On The End of The Grading Period

I spent most of Wednesday, Thursday and Friday emailing back and forth with a student athlete’s mother.
I don’t want to get into the details of WHY I’M RIGHT, but trust me. I am. And she’s wrong.
But I caved. The student’s principal was involved into the ridiculous conversation, and the parent even went up to school [...]

“Dammit, Jim! I’m a teacher, not a martyr!”

I didn’t grade a thing this weekend.  I didn’t plan one lesson.  But that’s OK.
(Yes, I’m still behind and will pay for it this week, but I’m still at peace with myself.)
Just because I have chosen to be a teacher does not mean I should be expected to slave away every weekend.  I need time [...]

So It Begins… Parent Conference Season

Does everyone have this wave of parent contacts at the end of the first grading period?
I had a parent phone call Tuesday, a student conference and a parent conference Wednesday, and two phone calls Thursday.  Pretty much they all went the same way:
Parent: “Why is my son/daughter failing?”
Me: “Because he/she is not doing the work.”
Parent: [...]

On Grading, and its Repercussions

Grades were due today.  Kids can check their grades online now, so we don’t even get a break between the hell of grading and the hell of report card day – it’s instant.
In my case, this online access to grades thing is even more of a problem – I’m a hopeless procrastinator.   Everything is left [...]

Excuse me while I toot my own horn…

The six weeks ended Friday, and grades are due tomorrow morning.  I’m still not even close to done grading…  but, as I was going through this one assignment, one of my students wrote this:
I just thought I would tell you that I really liked
this assignment.Even though it took a long time, I
like watching the videos [...]

Need a day off to catch up on work

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 [...]

Feeling accomplished… ish

My goal today was to leave school early enough to get my nails done.  I am happy to report I succeeded.
(Which makes it much easier to type this post, and the emergency lesson plans I still haven’t turned in even though they were due last week, and the grades I need to have in my [...]