End the tyrannous reign of Matthew Appleyard
End the tyrannous reign of Matthew Appleyard
The Issue
Mr. Matthew Appleyard is the subject of many displeased emails following the release of the 2018-2019 schedules. The reason why is clear to anyone who has had the pleasure of spending a year in his classroom, but it apparently still remains a mystery to the staff, even after the endless complaints from both students and parents. The guidance department has actively chosen to turn a blind eye, even dismissing the claims of some of their best students.
The workload for Honors US1 (2017-2018) went as following:
- Chapter Notes—about 3 1/2 hours
- Slideshow—about 20 minutes
- Student Guidebook—about 3-4 hours depending on the chapter
- Terms—about 5 hours for a normal 30-35 term chapter
That amounts to an average of 12 hours of homework every other week, without including the essays (it was usually one every chapter but Mr. Appleyard got tired of grading them), the Zinn Chapter Notes (about 1 1/2-2 hours), and any classwork to be finished at home (like primary document questions or debates). This, coupled with homework from other classes, daily quizzes, tests, and classwork, is unbearable. The static routine was like a never ending cycle of work without any time for relaxation or enjoyment.*
Time spent in class isn’t any more enjoyable, prompting a lack of class participation. There are barely any class discussions, and the period is mostly used as a study hall to get ahead on terms. Mr. Appleyard’s attempts to encourage more participation from the students (such as the infamous “fun quiz”) are in vain, and no change was observed throughout the year.
The subject in question has openly expressed pride in being feared and hated by the student body. His attitude is one of disdain and contempt, and he will stop at nothing to make his students feel uncomfortable (e.g. making suicide jokes in class, laughing as a student cries). Personally, my experience in his class was horrendous and I hope to never see him again.
The solution students have been clamoring for these last two years is immediate termination. However, I do not want to be responsible for taking anyone’s job away. This petition simply calls for recognition and action. This issue has been overlooked for far too long. The administration has chosen to support Mr. Appleyard instead of performing their duties of creating a safe learning environment for students. I hope this petition serves as a wake up call to the administration, to monitor what the teachers do, what they assign, and how it affects the students.
Sincerely,
The Students
*For reference on how too much homework affects students, I have attached some articles I found interesting.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-squeaky-wheel/201110/how-much-homework-is-too-much
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The Issue
Mr. Matthew Appleyard is the subject of many displeased emails following the release of the 2018-2019 schedules. The reason why is clear to anyone who has had the pleasure of spending a year in his classroom, but it apparently still remains a mystery to the staff, even after the endless complaints from both students and parents. The guidance department has actively chosen to turn a blind eye, even dismissing the claims of some of their best students.
The workload for Honors US1 (2017-2018) went as following:
- Chapter Notes—about 3 1/2 hours
- Slideshow—about 20 minutes
- Student Guidebook—about 3-4 hours depending on the chapter
- Terms—about 5 hours for a normal 30-35 term chapter
That amounts to an average of 12 hours of homework every other week, without including the essays (it was usually one every chapter but Mr. Appleyard got tired of grading them), the Zinn Chapter Notes (about 1 1/2-2 hours), and any classwork to be finished at home (like primary document questions or debates). This, coupled with homework from other classes, daily quizzes, tests, and classwork, is unbearable. The static routine was like a never ending cycle of work without any time for relaxation or enjoyment.*
Time spent in class isn’t any more enjoyable, prompting a lack of class participation. There are barely any class discussions, and the period is mostly used as a study hall to get ahead on terms. Mr. Appleyard’s attempts to encourage more participation from the students (such as the infamous “fun quiz”) are in vain, and no change was observed throughout the year.
The subject in question has openly expressed pride in being feared and hated by the student body. His attitude is one of disdain and contempt, and he will stop at nothing to make his students feel uncomfortable (e.g. making suicide jokes in class, laughing as a student cries). Personally, my experience in his class was horrendous and I hope to never see him again.
The solution students have been clamoring for these last two years is immediate termination. However, I do not want to be responsible for taking anyone’s job away. This petition simply calls for recognition and action. This issue has been overlooked for far too long. The administration has chosen to support Mr. Appleyard instead of performing their duties of creating a safe learning environment for students. I hope this petition serves as a wake up call to the administration, to monitor what the teachers do, what they assign, and how it affects the students.
Sincerely,
The Students
*For reference on how too much homework affects students, I have attached some articles I found interesting.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-squeaky-wheel/201110/how-much-homework-is-too-much
50
The Decision Makers
Supporter Voices
Petition created on July 26, 2018