NationStates Jolt Archive

Well, okay, I apparently know this friend, who sparked up his GPA from 3.29 in the first quarter to 3.93 in the second quarter of high school. He applied for an AP class and got accepted. Now, before applying for that AP class, he goes to his science teacher and asks her if he's suitable for that class, and he shows the science teacher his report card, and she is amazed and the science teacher tells the student to go see the Chairman of the Department the AP class falls under.

Later on, he, thankful to God, finds out he is accepted to that AP class. The science teacher asks him if he was accepted during class break (she didn't know) and he said yes (this was during the double-period science class -- during the break between the second session of science).

Now, the trouble starts here.

During the second session of the science class, the teacher devotes five-minutes of her time (literally, and you know how teachers are conscious over time) to praising the student on how he got all A's and one B+ for the second quarter.

My friend is embarrassed. Later, after she is done with the praising, which the student repeatingly says "Thank you" for, the girl sitting next to him calls him a show-off for helping another girl that asked the student for help. The student's friend decides to ignore him, and his other friend says he brags over his achievements. However, the friend that decides to ignore him (as said so by the student) and the friend who said the student brags is striking my friend in a way as if hell fell on him (maybe he's taking it the extreme :confused:)

Now that friend consults me, I tell him I have no problem and that it is good for him, but he says he's worried sick over his other friends (and classmates) because he doesn't want them to think he is stuck-up and etc. and doesn't want them to feel that way because he said he won't be thinking he is all-that.

ANY advice given? He has a science test tomorrow and on AIM he says he doesn't want criticism and that he's only working hard for a good transcript for college and is disturbed by the worried feelings he's putting on himself.

People are envious. Envy begets jealousy. They get nasty. Its their petty little way of getting back at him for being smart. It's dumb, and rather said, but it's also human nature to begrudge others their happiness. It's similar to being hated for being beautiful, or rich, or whatever.

Its normal (albeit unfortunate) that some of his friends are being defensive and acting out on it. In some classes I've taught, particularly gifted students that hang in certain circles feel they have to hide it, or at least be discrete. They really shouldn't have to.

Well, it sounds like your friend is within a few years of having a peer group more proporitionate to his abilities, and it won't be such an issue.

Myself, I used to feel threatened around high calibre minds, but I eventually got over myself and learned to work comfortably with a range of intellects.

Its normal (albeit unfortunate) that some of his friends are being defensive and acting out on it. In some classes I've taught, particularly gifted students that hang in certain circles feel they have to hide it, or at least be discrete. They really shouldn't have to.

Well, it sounds like your friend is within a few years of having a peer group more proporitionate to his abilities, and it won't be such an issue.

Myself, I used to feel threatened around high calibre minds, but I eventually got over myself and learned to work comfortably with a range of intellects.

Yeah, my friend decides not to answer questions the teacher asks around his friends.

I'm not all that envious of what the OP describes.
But what pisses me the f*** off is how these students at my school got 5s on the AP Bio Exam, HAVING NOT EVEN TAKEN THE DAMN COURSE AND JUST CRAMMED OUT OF THE EXAM PREP BOOK!

I'm sorry but there's just something unnatural about you if you can pull that off. :mad:

I'm not all that envious of what the OP describes.
But what pisses me the f*** off is how these students at my school got 5s on the AP Bio Exam, HAVING NOT EVEN TAKEN THE DAMN COURSE AND JUST CRAMMED OUT OF THE EXAM PREP BOOK!

I'm sorry but there's just something unnatural about you if you can pull that off. :mad:
Err I can. lol That's not a good way to learn though, since you don't absorb it as well as you could otherwise. But yeah, that's the way I study for exams. :)

Your friend should see the teacher concerned privately about the issue for a start. After all the incident only occurred because the teacher chose to make such a big issue out of what is really not the business of the entire class. Your friend should explain that such attention is embarrassing as it 'puts them on the spot' and singles them out from their peers in a way that they would prefer not to be singled out. Really the teacher was out of line and unless they intentionally wished to punish your friend for working hard and doing well, somewhat insensitive and naive.

Your friend doesnt have to advertise their grades to non-sympathetic people, and they certainly should not have to put up their hard work resulting in them being unwillingly made a public spectacle of by their teachers.

Your friend should see the teacher concerned privately about the issue for a start. After the incident only occurred because the teacher chose to make such a big issue out of what is really not the business of the entire class. Your friend should explain that such attention is embarrassing as it 'puts them on the spot' and singles them out from their peers in a way that they would prefer not to be singled out. Really the teacher was out of line and unless they intentionally wished to punish your friend for working hard and doing well, somewhat insensitive and naive.

