English and journalism teacher. Reader. Writer. Photographer. Wife. Music-lover. Doggy momma.
I’m pretty sure Shakespeare was envisioning an English teacher when he wrote Macbeth’s “Tomorrow and tomorrow” speech.
My break isn’t next week. It’s the week after. And third quarter grades are due. On Tuesday.
So, I’ll be grading tomorrow. And tomorrow. And tomorrow.
First one: plagiarized.
Second one: plagiarized.
Me if I weren’t at the coffee shop:
So instead of grading essays today, I’m perusing ModCloth’s curvy sizes section and wishing I had more money to spend on clothes.
Soon I’ll be baking cookies for Christmas Eve dinner tonight.
Both of these are positive alternatives to my desire to burn all of my 5th period students’ essays.
and watching the Of Mice and Men movie with my freshmen before reading the book. They are eating it up and analyzing without much prompting.
hours of prep and agonizing over the fact that I feel like I have no idea what I’m doing. I have no idea what the kids need regarding background and context. I have no idea how I’m going to get through a novel in 5 weeks. And I have no idea why someone hired me to do this very important job.
This turned into a long self-loathing rant. So I’ll just put this jump link thing here. Save yourselves.
It’s interesting that the worse my weeks are, the more John Green gifs I reblog.
However, today, I’m content. Through reading and revising about 100 personal statements from my seniors, I have gotten to know them as writers and people. Also, they’ve gotten to know me through my revision suggestions. I feel like I’ve been able to show them I care about their writing through the time and effort I put into understanding their point of view.
I wasn’t thrilled when I was told by the administration I had to do this. I’m not going to lie. I had already assigned an essay. I was working on other things. I had no idea how to teach personal statements. I was a bit frustrated.
Now, I’m glad. Next year, it’ll be the first assignment.
There are a couple of teachers who are new to our school this year and many students dislike them greatly. Students who are fine in my class are regularly kicked out of their classes. Students who are usually B students are failing their classes. I don’t often take what students say about other teachers seriously. I am professional in my responses to such comments and do not affirm them in any way. When I hear several students talk about the same teachers though, I pay attention to what they say.
They say that the teacher doesn’t care about them. The teacher doesn’t understand them. They don’t understand the teacher. The teacher doesn’t help them. The teacher scares them.
I know I’m not a perfect teacher. I know I’m weak in several ways. I also know I’m new and learning. And I also know that the majority of my students like me.
Teachers who assign writing assignments have a special privilege. We get to know our students. If we join the revision conversation, they get to know us as well. And that makes even the toughest of weeks bearable because we all feel like we’re in it together. And even if it’s hard and there’s a lot of work, at least we like who we’re working with.
I’ve spent 10 hours grading this weekend and I’m having a hard time focusing on objects that are more than a foot away from my face.
It’s frustrating when most of my weekend is dedicated to grading, and I never get everything done.
On a positive note, I’m cooking the chicken for the enchiladas in the crock pot with green chile enchilada sauce, and it smells amazing.
I actually felt an improvement while running. Like I’m actually getting somewhere.
Today I had a “slow clap” moment in one of my classes, and it was awesome.
Yesterday I wrote my first referral of the year.
Yesterday a student told me he had attempted suicide a few weeks ago and had been in the hospital. He was explaining why he wanted to make-up so much missed work.
Today I saw the same student in a terrible argument with a girl I’m assuming is his girlfriend. It really bothered me. I wanted to give him a hug. But he was literally running after her with all of her things. Because she had thrown all the things on the ground. And he picked them up. For her. But he did take a second to turn around and say, “Sorry, Ms. G.” I’m assuming he was apologizing for her language.
Today, my English students presented their own mythical creatures to the class, and I am always astounded and impressed by their creativity. One of the creatures poops diamonds. Another poops rainbows.
It’s been a weird week. And it’s only Tuesday.
How do you conduct a mock trial? This is a great way to end the school year around a topic of interest. Whether it is “is the White star line liable for the Titanic” or other question of interest to the students, with the fascination many have with shows like Law and Order or Judge Judy or other trials, this would be a good way to help students see how the legal system works.
Our old government teacher used to do this! The kids would ask people from the community, other teachers, or students outside of class to come in and play witnesses. It was great.
I do this at the end of Romeo & Juliet. Students question the Friar, the parents, Tybalt’s ghost, and Romeo and Juliet’s ghosts. The rest of the cast are witnesses. It’s so fun. :)
Background on courtroom vocabulary is essential! Students also spend lots of time citing evidence from the text.
He was always a little clingy. Clamoring for attention in class. Participating more than normal. Asking unnecessary questions so he would have my and the class’s attention.
But he was earning a B+. He was respectful. I didn’t mind him so much.
Then he got suspended. Caught with a glass weapon in his backpack. Nearly expelled. He was out of school for three weeks.
When he came back, he was quiet, withdrawn. He did not ask to make up work. He did not seem concerned with anything we were doing in class.
Soon his participatory demeanor came back, but his work ethic was still missing. Left behind at the expulsion hearing, maybe. He is still respectful, to me at least, though he regularly calls his math teacher a bitch. He is still clamoring for attention. He is not doing any work.
He is, however, wearing a lot of red. Not school spirit red, which is really more of a maroon, but gang red. Norteno red.
I called his mom. Set up a conference. She did not seem surprised nor concerned that a teacher was calling home to set up said conference. I organized a whole support team. Math teacher, science teacher, assistant principal, academic counselor, and mom. I’m his English teacher. Meeting time, date, place confirmed.
Day of the conference. No one shows up.
Conference is rescheduled for the following week. Mom promises to be there. Counselor calls to remind her. Teachers re-confirm.
Day of second conference. No one shows up. Not even the kid, whom the counselor and reminded at the beginning of the day, and whom I had reminded later in the day. Just an hour before the meeting.
What else can I do? He has already been jumped into the gang. His mom either can’t or doesn’t care. His other teachers have given up on him. Written him off as another gang kid.
And the thing is, I don’t teach in an urban area where there are many gang kids. This is a suburban, farming community. We don’t have a huge gang problem. He’s not just another gang kid.
He’s a freshman. There’s still hope for him.
I’m just afraid he’s already made his decision.
He might be OK with ending up dead or in prison in a few years if it means getting some consistent acceptance and attention right now. He’s clearly not getting it at home or in school.
So what else can I really do?
