Last week, I had morning hall duty every day. Started the week with Meet the Teacher night Monday, then had meetings after school Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday - actually two meetings on Thursday.
Can you tell how fun this week was?
I hate having my kids waiting outside my classroom door before 1st period. I want to be in the room in the morning, not babysitting the downstairs hall.
(Of course, the highlight of the week was getting an email from one of the VPs Wednesday, reminding us we had hall duty all week. “Reminding” us mid-week sends the message that someone is “forgetting” to be at his or her post, therefore comes across as “scolding.” This “irritates” me.)
Hopefully this week will be better – less meetings, more time WORKING (i.e., grading). Then again, it’s the last week of the six weeks, which always means chaos.
How many times can I explain to a student that I DO NOT ACCEPT LATE WORK, no matter how creative your “reasons” are?
1 Comment
October 27, 2008 at 7:15 pm
I am with you on the not accepting late work. I’ve tried saying, “I don’t care,” whenever they tell a story, but that has only affected one or two of them.
On the other hand, I had this conversation.
Student: I left my homework at home because my neighbor’s cat threw a hairball up on it.
Me: And …
Student: I know you don’t take late work.
Me: So why the story?
Student: I just wanted you to know that I wasn’t bailing on you. I mean, I tried. I want you to think highly of me. Oh, and I took a picture of my homework with my cameraphone just in case you didn’t believe me.
(And lo and behold, there was a picture of his homework, complete with hairball, on the screen of his phone which he wasn’t supposed to have in school.)
So that started me thinking that perhaps the creative excuses were for saving their reputations rather than their grades.