The last day of school is eleven days away, a week from this Friday. I used to get blue, knowing I had just a few precious days left with my wonderful classes. I would miss them so! They weren't as diligent as usual by the time the last few weeks arrived, but they still learned and we had fun.
That was then, this is now. We are in the fourth week of testing, including end-of-instruction tests and AP. After spring break, we no longer had a tutorial for a break between the second and third hours. Classes last an additional five minutes. Students and teachers drooped from the start of Daylight Savings Time in combination with longer classes and fewer breaks. It's too much. Fully one-sixth of the school year, the last six weeks, is a drudgery without relief.
Then, just when heads arise momentarily from the weight of so much testing, bam! It's time for graduation, and the last few days are blighted by the brain-death coma that seniors enter in anticipation of commencement before May has even gotten underway. The bulk of the testing has been over for a week, but there's no conception that anything can be accomplished in the dozen days remaining.
When I came in this morning, a Monday, I surveyed a cheerfully resigned group of students. They bravely held up under the day's activities, which, I admit, included a new game that was able to engage them for today. By the third hour, resignation had bloomed into apathy. None of us wanted to do anything. We kept going, with no love of it in our hearts. Two periods later, no one is making eye contact with the teacher. In the last class of the day, competition for points is the only motivator, and the social drive drowns out any learning that is possibly happening.
So, this is my scream, my rant. It doesn't have to be this way!!! The end of the year should be a relaxed and happy time for us all to enjoy the fruits of a successful school year, not the time to ramp up restrictions and demands. If the end of year activities could be scheduled at the end of the year, say the last two to three weeks, learning could continue pretty much as usual. There is no way to recover from testing and arduous scheduling demands, when everything else(Prom, Awards, State Athletic Competitions, graduation, etc.) has to be completed by May 15. There just isn't. For the administration to expect teachers to come up with new and exciting learning experiences is beyond the realm of reason. In what fantasy land can you wear me to a nub, and then expect me to pop up fresh as a daisy? It's not happening. Plan something yourself. Whenever you can do those 60 interviews in two weeks, and then put on a song-and-dance show to pump me up, maybe I'll try for it. Right now it's survival mode for everyone, and isn't that a shame?
Monday, May 12, 2014
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Disastrous Stinking Torture(aka Daylight Saving Time)
Well, I made it through another installation of The Change: springing forward, that is. I didn't have a heart attack or a car accident on Monday, although the odds were against me. I have dragged myself to work every day, in spite of a relentless sore throat and massive histamine activity in my poor body.
This whole Daylight Saving Time thing is a scam. You don't save any daylight!!! Daylight hours never alter, despite the eponymous name of this state mandate. Your body knows that it's really 4:30 now when you have to get up. Sure, you can get used to it, but why is that considered a good thing??? Why do we want our internal clocks to be wrong every single day for months on end? The days will grow longer on their own; they don't need any boost to get them to do that sooner.
In short, there is every reason for us to stay on regular, non-DST time, and I can't think of one good reason to challenge our already over-stressed adrenal glands with this idiotic system of changing the time every year.
When I was a young mother, my babies were not good sleepers. Getting them to go sleep an hour earlier than normal? wasn't going to happen, leading to cranky parents. But then we all had to get up that same hour earlier, leading to crankiness and distress on the part of the children. The unhappiness and lack of serenity continued for at least a week. And for what purpose? So outdoor types could stay outside an extra hour? All I could articulate at the time was, "WHY? W-H-Y?"
Now, as a teacher, I see stressed-out students who are suddenly too sleepy to stay awake in class. Everyone is dragging. Nowhere is there enthusiasm. Don't take away our health! Let the poor children stay in bed until 5:30 or 6 every morning-they need the rest!
My hat's off to the state of Arizona for maintaining the sanity and dignity of its citizens by not requiring them to observe(deceptively mild word) you-know-what. Hang in there, Arizona state legislators, your young, your elderly, your families, your hardworking citizens need you!
Did I mention I hate daylight saving time?
This whole Daylight Saving Time thing is a scam. You don't save any daylight!!! Daylight hours never alter, despite the eponymous name of this state mandate. Your body knows that it's really 4:30 now when you have to get up. Sure, you can get used to it, but why is that considered a good thing??? Why do we want our internal clocks to be wrong every single day for months on end? The days will grow longer on their own; they don't need any boost to get them to do that sooner.
In short, there is every reason for us to stay on regular, non-DST time, and I can't think of one good reason to challenge our already over-stressed adrenal glands with this idiotic system of changing the time every year.
When I was a young mother, my babies were not good sleepers. Getting them to go sleep an hour earlier than normal? wasn't going to happen, leading to cranky parents. But then we all had to get up that same hour earlier, leading to crankiness and distress on the part of the children. The unhappiness and lack of serenity continued for at least a week. And for what purpose? So outdoor types could stay outside an extra hour? All I could articulate at the time was, "WHY? W-H-Y?"
