I don’t know why when people call me in the afternoon, they seem shocked to find me a sleep. If I don’t have an afternoon practice, why wouldn’t I come home and go to sleep? Don’t people realize that teachers are exhausted this time of year? Does there always have to be something wrong? Aren't adults allowed to have naps on non weekend days? And no, I'm not sick. No, I'm not pregnant. I don’t know why I am offended –because I’m grown. I have every right to come home and go to sleep. I don’t have any children or a husband—all I have is this job right now. I deserve to sleep and sleep well. I earn time off and my sleep.
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Meanwhile, it is testing week, again. I don’t feel like I’m accomplishing much with my students. We are discussing the Rwandan genocide in World History. The sad part about all this is that I don’t have very many grades for any of my classes. It is difficult to create assignments when you are not teaching. For the practical law class, I gave them a packet of work to do. One of the seniors said to me, “Miss A., I’m a senior. I don’t know why you are giving me all this work, when I only have one week left. Honestly, we are finished.”
My response, “Student F, I don’t have any grades for you, what should I do, when I can’t teach you for the 3 weeks you are here.”
Student F, “Oh . . . .well, are you going to give us time in class to work on it?”
“You have the whole hour. AND its not due until Friday.”
Anyone else have a better solution to this type of problem? Seniors only have me for 3 weeks out of a 6 week term and two of it has been spent in state testing? Just give everyone an A? I really believe that kids have to earn their grades. Thats why I love my freshman, they know they have 3 more years of work. They can't even use the end of year excuse.
My adventures as a young urban teacher: lesson ideas, classroom blunders, funny students, & complaints on this journey. In the summer, I plan to share some of my awe-inspiring, earth shattering & just plain senseless musings.
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This blog design is under construction. Don't you love the new graphic . . . but I can't figure out how to make it work with blogger. . . when my head stops hurting, I'll fix it! Meanwhile, pardon my mess.
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Blog Archive
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2007
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May
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- I just don't know what to do with myself . . .
- The last bell has rang . . .
- Two days left!!!!
- Taking Suggestions for a new name
- The Drama Queen Quit!
- “The N word is fraught with such enormous pain.” –...
- I'm tired Rant
- Singing the Hallelujah chorus . . . .
- We should be more careful about who gets diplomas ...
- Teachers Appreciation & Mothers Day
- 12 days left. . . . .I'm striking the up the drums
- A rant about sleeping and giving grades
- 15 days and counting. . . .
- Personal Vent
- The Countdown has started. . . . 18 days left!
- Procrastination will be the death of me
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May
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2 comments:
re: sleeping - i totally take a nap any afternoon i don't have to be doing something else. two days a week i have afternoon classes, so i cant, but the other days, i'm all about jumping into bed as soon as i get home. i think we teachers deserve it. :)
People who aren't teachers don't understand the exhaustion. My first many years I was in contact with students 12 hours a day. I had about an hour between school and extra curricular, so I'd go home and nap.
How are you when school finally ends? I used to freak my parents out when I'd go visit right after school ended and then spend the first week on the couch either sleeping or just sitting their like a zombie. After a few summers like that they realized what a tough job I had and how much it took out of me.
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