Day 20
Just had my first parent teacher conference of the year. It's weird to think that this is the only school I've ever been to where I have stayed for more than one parent teacher conference. I know that may not make any sense, especially since this is only my first semester of my sophomore year, but this is my 15th school I've attended since Kindergarten. I have NEVER stayed in a place long enough for teachers to act like they care about me or have some sort of school record.
My grandpa told me that all my teachers said my grades were getting better.
Good news: I'm no longer failing English. It's a D, but still.
Day 22
Nothing really exciting has happened in school lately. We're kind of in the middle of the semester, so we haven't had any fun projects in any of my classes. I'm hoping we will do something better soon because I can't pay attention in class.
Day 23
I keep getting pulled out of class, and it's making me fall behind in class. I hate having to fight to keep up with school work. My English teacher has me come in for help and extra time during advocacy every day so I don't have to take anything home for homework, but I've still had to take some things with me.
Day 25
Finally! Something interesting to do. Ok, so in my English class we are almost finished reading this book Of Mice and Men, and it's kinda boring. But today we got to watch a clip from Dexter which is this really awesome show, that's not really appropriate for school, about a serial killer. My teacher didn't show us anything bad, but she said it would help us discuss the end of the book. We talked a lot about murder: who deserves it, is it ever justified, what is considered murder, and who gets to decide.
Day 28
Holy crap. I never would have thought I'd like this book (ya know the one we're reading in English?), but we just read the last chapter. Basically, these two guys are best friends, go everywhere together, want to retire and live together, and one of them gets into trouble because he doesn't understand how to act around people (he's mentally slow). He definitely makes the wrong people mad when he murders his boss's wife (but on accident!), so his best friend decides to kill him before the other people do.
Pretty much every time we read this book, until today, the whole class was really bored.
But today everybody wanted to talk about it, and our teacher wanted us to argue about it!
I think I could definitely get paid to argue my opinion.
Maybe I could become a lawyer.
Day 30
I have been thinking a lot lately about what I want to do after I graduate. I have always liked math and science, but I don't know what kind of career I would want because I'm just interested in it. Then earlier this week I thought that I could be a lawyer because it was so fun arguing with other people, but going to law school would take forever and I don't like school a whole lot, especially when I'm forced to take classes I don't want to.
It's interesting that I've been thinking about it because I took a test about my interests.
I can't remember all of the different categories, but the ones I scored high in were music, one about working with my hands, and the last one about being good at talking to people. I definitely agree with all of those. My teacher talked to us about our "intelligences" and told us all the different careers we could have with them. I think all teachers should have their students take these tests, especially in high school. It really helped me think more about what I want to do with my life.
Day 32
I just took my test for the book we read. I really hate taking tests, but this one was different than other English tests I've had because it didn't ask me questions about the book, but we did have to answer for the themes that went with the book that apply to our lives.
I thought that was neat. Hope I did well.
Day 35
I used my newfound "intelligence" (from the test) to pick out a project that, according to the test, I should like. I am going to design a new piece of art for a book cover.
Day 40
I wish I knew what I got on my test. My teacher has been gone the entire week. I'm not going to start my project until she gets back.
Day 50
Still no word about my grades. My teacher is still gone from school.
Day 60
My teacher came back and she wanted us to turn in our projects. I haven't even done mine. She said my grade will be docked if I don't turn it in tomorrow. There is no freaking way I'm going to get it done.
Day 61
I didn't turn in my project, and my grandpa has been calling the school every day to check on my grades. He's so mad at me for not doing this project; it's worth like a hundred points. My teacher said I can still turn it it, but my grade lowers each day I don't turn it in.
Day 63
I haven't started it yet...I have too much other work IN CLASS.
My teacher's last day is Monday, so I have the weekend to finish it.
Day 66
I didn't turn in my project. I got a zero. I have under a 50% in this class, and I'm going to have to retake a semester of sophomore English.
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Sunday, December 7, 2014
If you are sinking, they are too.
Gather your things. Put on your name-badge. Take a deep breath.
Tomorrow I go back to my students after three weeks of absence. I expect my students and colleagues to ask questions because they don't know the whole story. I won't blame them.
Even if I they don't, I'm not sure if I'm ready, if I'm fine.
The thing is, I'm drowning. What happened in my life has nothing to do with my students, but I don't want it to affect them. I want to be able to come back, unaffected. But I know that isn't realistic.