Now, as a teacher, I see stressed-out students who are suddenly too sleepy to stay awake in class. Everyone is dragging. Nowhere is there enthusiasm. Don't take away our health! Let the poor children stay in bed until 5:30 or 6 every morning-they need the rest!
My hat's off to the state of Arizona for maintaining the sanity and dignity of its citizens by not requiring them to observe(deceptively mild word) you-know-what. Hang in there, Arizona state legislators, your young, your elderly, your families, your hardworking citizens need you!
Did I mention I hate daylight saving time?
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Winter Weather
Terrific Throwback Thursday Tidings!
Last week I was listening to the news and weather. How the anchors were groaning and moaning over the very cold days we were having! I'm pretty sure it is still WINTER. What kind of short attention span do you have that a few weeks of actually frigid temperatures have got you down in the dumps? Most of the winter, Oklahoma is sunny. I can only remember a handful of overcast days even with the colder-than-usual spells. Are we really suffering that much? I wear thick socks, a warm coat, and something on my head and hands. It takes me an extra minute or two in the mornings to dress in weather-appropriate garb. And I don't go to the grocery store quite as often as usual. That's it. I haven't lost power, and my house is as warm as I want it to be. I haven't shoveled any snow, and I've only driven on slick streets twice: once on the way to school, and once on the way home. The car I drive warms up after just a few minutes. My school district is very quick to call off school if there are dangerous conditions of any kind. I'm pretty sure most Oklahomans have somewhere around the same living conditions, since my wages are slightly below the average for the state. Our area of the country has enjoyed several very mild winters, with the accompanying furnace-blast summers. I welcome this cold winter in the hope that the summer will be just summery, and not the weeks and weeks of over 100 degree temperatures that we have had in recent memory. Is it a human tendency to struggle against the seasons that makes us yearn for the relief of sunny days and warmer temperatures after a week or two of cold? Or is it the cultural norm of instant gratification: I'm cold, I want to feel warm. Now. Without changing anything I do. I'm hot. I want to feel cool. Now. Without making any personal adjustments. CALM DOWN, NEWS AND WEATHER REPORTERS. Just because the thermometer swings back and forth between high and low temperatures does not make seasonal weather a news event. Try embracing the change of seasons instead of so much complaining. You will get more people to watch your show that way, I'll bet!
Last week I was listening to the news and weather. How the anchors were groaning and moaning over the very cold days we were having! I'm pretty sure it is still WINTER. What kind of short attention span do you have that a few weeks of actually frigid temperatures have got you down in the dumps? Most of the winter, Oklahoma is sunny. I can only remember a handful of overcast days even with the colder-than-usual spells. Are we really suffering that much? I wear thick socks, a warm coat, and something on my head and hands. It takes me an extra minute or two in the mornings to dress in weather-appropriate garb. And I don't go to the grocery store quite as often as usual. That's it. I haven't lost power, and my house is as warm as I want it to be. I haven't shoveled any snow, and I've only driven on slick streets twice: once on the way to school, and once on the way home. The car I drive warms up after just a few minutes. My school district is very quick to call off school if there are dangerous conditions of any kind. I'm pretty sure most Oklahomans have somewhere around the same living conditions, since my wages are slightly below the average for the state. Our area of the country has enjoyed several very mild winters, with the accompanying furnace-blast summers. I welcome this cold winter in the hope that the summer will be just summery, and not the weeks and weeks of over 100 degree temperatures that we have had in recent memory. Is it a human tendency to struggle against the seasons that makes us yearn for the relief of sunny days and warmer temperatures after a week or two of cold? Or is it the cultural norm of instant gratification: I'm cold, I want to feel warm. Now. Without changing anything I do. I'm hot. I want to feel cool. Now. Without making any personal adjustments. CALM DOWN, NEWS AND WEATHER REPORTERS. Just because the thermometer swings back and forth between high and low temperatures does not make seasonal weather a news event. Try embracing the change of seasons instead of so much complaining. You will get more people to watch your show that way, I'll bet!
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Would It Hurt?
Happy Wednesday, Dear Reader!
Today I am finally starting my blog. I have been threatening, er, promising to do this for awhile now, ever since I thought up the cool title. I share my wisdom with my students daily, and they, more often than not, nod in agreement, their faces lit up in wonderment at my skill in getting to the heart of the matter so precisely.
Which brings me to the problem of: Where to Begin? So Many Choices! I could speak about school schedules, curriculum, school days, school years, testing, students, teachers, teaching philosophy, attitudes, television shows, movies, politics, religion, culture, literature, sports(well, pretty much just football), travel, parenting, well, you get the idea.
