Here is how I feel about my second period class.
I have been calling parents all week. I have given write-offs. I have sent kids to the office. But STILL they are a huge HUGE problem.
This is, naturally, the freshman reading class. It's supposed to be a self-paced, self-regulated course, but they simply cannot handle the responsibility.
Today I turned in progress reports.
Out of twenty-eight kids, five are passing. FIVE. Why? BECAUSE THE REST OF THEM DON'T DO THEIR WORK.
I don't know how much easier it could be!
Stories procedure:
Read a story (one page, front and back)
(optional) Listen to the story on tape
Complete a writing assignment
Have a conference with me
Take a quiz
Vocabulary procedure:
Copy the vocab word and its definition
Write two sentences using the vocab word and turn in
When I return the paper, make corrections as noted
Take a quiz
Here is what my little devils do instead:
Talk
Stare into space
Sleep
Talk
Tear up the tape recorders
Pull the ear pieces off the headphone
Tear the stories (it's a classroom set) into pieces
Talk
Pull the brown tape out of the cassettes
Pull things off the bulletin boards
Talk
I gave out five write-offs today. I called two parents and brought home a list that I'm calling tomorrow. I turned in the grades, with all those Fs, and I didn't feel sorry about it.
One girl had the GALL to ask me to call her dad and tell him she'd been good this week so she can have a party this weekend ... while she was holding her write-off in her hand. Another time, I might have felt bad and not called, but not this time. No way, sister.
The class is light years behind my first period class, both in their grades and their maturity levels. They have no concept of personal responsibility, self-respect, or respect for others. They are socially inept, combative, irresponsible, defensive, offensive little kids.
I have never had this much trouble with a class--NEVER. I feel it's just this particular combination of kids that is the problem (it's certainly not ME), and somehow I have got to hammer it into their heads that I am in charge, NOT THEM.
I'm sure some of their parents will be calling me when the progress reports go home, and I hope they do. I HOPE THEY DO.
I have a lot to tell them.
Ms. Mei Flower
- Mei
- I'm a spinster schoolmarm with a degree in English; I watch artsy movies about British people; I knit while watching the History Channel; I listen to NPR in the car; I eat frozen dinners on the couch. Is that stereotypical enough for you? No? Well, then ... and I have a cat.
Reading
5 comments:
I don't know what kind of karma dooms us to a regular dose of classes like this--has to be at least one a year, seems to me. Either that or there are just a few sprinkled in one or two classes who are enough to make up for the hell class.
I feel your pain. Keep truckin'.
PS I also hate calling home, but I plan to start next week, myself.
HAHAHAHAHA I love Clue! Good luck with the kids....and their parents.
Don't you wish sometimes that you had the right to just smack the daylights out of one of them? Just once.
Sadly, we live in a day were very few homes are instilling values and personal responsibilty to their kids. This stupid "no child left behind" law just made it worse. It now is the teachers fault if my little darling is not doing their work and passing the class. How convenient for parents who haven't got a clue what parenting is all about!
Laura,
I do have that ONE class every year that makes me want to tear my hair out! I talked to one of the assistant principals today, and we are working on ways to involve parents in a positive way.
Thanks, Jenn! (I love Clue, too--the movie AND the game.)
Darrell,
As much as I might WISH bodily harm on the kid, I wouldn't be able to do it myself. Not because of the inevitable lawsuit, but because I don't like touching those kids. (I have issues with germs.) Most parents seem to try hard, but every once in a while there is one that just makes me wish they'd take a walk in my shoes for a day.
Do we teach the same students? Ha!
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