Maybe it's because we're all in desperate need of a break. Maybe it's because I haven't had any added sugar or alcohol for more than 30 days. Maybe it's the supermoon. I've just been out of sorts a bit this week, and today I finally got a fed up with caring more than my students do. Remember the book Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry Allard and James Marshall? I have an alter ego, too. She showed up today, but not in the form of a substitute. During my first years of teaching in Missouri, a student gave me the nickname Miss Honey because I was so sweet. I'm not making this up. And the fact is, I rarely lose my cool in the classroom. This isn't a humble brag like you might say in a job interview, though. I openly tell my students that I rarely get angry, and they will hardly ever hear me raise my voice. I just don't think it's worth the spike in blood pressure. This can be a weakness, though. I'm too nice. I get too lenient with deadlines. I'm reflective to a fault. If students aren't doing their work, I overanalyze until somehow I've decided it's my fault (sometimes, yes, it is, but not all the time) and then readjust lesson plans and schedules. Today, however, Miss Honey lost her cool. It started 2nd hour. Every day for the entire year we've done the same thing when the bell rings in English 2. We settle into our seats with independent reading books and read for ten minutes. This is routine, but for nearly every single day this year, I've had to provide the same boy with a gentle reminder. That's usually all it takes, but this week he, too, has been out of sorts because of some drama in his first hour class. Today when he was whining and avoiding his book at the beginning of class, I sternly said, "I've had enough of your whining this week. Either pick up your book and read or head to the office. I'm done." He chose the book with a side of heavy sighing. Then fifth hour rolled along. Four students were scheduled to give informative presentations on a dream destination. We've worked on the project for nearly two weeks, and they've known since Monday that their day was today. Three of the four informed me at the beginning of class that they weren't prepared. I sighed heavily and reminded them that their grade would be reduced as we discussed at the beginning of the year. Then I walked down the hall to quickly commiserate with another teacher. "Make them give it," she said. So I did. I walked back down to my room, told the prepared student to get ready to present, and told the other three to march across the hall to the media center and do some last-minute preparations. They would present after lunch. And they did after much heavy sighing of their own. I'm guessing a few of my students in other classes had choice words to describe me today, too. Several of my English 2 and American Novel students have not been doing their assigned readings in Of Mice and Men and To Kill a Mockingbird. I've seen them waste provided class time, and I've read their responses that sound shockingly like Sparknotes. So today I gave a quick reading "quiz." I printed out the Sparknotes summaries for the chapters they had several days to read, and then asked them to point out at least three inaccuracies or missing details in the chapter. I saw lots of nervous glances and read several hilarious answers. After the "quiz" we talked about what they miss when they rely only on online summaries. It probably wasn't a lasting lesson, but for today, I felt some satisfaction. I'm sure the teaching gurus who write the books with the perfect strategies and ideal classes would not be pleased with my methods today. I apologize to Penny Kittle and Kelly Gallagher and the other mentor teachers that I try to emulate. Today was not my best day. Miss Honey will TRY to return tomorrow, but if she can't, she will surely be back after Thanksgiving.
1 Comment
Allison Berryhill
11/17/2016 09:43:20 pm
I loved this. Thank you for telling it like it is. If I've inspired you to get to the page, I've been well paid! Keep writing.
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