Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Pains, Panes, Ties, & Sighs.
These past few weeks I have been out of sorts. One might think that with graduate school commitments out of the way that new extracurricular possibilities would open up and I would finally be able to catch up on my leisure reading, take that cooking class I always talked about, and maybe find some time to actually hang out and relax. But so far as March is concerned it seems this is not to be. If anything, things are becoming more hectic, with the imminent arrival of spring break adding energy to an already frenzied classroom system.
Not that my students would recognize the thermodynamic allusion. And why is that? Because I've scrapped heat. Yup. Three laws of thermodynamics...not that important. We're done with power, work, and energy and have moved on to electricity! And for 3.5 of my classes, things are going pretty much on track with my new unit plan. Just like all of my best teachers used to do in high school and college, I have now provided my students with a full list of the assignments and material to be covered for the next 2.5 weeks, straight through April 1. (No fooling!) And although my coverage is painfully basic (e.g. Coulomb? Who cares what that is?), the Iron Fist [TM] must be used to somewhat dramatic effect because between testing, spring break, and various assemblies, etc., the year is practically over. We need to get to chemistry, damnit.
Unfortunately the fact that we are nearly into the 4th marking period has not been lost on my students, many of whom have failed the rest of the year. And only now do they realize it may be too late for them to turn around! Which means that during say, a test like last Friday, students basically say "this test is too hard" and resign themselves to failure. I had one student literally throw a test out and tell me he'd see me in summer school. Another student in that class got a zero. She didn't cheat. She just didn't get any answers right. At all. On a multiple choice test. Figure the odds on that!
Last period has become something of a nightmare. I believe they are simply incapable of quiet work. Or even listening for a period longer than 30 seconds. Rewards (pizza parties, fun experiments, etc.) have not proven an effective incentive, so I had hoped punishment might work. They no longer receive my pre-made note sheets and today I loaded on the busy work, telling them that was all they seemed ready to receive from me. Paradoxically, but perhaps fittingly, the response has bene the exact opposite of that intended. They see the dittos, etc. as a chance to do more work and raise their grade.
Which may work for some, but not all. Like the girl who stood up in the middle of class on Monday, and upon being asked where she was going told me she was "packing her shit and going home." She stormed off with 15 min. left in the period and slammed my door, shattering all the glass in the one remaining original window. So now anyone can let themselves in my room. Which is just great for encouraging a climate of work and study, believe you me. One kid came over to my room and I tapped him on the shoulder with my eraser to nudge him away and get him to his class. He got angry and said I had to wipe that shit off. When I refused to comply, he grabbed my tie and used it to wipe it off. And I had no response. Because if I had given into instinct, slammed the kid into the locker and told him off, I would face almost certain disciplinary action.
So I guess the general mood for me at Underwood right now is malaise and moderate despair. My first 3 classes I can usually teach something, and my penultimate class is ok especially when I talk about historically themed topics. (Today's lesson: Nikola Tesla and his amazing Death Ray!) But last period is a travesty of a joke. And sadly I see no escape before spring break.
My five day, extended weekend joke of a spring break.
For now, I'm off to bed in a vain attempt to recapture my old morning routine. Let's see if I don't wake up with a feeling of sickness or dread in my stomach!
These past few weeks I have been out of sorts. One might think that with graduate school commitments out of the way that new extracurricular possibilities would open up and I would finally be able to catch up on my leisure reading, take that cooking class I always talked about, and maybe find some time to actually hang out and relax. But so far as March is concerned it seems this is not to be. If anything, things are becoming more hectic, with the imminent arrival of spring break adding energy to an already frenzied classroom system.
Not that my students would recognize the thermodynamic allusion. And why is that? Because I've scrapped heat. Yup. Three laws of thermodynamics...not that important. We're done with power, work, and energy and have moved on to electricity! And for 3.5 of my classes, things are going pretty much on track with my new unit plan. Just like all of my best teachers used to do in high school and college, I have now provided my students with a full list of the assignments and material to be covered for the next 2.5 weeks, straight through April 1. (No fooling!) And although my coverage is painfully basic (e.g. Coulomb? Who cares what that is?), the Iron Fist [TM] must be used to somewhat dramatic effect because between testing, spring break, and various assemblies, etc., the year is practically over. We need to get to chemistry, damnit.
Unfortunately the fact that we are nearly into the 4th marking period has not been lost on my students, many of whom have failed the rest of the year. And only now do they realize it may be too late for them to turn around! Which means that during say, a test like last Friday, students basically say "this test is too hard" and resign themselves to failure. I had one student literally throw a test out and tell me he'd see me in summer school. Another student in that class got a zero. She didn't cheat. She just didn't get any answers right. At all. On a multiple choice test. Figure the odds on that!
Last period has become something of a nightmare. I believe they are simply incapable of quiet work. Or even listening for a period longer than 30 seconds. Rewards (pizza parties, fun experiments, etc.) have not proven an effective incentive, so I had hoped punishment might work. They no longer receive my pre-made note sheets and today I loaded on the busy work, telling them that was all they seemed ready to receive from me. Paradoxically, but perhaps fittingly, the response has bene the exact opposite of that intended. They see the dittos, etc. as a chance to do more work and raise their grade.
Which may work for some, but not all. Like the girl who stood up in the middle of class on Monday, and upon being asked where she was going told me she was "packing her shit and going home." She stormed off with 15 min. left in the period and slammed my door, shattering all the glass in the one remaining original window. So now anyone can let themselves in my room. Which is just great for encouraging a climate of work and study, believe you me. One kid came over to my room and I tapped him on the shoulder with my eraser to nudge him away and get him to his class. He got angry and said I had to wipe that shit off. When I refused to comply, he grabbed my tie and used it to wipe it off. And I had no response. Because if I had given into instinct, slammed the kid into the locker and told him off, I would face almost certain disciplinary action.
So I guess the general mood for me at Underwood right now is malaise and moderate despair. My first 3 classes I can usually teach something, and my penultimate class is ok especially when I talk about historically themed topics. (Today's lesson: Nikola Tesla and his amazing Death Ray!) But last period is a travesty of a joke. And sadly I see no escape before spring break.
My five day, extended weekend joke of a spring break.
For now, I'm off to bed in a vain attempt to recapture my old morning routine. Let's see if I don't wake up with a feeling of sickness or dread in my stomach!
