I think as adults we are well placed to relate experiences with teachers who were just ‘bad’ as opposed to what you are suggesting.

thefallingman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118956258#Comment_118956258

Maybe, but the teacher is the responsible adult in this situation, the student is a child.

bodhrandude

I remember a sadistic b@stard of a science teacher at St Mungo's Academy in Glasgow who would heat the tawse over a Bunsen Burner before administering punishment, this was like 1977 or 78. Seem to enjoy his role as a hard man, except in the teaching profession. Mind you, the school was sandwiched between Calton, Parkhead, Barrowfield and the Gallowgate so really dog rough areas.

silliussoddius

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118955313#Comment_118955313

Father Feehily?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118955313#Comment_118955313

This chap sounds vaguely familiar. His nickname wasn't "bogman" by any chance?

frosty123

A maths teacher who's idea of tuition was to humiliate the weakest in class by getting them up to the blackboard to solve difficult maths questions, horrible b1tch!

YFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058242668/who-was-your-worst-ever-teacher

We had inter cert

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118957099#Comment_118957099

Weren't they all 😒

JK

silliussoddius

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118957229#Comment_118957229

Can you imagine what it was like being dyslexic back in the day?

sam t smith

Maths teacher, teaching leaving cert honours maths in the 90’s. He was useless. Every one in the class was getting grinds from fifth year onwards.

The test of the teachers were generally grand.

JayPS 2288

In national School: My 5th and 6th class teacher 1991-1993, instilled a hate for the English and Protestants in us. Made children very bitter towards them. Until one day…… a boy from England joined the class in the latter half of the term in 6th class.

In secondary school: 1993-1998, our English teacher who’d bully the Gay boy and the girl with alopecia.

washiskin

First year of secondary we had a great French teacher who made it fun to learn.

Second to Fifth we had a humorless w*gon who just read from the book and put no effort into the lessons at all.

To this day I can't stand the language.

Andrea B.

https://youtu.be/MH40DYCD_hY

Sandor Clegane

Man this thread is taking me back!

From 1st to 3rd year I had a science teacher who used to tell some of the students he didn't like things like, "why did you even come in today", "you no if you just didn't come in and stayed home your parents would get over it eventually and you'd be much happier", "you're wasting your time being here", "why are you trying? you can't do it it's not worth bothering".

He'd say these things to the students he didn't like, any of the messers or people who just weren't good at science, he was actually a decent teacher but his put downs could be very harsh and he really made it obvious and picked on people he didn't like, basically if you weren't high honor level material he would put you down, he did this constantly.

I had another Irish teacher who never came to class on time and when he was there spent most of it talking about hurling, GAA...the bit of Irish he did do (which was extremely little tbf) consisted of writing the word sceal on the board and expecting us to tease out stories in Irish which none of us could do, the majority of the class ended up doing foundation level Irish for the Leaving Cert.

I had a maths teacher who was incredible at math's, but couldn't teach it, she'd never check individual homework ever, she'd just go over the homework she gave on the board but would end up flying through it all herself and expect us all to just pick it up...the standard was dreadful and the majority ended up doing foundation level, me included, anyone who did higher level had better teachers before she got to them.

DarkJager21

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118957104#Comment_118957104

Bingo 😂

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118958069#Comment_118958069

Haha! Knew it!

That nutcase surely deserves his own thread!

Iyaibeji

Ms Mitchel, think it was 4th or 5th class, back in the 70’s. She was a horrible person and picked on me badly. Her and the head nun, Sr Carmel, neither of them should have allowed have influence over such young minds. It wasn’t even physical stuff, it was the mental and emotional torture. Typical of the time, there would be certain kids they didn’t like, for whatever reason, and they were the scapegoats.

Galwayguy35

We had a nun for religion class, a more miserable person I have never come across in the 30 years since I left school.

DarkJager21

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118958113#Comment_118958113

You could write a book about the stories and adventures of himself and Punky 😂

buried

Some maths teacher I had in 5th/6th year. Basically came in every morning hungover as Hell. Would proceed to write some equation along with the answer on the board and get everybody to write it down and that was it. Was a big Rugby fan, when any match was on over whatever weekend some of the other lads in class would ask him what he thought of the match and he would proceed to talk about the match to them for the entire class. Everybody else could talk about whatever they wanted to. This lad was literally stealing a living.

fryup

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118957372#Comment_118957372

and what happened to the English boy was he picked on by the bitter bigot teacher?

vixdname

I went to a primary school in Waterford city ran by the christian brothers.

We ended up having the same brother for 5 long years and he was neither christian nor brotherly in the way he treated us.

Every Friday we used to have PE in the afternoon, and most Fridays he'd find some excuse as to not let us have it, hed always says, "Right gentlemen, no PE this evening", you knew then you were in for an evening of bamboo sticks across the palms of our hands, little lads being lifted up from their desk by the side locks of their hair, fisted knuckles into our sides and a host of other physical cruelties.

