Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Semester slump
It's the latter part of the second semester of school, and I'm tired. I'm tired of whining students, demanding parents, teachers, and administrators. I'm tired of grading papers. I'm tired of not being able to see my desk. I'm especially tired of going to bed early and hearing the alarm at 5:20. I could barely function today.
My students are thinking of summer rather than focusing on class work. If education were up to them we'd watch movies and take field trips rather than do any type of work that requires thinking, reading, and writing. It's discouraging. In trying to ready them for their ACT test, I prepared different practices. Instead of thanks or even compliance, I've heard nothing but complaints: "Again? We have to do another practice?" The ACT is about them and for them, but listening to them bemoan practice really bugged me.
It isn't any rosier with my Advanced Placement students. Reading their essays causes my blood pressure to rise as they continue to make mistakes. It would be different if their mistakes were different but they still don't write complete thesis statements; they still use past AND present tense; they still make unsupported and irrelevent comments. Sigh. I am in a slump.
What bothers me most is watching others allow students to slack at this point in the year. Standardized testing is over for all subjects but AP, which apparently means it's field trip season, playing outside season, and movie season. My colleagues frustrate me nearly as much as our students frustrate me.
I'm astounded by students who miss class and then are shocked when they find out they missed work; usually two or three weeks after an absence. I'm shocked by students who have missed more than 10 blocks this semester, a semester that wasn't too horrible with cold and flu season. I have students who have missed 40 or 50 or more blocks!! And then their parents wonder why the kids are failing.
It's obvious that I'm in a slump. I'm not having fun, and I'm certainly not enjoying the kids. At this point, all I can do is pray for May!