I think I shall begin with one of my favorite themes: PASSING PERIOD DOESN'T CUT IT! At my school, we are all under the gun of being in class and ready for the period with no opportunity during the passing period to stop by the bathroom, locker, or, for teachers, the workroom.
Most of my students are where they are supposed to be, when they are supposed to be there, with what they are supposed to bring. In other words, they appear on time and prepared for the day at school, and scurry between classes and such, in order to be on time. Why, then, the punitive attitude towards them that requires me to track their tardies and keep them out of the halls? Don't tell me it's because students will take advantage if you let them. Students are very reasonable as a group. They will get to class on time, or as nearly on time as they are able to in a building this size with only five minutes between classes. There is nowhere nearly enough time to go to their locker, stop by the bathroom or water fountain, and then make it across the building. If students are malingering, find out why. Is the class boring? Do they think it's a waste of time? Are they hyped-up on sugar and caffeine and can't sit still? Just a little more time spent with them should be very informative.
The conventional administrative answer is that they can go to the bathroom during class. That certainly will not do. I need them in class, able to pay attention to the entire lesson, not just the part they are there for between bathroom and water fountain breaks. How I would love it if there were seven or eight minutes between classes, giving me an amount of time that allows me to send my concluding class on its way, set up for the next class, and then meet the students of that class as they enter, and also providing the students with an opportunity to go to the bathroom or whatever and to be ready to begin when class starts. There would be so many fewer distractions! I realize that crowd control is enhanced when all students are out of the halls within five minutes. If there are students with nothing to do, or who are getting into trouble, deal with them. I could see myself offering an after-school detention for repeat offenders. I would read them lots of stories about the value of being on time and prepared. Maybe start with The Ant and the Grasshopper. We could even offer a one-semester class in self-discipline and self-respect. Come on, school rule people, be creative! There are ways to support punctuality and attendance that don't have to treat the rest of us as if we are troublemakers. Would it hurt to at least consider it? I know some very responsible students and teachers who would enjoy a little less pressure; and so, for one, would I.
Check this out if you don't remember the story: Who's Got Game?(hip version) or Walt Disney version
Today I am finally starting my blog. I have been threatening, er, promising to do this for awhile now, ever since I thought up the cool title. I share my wisdom with my students daily, and they, more often than not, nod in agreement, their faces lit up in wonderment at my skill in getting to the heart of the matter so precisely.
Which brings me to the problem of: Where to Begin? So Many Choices! I could speak about school schedules, curriculum, school days, school years, testing, students, teachers, teaching philosophy, attitudes, television shows, movies, politics, religion, culture, literature, sports(well, pretty much just football), travel, parenting, well, you get the idea.
I think I shall begin with one of my favorite themes: PASSING PERIOD DOESN'T CUT IT! At my school, we are all under the gun of being in class and ready for the period with no opportunity during the passing period to stop by the bathroom, locker, or, for teachers, the workroom.
Most of my students are where they are supposed to be, when they are supposed to be there, with what they are supposed to bring. In other words, they appear on time and prepared for the day at school, and scurry between classes and such, in order to be on time. Why, then, the punitive attitude towards them that requires me to track their tardies and keep them out of the halls? Don't tell me it's because students will take advantage if you let them. Students are very reasonable as a group. They will get to class on time, or as nearly on time as they are able to in a building this size with only five minutes between classes. There is nowhere nearly enough time to go to their locker, stop by the bathroom or water fountain, and then make it across the building. If students are malingering, find out why. Is the class boring? Do they think it's a waste of time? Are they hyped-up on sugar and caffeine and can't sit still? Just a little more time spent with them should be very informative.
The conventional administrative answer is that they can go to the bathroom during class. That certainly will not do. I need them in class, able to pay attention to the entire lesson, not just the part they are there for between bathroom and water fountain breaks. How I would love it if there were seven or eight minutes between classes, giving me an amount of time that allows me to send my concluding class on its way, set up for the next class, and then meet the students of that class as they enter, and also providing the students with an opportunity to go to the bathroom or whatever and to be ready to begin when class starts. There would be so many fewer distractions! I realize that crowd control is enhanced when all students are out of the halls within five minutes. If there are students with nothing to do, or who are getting into trouble, deal with them. I could see myself offering an after-school detention for repeat offenders. I would read them lots of stories about the value of being on time and prepared. Maybe start with The Ant and the Grasshopper. We could even offer a one-semester class in self-discipline and self-respect. Come on, school rule people, be creative! There are ways to support punctuality and attendance that don't have to treat the rest of us as if we are troublemakers. Would it hurt to at least consider it? I know some very responsible students and teachers who would enjoy a little less pressure; and so, for one, would I.
Check this out if you don't remember the story: Who's Got Game?(hip version) or Walt Disney version
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