S.L.U.T (have I been wrong for so many years)

[partialderivative]

I am a (male) maths teacher, and have been for many many years.

I am now worried about an acronym I use to help my students remember how to draw a certain type of diagram correctly.

It should comprise:

Scale: So that you can read the numbers

Label: So you know what is being measured

Units: On both axis

Title: Every diagram need a title to be complete.

Every year this has been greeted with hilarity by all my students, and I am sure it has helped many of them feel confident that they have covered all the points that will be marked. It is not something that they forget.

Of course, I make no reference to the 'meaning' of slut in other contexts, and I would challenge any student who took that opportunity

I think I know what the responses are going to be. But it just doesn't feel that outrageous in the classroom. Everyone laughs, and the lesson carries on.

(I haven't NC, so you can check if you think I have a history of sexism or misogyny.)

[MissBlennerhasset]

I can't believe a grown up would think this was an appropriate word to use in a classroom. How intimidating to the young women in your class.

[Hazchem]

wow wee things have changed since I took maths at school.
I was a bit of a maths head at school but I was also a feminist and I would have called you out, I would have got my parents to call you too and made a formal complaint. In fact they complained about poor maths teaching for lower levels of crap than that.
I'm actually really offended you have been using it at all. Have you ever discussed it with another teacher? Your head of dept, or head of school? Have you never been audited?

[KristinaM]

OP, don't you live in Dubai ?

I'm struggling to think why any teacher would think this was ok, let alone someone teaching in an Islamic country .

[partialderivative]

I have read and digested all that has been written on this thread.

I fully accept that I was out or order.

SugarAndSpice126 Wed 29-Oct-14 18:49:54
If it's so casual and totally irrelevant to the word's meaning, would you feel comfortable using words such as n*gger too?

The above post probably made it more clear to me than many others.

However... (remember that I am conceding that I am wrong)...
I asked the girls (15/16 year olds from many different cultures) in my class today if they would stay behind for a couple of minutes and asked them about the previous lesson.

All of them thought my acronym was funny

None of them took offence

All of them recommended that I should use it again for future years.

(They replied anonymously)

I'll stress once more; I'll not be using this again.

[AsAMan]

I asked the girls (15/16 year olds from many different cultures) in my class today if they would stay behind for a couple of minutes and asked them about the previous lesson.

RIght. Sure you did.

[SevenZarkSeven]

You got the girls in your class
To stay behind after class
And ask them if they found your "SLUT" acronym offensive or funny.

Right.

WTF?

[partialderivative]

I asked the girls (15/16 year olds from many different cultures) in my class today if they would stay behind for a couple of minutes and asked them about the previous lesson.

RIght. Sure you did. hmm

What are you suggesting? Please make it clear.

[FrauHelga]

Jesus fucking H christ you really need to go and give your head a wobble, OP.

Scale - so we know what to measure you knobbishness against

Label - you're behaving like a knob.

Units - that tells us just how big a knob you're being

Title - you're a knob.

And if you really kept a bunch of 15 year old girls behind in class on a Sunday to ask them if it was ok then you're an even bigger knob that you seemed from your first post.

[partialderivative]

We teach on Sundays

[Cherriesandapples]

My whole year of maths in the top set was spent trying but failing to get the attention of the male teacher so I could actually learn something. He never once came over to help me out, never once chose me to answer a question. I sat right with the boys but was obviously invisible.

What other random acts of sexism do you practice OP?

[partialderivative]

I have conceded that I was wrong!

All I have added is how my class reacted.

(I have taught many many female students to pre-university level mathematics, I have never had anything other than positive feedback from past students or parentsO

[MrSheen]

When I was 15/16 I would have said I found it funny, because it's really hard to articulate feelings like that when you are constantly on the back foot. I wouldn't have wanted to be the humourless girl who couldn't take a joke. Then I would have dropped maths like a hot potato at the first opportunity.

[partialderivative]

I have conceded that I was wrong

ffs

[MrSheen]

And if you really kept a bunch of 15 year old girls behind in class on a Sunday to ask them if it was ok then you're an even bigger knob that you seemed from your first post

^^ this, also. That was a bit shitty, really. "Is it OK if I use derogatory words? Yes, I know I'm an adult male, and a teacher and you are a bunch of teenagers but I just want to point out that I keep saying SLUT, and make sure you all think I'm super edgy"

FFS.

It's rude

[FrauHelga]

But, partial, you were totally wrong to keep those girls behind after class, to get them to collude with you in the use of the word slut. And you being the teacher, and in charge, and them being 15 means they will have colluded.

Nice one. Not.

[KristinaM]

I understand that you have conceded that you were wrong

But I and many other posters think that your asking the students was also inappropriate .

Why did you ask them if you knew it was wrong?

Would you have asked a group of black students if they found the word " nigger " offensive ?

[KristinaM]

Sorry x posted

[AsAMan]

I have conceded that I was wrong ffs

Oh sorry if the misogynist slur and then further offensiveness you put the girls through for no apparent reason wasn't immediately ignored and you weren't given many cookies and pats on the back.

Year sorry about that.

for fucks sake indeed

[Waltermittythesequel]

I refuse to believe this is real because, if it is, I don't want to live on this planet anymore and there's nowhere else to go.

[partialderivative]

I do not teach in the UK, so Sunday is the first day of the week here.

I let the boys out a couple of minutes early before first break and asked the girls if they would give me some feedback on what I NOW feel was inappropriate.The girls were not forced to stay the extra 3 mins.

They had no problem doing this. I am not an ogre who gets his way by threats or aggression.

( I have conceded that I was wrong )

[AsAMan]

IN what way was it anonymous? DId you not explain to the class you were wrong to do it? Or did you just ask if you thought it was offensive. DId it occur to you to tell the whole class it was wrong? Or are the boys to continue thinking SLUT is funny?