What to Do When Your Teacher Isn’t Helping (And Why This Matters More Than You Think)

At some point, almost every student has the same thought:

“My teacher isn’t explaining this well.”

That frustration can show up as confusion, stress, or giving up altogether. And while I don’t believe in calling teachers “bad,” I do believe this:

Not every teacher is going to teach in a way that works for you.

That doesn’t mean something is wrong with you. It means you are being pushed, often unintentionally, to learn an essential skill: resourcefulness.

This Is Not About Blaming Teachers

I’ve been tutoring for over eight years and have worked with students across K–12 in nearly every subject. I see this pattern constantly.

Students assume that if they don’t understand something, either:

• the teacher explained it poorly, or

• they are “bad at the subject”

In reality, most classrooms have limited time, large groups, and strict pacing. Teachers cannot always slow down or reframe material in multiple ways for every student.

Learning is not a one-way transfer of information. Students also have responsibility in the process.

The Skill School Rarely Teaches Directly

We live in an age where information is everywhere.

Students can:

• look up alternate explanations

• watch visual walkthroughs

• read step-by-step guides

• compare multiple sources

The challenge is not access to information. The challenge is knowing how to:

• search effectively

• judge whether a source is reliable

• connect new explanations to what you already know

This ability to research, evaluate, and synthesize information is one of the most valuable skills a student can develop.

What I See as a Tutor

Many students come to me feeling stuck and discouraged. They often say things like:

• “We never learned this.”

• “This wasn’t explained.”

• “I don’t remember the steps.”

When we slow down, the issue is usually not missing knowledge. It is missing strategy.

They were never taught how to:

• break down unfamiliar problems

• identify what part they are confused about

• look things up in a targeted way

• test whether they actually understand something

Once students learn these skills, their confidence changes quickly. They stop panicking when a problem looks different. They start trusting their own reasoning.

What to Do When You Feel Lost in Class

Here is a framework I teach students when instruction isn’t clicking.

1. Be specific about what you don’t understand

Avoid “I don’t get any of this.”

Instead ask:

• Is it a word I don’t know?

• A step I don’t understand?

• The reason a formula works?

Specific confusion is much easier to solve.

2. Look for more than one explanation

One explanation not making sense does not mean the topic is impossible.

Try:

• a different video

• a written explanation

• a worked example

Hearing the same idea explained three different ways often makes it click.

3. Ask better questions

Instead of “I don’t get this,” try:

• “Why does this step work?”

• “What does this variable represent?”

• “What would happen if I changed this?”

Good questions lead to understanding.

4. Explain it out loud

If you can explain something in your own words, even imperfectly, you are learning.

This technique, often called self-explanation in cognitive science, is strongly linked to deeper understanding and long-term retention.

5. Use help strategically

Teachers, tutors, and classmates are resources, not substitutes for thinking.

The goal is not getting the answer.

The goal is knowing how you would approach a similar problem on your own.

Why This Skill Matters Beyond School

This ability does not stop at math, chemistry, or history.

Resourcefulness helps you:

• learn new skills independently

• handle unclear instructions

• solve problems no one has shown you before

• stay calm instead of helpless when stuck

In real life, there is no answer key. People who succeed are usually not the ones who were taught perfectly. They are the ones who learned how to figure things out.

How This Connects to My Tutoring Philosophy

At MyTotalTutor, my goal is not long-term dependence.

If a student still needs me forever, I did not do my job.

What I focus on is:

• teaching students how to learn

• building confidence when they feel stuck

• helping them become self-reliant thinkers

Subjects change over time. Learning skills do not.

Final Thought

If your teacher’s explanations are not working for you, that does not mean you are incapable.

It means you have an opportunity to build a skill that will matter far beyond school.

Learning how to be resourceful is empowering. And once students realize they can figure things out, everything feels more manageable.