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June 05, 2006
Summer Teaching?
Well, at least that's what I though I was doing. I started out with 10 students, and am now down to 8. I guess what perplexes me the most is the idea that summer sessions are less rigorous than the regular semester, when we all know that the exact opposite is true! Summer session can be muy dificil, not to mention all encompassing for those students that hate to work in the summer. I guess after all the experience I've had teaching middle and high schoolers, I shouldn't be surprised by anything, but when students don't do their work and then get an attitude because they get a (less than) mediocre grade, I have to chuckle to myself. Now, of course it would be blasphemous to say that all my students behave this way, especially when I have a few really smart cookies in the class. Now, they know how to do summer session-always on top of their game, and always ready to push back whenever I make a claim that they disagree with. These are the types of students that plain ole make me happy. The others, well the truth is that on some level I feel like I am failing them in some small way. There has to be a way to engage them (she claimed romantically!) and get them to love writing as much as the rest of us do. Even if they truly hated it, I'd be happy...at least then I'd be able to cling to the old adage of there being a thin line between love and hate. I guess I should just be happy with the fact that I don't have an entire class of disinterested prisoners, although sometimes they look at me like I am their personal warden!
And can we please get some new excuses! I'm sorry but the note from Epstein’s Mother is just soooo played out. Even dorky Mr. Kotter didn't fall for that stuff. Just once I would like to hear that they missed class because of an exotic disease, or that they have to miss class because their going to MTV's TRL to be a vee-jay and become famous. Excuses for Dummies, anyone?
Posted by dvaldesd at June 5, 2006 06:16 PM
Comments
So, what happened? Which kid gave you an excuse?
Posted by: Tamika at June 7, 2006 01:25 PM
Well, the ones that never come to class. But you know they are the same ones that are shocked when they fail the course! Whatever...
Posted by: Denise at June 7, 2006 03:46 PM