Wednesday, February 27, 2008

I Just Need to Vent

This week is dragging. I want successful students. Seriously. I want them to become anything they want in life and be successful at it. I want, I want...I know, how selfish I do sound...

Darling Students Who Take Up Space in My Classroom Every Day,

A. I am not here for show. I actually have something to teach you. 3/4 of the year through and some of you are still struggling with this concept. Why?

B. Why to I have to raise my voice to get my point across? I've already said it 3 times normally, what is so special about the 'angry, I've had enough' voice? Should I talk like this all the time? Maybe then I would stop sounding so much like a parrot?

C. Cheating always fails you in the end. In this case, your final unit grade. Did you not notice that your test had either 'Test A' or 'Test B' written across the top? Usually B follows A and sometimes C even follows B. Keep your eyes on your own paper. In this case observance (and obedience) would have paid off.

D. On the observance note: If you are going to copy and paste material from the Internet, make sure you get all the material and not just part of it for your paper. That way I just fail you, not fail you and comment on how stupid you really are to other teachers.

E. I do not give too much homework. I give approximately 2 hours of classtime a week to work when it's all added up. What ARE you doing during this time? Do you not need it? Should I give you another assignment to fill in your 'bored' time?

F. When I write something on the board. Suggestion: Copy it down.

G. Assignments are not 'optional'. Really. It's how I assess what work you've done so I can allot a grade to you. Really.

H. Oh yeah - In case clarification is needed. I do not GIVE grades. You EARN them. Really. And all this time you thought you had no control over what you received in my class...silly you...

Sincerely,
Your Loving Teacher

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Might As Well Look Forward To It....

Since I'm turning 30 this year I figured I might as well mark it as a milestone and be happy about it. I"m not sure what the pros are right now, but I'm sure I'll come up with a few eventually...

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Help!

Alrighty girlies (and boys)...

I don't know how many of you realize that I live in the middle of nowhere and in order to get to a real store I must drive hours over snowy mountain passes...it makes things difficult. I also don't know how many of you realize how boring my social life is. Actually, let me rephrase that...how non-existant my social life is. It's not because I don't try, but it's really hard to meet girls here because almost all of them turn out to be complete losers. I mean it. Really. Not worth associating with. I'm still getting to know a lot of the women here at my new school, and they seem really nice and down to earth, but I've still yet to get to know them socially. I don't remember the last time I was out on a Friday or Saturday. Pathetic huh?

So just a big heartfelt, "THANKS!" for blogging 'cause it actually makes me feel like I still have friends! Yeah!

Ok - now after kissing up to you all...Brother's Wedding in June...

The Dress in Slate Silk Shantung with a thin sash rather than that big honkin' one.

But the shoes? No place to shop, nobody to ask...So Help! Please Vote to the Right! I need strappy silver heels of my choice. I've narrowed it down to these two:

Naturalizer Prissy

rsvp Joceline

However I will take other suggestions if you send me the URLs!

Time For a Change!

Since over 60% of the school was at Disctrict FBLA today I decided it was time to update my template after grading! I've been having way too much fun!

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Yet Another Soapbox

I'm feeling much better, though still a little sore. I'm down to a cracked rib feeling and can actually sneeze and cough with out feeling like I'm going to die. It's good enough I may even go skiing next weekend!

I'm really ready for a break. The Winter Holidays were a disaster due to the weather, and every time I've looked forward to something since then I've had to pass due to sickness. I'm like a string pulled too tight. I'm cranky. I need a Marguarita.

As much as I love working at this school this year, I'm thinking that disrespect and irresponsibility are nationwide problems. Everything 'sucks'. Everything is 'gay'. There is very little pride taken in work and most students aren't afraid to tell their teachers just how stupid they feel their class is and how worthless the work is. If I had EVER even tried a quarter of what these kids pull I would have been knocked into next week. What is happening to our youth? Why do schools (not this one thank God) feel that dumbing down the material will make the kids feel better about themselves? Why do parents allow them to talk back? Why is everything so 'feel good' when in fact it's lowering standards and making the kids who are trying to be something feel like no matter how hard they work somebody else with less drive is going to do just as well?

Sorry - I love to teach. There will always be little monsters in the classroom. I just didn't realize that as the years keep passing the monsters are outnumbering the hardworkers 2 to 1 and growing...It's very demoralizing and keeps getting harder and harder to deal with. I know teachers retiring based soley on how strongly they feel about this subject, so I know I'm not the only one.

I grew up in a family where education was considered important. Not just because education equals security, but because it was something many in my family had never had coming from another country. My grandparents worked hard to help their children have more than what they'd had growing up, and my parents worked hard to finish school and pass that on. Don't these kids realize how good they have it? Why are they so closeminded? They aren't even willing to look at things from another perspective. It's hard to attempt to relate material to a classroom when they are opposed to it before they even get into the room...or they have so little interest in anything that nothing can even be related.