When I left, my students were half-way through presenting their final projects. Those whose projects were completed were graded, but what should I do about the rest of them?
I'm really concerned about how my actions, unintentional and avoidable, but they have still affected my students.
How do I make-up for the missed grades? I can't count against them for my absence, but I want to ensure that they are still graded fairly.
Also, how can I hold my classroom together when I am falling apart?
Right now I have a CT who can take some of the burden, but what about when I have my own classroom? Would I have needed to take leave from the FMLA, use my sick-days, vacation days? I feel that I need to protect myself as well as my students.
According to the National Council on Teacher Quality, in 2012 the average teacher had approximately 4 personal days and 11 sick days per year (www.nctq.org).
Fisher and Frey talk often about transparency with your students. Though their recommendation falls mostly under lessons, I have chosen to be transparent with my students in these circumstances as well. Any basic guide to being a good teacher will suggest that teachers avoid becoming friends with their students (obviously), but they will usually condone come across as a person to make you seem relatable (or human) to your students.
A few months ago, a student in my class was absent for a few weeks. I remember thinking What could she be doing that takes her away from three weeks worth of class? and when she came back Why hasn't she completed her work I gave her?
Well.
I feel that I should apologize to this individual for even THINKING that she was gone for no reason or not making an effort to do her assignments (because I certainly never said it out loud or gave her any grief). My absence made me realize that when life happens, when crisis happens, when tragedy happens, homework is not the priority. And not only was homework not my priority, but homework for ONE specific class did not take priority. So when I returned to school, no one class had not taken precedence over another. Who was I, one of her 8 teachers, to think she should have taken the time to complete a handful of assignments I had given her when I had not done the same with my classes?
In the future, I want to be emotionally and academically generous with students who are absent for long periods of time to ensure that they don't become overwhelmed, and that they continue to focus on themselves and their personal needs once they resume their routines.
And now, for a few things that have brought me cheer recently. Here is the link to my Pinterest Board that always cheers me up: http://www.pinterest.com/lindsaydale/couldn-t-have-said-it-better-myself/
Tomorrow I go back to my students after three weeks of absence. I expect my students and colleagues to ask questions because they don't know the whole story. I won't blame them.
Even if I they don't, I'm not sure if I'm ready, if I'm fine.
The thing is, I'm drowning. What happened in my life has nothing to do with my students, but I don't want it to affect them. I want to be able to come back, unaffected. But I know that isn't realistic.
When I left, my students were half-way through presenting their final projects. Those whose projects were completed were graded, but what should I do about the rest of them?
I'm really concerned about how my actions, unintentional and avoidable, but they have still affected my students.
How do I make-up for the missed grades? I can't count against them for my absence, but I want to ensure that they are still graded fairly.
Also, how can I hold my classroom together when I am falling apart?
Right now I have a CT who can take some of the burden, but what about when I have my own classroom? Would I have needed to take leave from the FMLA, use my sick-days, vacation days? I feel that I need to protect myself as well as my students.
According to the National Council on Teacher Quality, in 2012 the average teacher had approximately 4 personal days and 11 sick days per year (www.nctq.org).
Fisher and Frey talk often about transparency with your students. Though their recommendation falls mostly under lessons, I have chosen to be transparent with my students in these circumstances as well. Any basic guide to being a good teacher will suggest that teachers avoid becoming friends with their students (obviously), but they will usually condone come across as a person to make you seem relatable (or human) to your students.
A few months ago, a student in my class was absent for a few weeks. I remember thinking What could she be doing that takes her away from three weeks worth of class? and when she came back Why hasn't she completed her work I gave her?
Well.
I feel that I should apologize to this individual for even THINKING that she was gone for no reason or not making an effort to do her assignments (because I certainly never said it out loud or gave her any grief). My absence made me realize that when life happens, when crisis happens, when tragedy happens, homework is not the priority. And not only was homework not my priority, but homework for ONE specific class did not take priority. So when I returned to school, no one class had not taken precedence over another. Who was I, one of her 8 teachers, to think she should have taken the time to complete a handful of assignments I had given her when I had not done the same with my classes?
In the future, I want to be emotionally and academically generous with students who are absent for long periods of time to ensure that they don't become overwhelmed, and that they continue to focus on themselves and their personal needs once they resume their routines.
And now, for a few things that have brought me cheer recently. Here is the link to my Pinterest Board that always cheers me up: http://www.pinterest.com/lindsaydale/couldn-t-have-said-it-better-myself/
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)