Your friend doesnt have to advertise their grades to non-sympathetic people, and they certainly should not have to put up their hard work resulting in them being unwillingly made a public spectacle of by their teachers.
Agreed. Teachers can sometimes cause more problems than they solve.

To be fair, grades aren't really a good indication of intelligence.

To be fair, grades aren't really a good indication of intelligence.
Also true. Although they aren't things that get criticised. Make an intelligent statement or get into a debate in class, and people will think you are being pretentious and trying to show off. Luckily at uni people are a bit cleverer than that.

Why do people hate you if yoursmart?
You're asking US? :confused:
How the he-doublehockeysticks would any of us know?
*shakes head*

Err I can. lol That's not a good way to learn though, since you don't absorb it as well as you could otherwise. But yeah, that's the way I study for exams. :)
I don't care if that's how you study for exams in general. But if you get a F***ing 5 on the AP Bio test by doing that and NOT even taken the class, there's something wrong with you. Definitely AP Whores to the nth degree :mad:

I don't care if that's how you study for exams in general. But if you get a F***ing 5 on the AP Bio test by doing that and NOT even taken the class, there's something wrong with you. Definitely AP Whores to the nth degree :mad:
A levels are the equivalent of your AP exams, maybe even a bit harder. :p

If 'friends' don't want him to do well, they're certainly not friends. Nothing is as important in school as getting good grades and getting ready for college. Your friend needs to start hanging out with the smart kids, who will support his efforts. He's on the right track, and he knows it. But he should hang out with people who want him to succeed.

People hate smart people for the same reason that they hate good looking people. I have both problems. :( Plus, I make a lot of money, my girlfriend is hot as hell and I have a huge penis so people really hate me. :(

Why do people hate you if your smart?
No, they hate people who are smart-arses.
There's a difference.

Also really intelligent people make others feel inadequate, as it highlights their own mental shortcomings.

Of course, I've never had that problem, but I have observed it often, especially on people around me, and especially when I point it out to them. Repeatedly.

Well, okay, I apparently know this friend, who sparked up his GPA from 3.29 in the first quarter to 3.93 in the second quarter of high school. He applied for an AP class and got accepted. Now, before applying for that AP class, he goes to his science teacher and asks her if he's suitable for that class, and he shows the science teacher his report card, and she is amazed and the science teacher tells the student to go see the Chairman of the Department the AP class falls under.

Later on, he, thankful to God, finds out he is accepted to that AP class. The science teacher asks him if he was accepted during class break (she didn't know) and he said yes (this was during the double-period science class -- during the break between the second session of science).

Now, the trouble starts here.

During the second session of the science class, the teacher devotes five-minutes of her time (literally, and you know how teachers are conscious over time) to praising the student on how he got all A's and one B+ for the second quarter.

My friend is embarrassed. Later, after she is done with the praising, which the student repeatingly says "Thank you" for, the girl sitting next to him calls him a show-off for helping another girl that asked the student for help. The student's friend decides to ignore him, and his other friend says he brags over his achievements. However, the friend that decides to ignore him (as said so by the student) and the friend who said the student brags is striking my friend in a way as if hell fell on him (maybe he's taking it the extreme :confused:)

Now that friend consults me, I tell him I have no problem and that it is good for him, but he says he's worried sick over his other friends (and classmates) because he doesn't want them to think he is stuck-up and etc. and doesn't want them to feel that way because he said he won't be thinking he is all-that.

ANY advice given? He has a science test tomorrow and on AIM he says he doesn't want criticism and that he's only working hard for a good transcript for college and is disturbed by the worried feelings he's putting on himself.
jealousy

Tell him congratulations, he now knows how the best athletes, the cheerleaders, the person with a lot of money, or the one with the best job feel when they are recoginzed for their accomplishments. He'll have to work 10 times harder at everything he does and no matter how far he goes out of his way to be considerate and friendly, there will be the group of jealous losers do everything they can to discredit them.
Then tell him if he thinks it's bad now, just wait, he has no clue as to how far these people go when they grow up.

People hate smart people for the same reason that they hate good looking people. I have both problems. :( Plus, I make a lot of money, my girlfriend is hot as hell and I have a huge penis so people really hate me. :(
They hate you because you're beautiful, you modern-day Adonis.
They also feel the same as most other folks did back in that day ... they want to murder things for you and slather the blood around for ceremony, and hope you don't impregnate them in some weird kind of golden shower and let loose your abomination hybrid children on them and their society. *nods*

I don't care if that's how you study for exams in general. But if you get a F***ing 5 on the AP Bio test by doing that and NOT even taken the class, there's something wrong with you. Definitely AP Whores to the nth degree :mad:
i choose to believe that they cheat

its probably not true but it makes me feel better.