I always remember when hed call up some unfortunate kid up to the top of the class to hit them with his bamboo stick, which i hasten to add, he had wrapped insulating tape on each end and in the middle so as it wouldnt split when beating us, hed get the poor kid to put his hand out, slapping it with the cane under the hand in order to make the kid lift the hand to his desired height, and hed do this weird thing of bending his tongue and bite it as he gave a little jump up in the air to get a proper wallop down on the poor misfortunate childs hand.

A fckuing sadist is all he was. He didnt get it all his way though, one day after a particularly bad day of beatings and slaps, a group of lads from our class walked across the road to the Gardai station and reported him !

The following morning, the Guards had paid him a visit, fair dues to then and he had obviously gotten a fright and he said how "disappointed" he was that his boys would have gone to the Gardai to report him, he tried the guilt trip, it didnt work though.

More disturbingly , I also remember that he had a habit of, when correcting our homework, calling up the same few lads up to his desk, and hed pull them close to him and would put his hands down the back of their pants on to their backsides, we were way too young to realise how inappropriate this was and this was in the 80s before all the abuse scandals blew up.

In latter years it turned out that the then headmaster, another brother, whom had left the school to become a priest was sexually abusing a number of boys in his office , he got done for it, but the damage was unfortunately done.

The brother we had, it turned out he was a alcoholic and was probably too hungover to want to ever do the PE with us, it was easier just beat us.

One last thing, the headmaster that got caught sexually abusing the boys, we witnessed him run after a small black cocker spaniel that had gotten into the playground , and when he got near the dog which had ran near a gate , he kicked the dog as hard as he could in the side, through the gate and down a load of steps.

When we came out for our 11am break the dog was dead at the end of the steps, that was over 40 years ago and I still remember it.

I'm sure the above probably typified many christian brothers schools in Ireland at the time, but now 40 odd years later when you look back on it as a grown man, you realise just how sick, twisted and insane some of these bastards were.

Grizzly 45

Ya know...After reading about the amounts of sheer psychopathic sadistic bastards and bitches that the Irish Dept of Education mistook for professional teachers,and let loose in houses of horrors back when I presume are of the 1960s to early 90s generation posting here...All I can say its a good job for them that we have strict gun laws in this country. Otherwise, Ireland would have been leading the world in school shootings...of teachers! What our generation tolerated as kids, and even if you went home and mentioned it to your parents the attitude was "Ah well you must have done something to deserve it!" is utterly horrific!

Oh yeah,one other fuker,this time a racist fuk,who decided to pick on the Dutch and German kids in our class. This was the 1970s in Limerick when Verenka and Krups had a lot of Dutch/German families over on contract working in the plants. This "teacher" decided it was a great craic to get the German kids to point out where all of the concentration camps were on a map of Europe for further education decided to have a good ol read and slide show of the horrors of Auschwitz.

Whoever the idiot was who stated, "Your school days are the best days of your life!" Never went to an Irish school!

Grizzly 45

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118958525#Comment_118958525

Nothing like reducing a bully to tears in public and casting the light on her past crimes at an event in her honour. Didn't feel anything TBH,or do now,it was like crushing an unpleasant bug under my heel.

Stone Deaf 4evr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118955285#Comment_118955285

jaysus, we had a similar guy who used to be on about columbian neckties, I wonder was it the same fella? - he used to take pride in being from a fancy part of cork city?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118957229#Comment_118957229

Wasnt in Limerick by chance was this? I had a teacher do the same!

I'm dyslexic, Im very good at maths but I could never do the working out part. teacher made my life hell from 1-5th year until I just left, went to pass. Pass maths teacher said she never knew why I wouldn't do higher level.

I ended up with all A1 and A2 in every leaving subject in higher level ( didn't do Irish but German)

God I hated her!!!

Hesh's Umpire

Don't think I ever had a really bad teacher.

I was a terribly disinterested student even though I was towards the top end of the class in the results business.

If I had to name one, I'd maybe say my maths teacher at the start of LC cycle who allowed me to leave the honours maths class after first term to take pass maths. I got an A in pass maths and always wondered should I have been encouraged more to stick with the honours course.

But to be fair to him, I was a lazy shite who he probably was glad to be rid of!

black & white

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118959151#Comment_118959151

DLS ?

Grizzly 45

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118987354#Comment_118987354

Had the same problem with dyslexia when it comes to maths...Seems to be a trait for female math teachers in Limerick...Cresent Comprehensive in Dooradoyle bechance?

thefallingman

Funny the same guy was both for me (as in best and worst), his nickname was stumpy and he taught me in the 90's, couldn't control a class to save his life but he made history so dam interesting, was fascinated with the "prince of darkness" as he called him, as in Hitler and used to show us all the gory videos of the aftermath of the concentration camps but i learned alot from him. Wish i'd treated him better but his other classes were a free for all some of the stories you'd find hard to believe nowadays