Originally Posted by SwampYankee

My FIL teaches math at both the high school and state university level. His experience has been the same.

OTOH, my 14yo son in middle school is currently taking a high level class with a teacher who appears to put little more than minimum effort into teaching the subject matter. My son is often confused after class. Extra help sessions have proven pointless where questions are often met with a "We went over that already in class, you should have paid more attention or taken better notes." Questions in class are met with a similar response.

We started going to my FIL's for dinner twice a week for dinner & math, within 5 minutes he's up to speed and then they'll spend the next 1/2 hr. going over the next chapter. He picks it up very quickly, when he's actually taught how to do it. My son has always loved math, now he dreads it. He has always done very well for teachers who had high expectations for him and were considered "tough" teachers, so that's not the issue. But it does go to show the negative ramifications a teacher can have on young minds.

Just as an aside, meetings with the administration have proven as effective as the teacher's extra help sessions. It always turns into a discussion of how disorganized my son is, the homework that was wrinkled up in the bottom of his backpack, he's too quiet and doesn't ask questions in class, etc. He was diagnosed with ADHD back in 2 or 3 grade, we're well aware of what his shortcomings are and what we need to do to help him succeed. We've also seen what he can do when he is actually taught.