For most of our kids this is when they realize that not turning in assignments actually does affect your grades, which unfortunately coincides with the due-date for Quarter grades. I keep repeating to myself the wise saying that I first read on the door of a professor's office at Bethel: "Failure to plan ahead on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part."
Well, it would be nice if it would stop right there but... that philosophy still doesn't protect you from the added details of responding to emails and phone calls from parents desperate for their children's make-up work, grading last-minute make-up tests, printing off grade sheets so kids can know what they're missing, and organizing resources to make up for time missed.
Today one of my homeroom kids found me in my classroom after school. I stopped what I was doing, pulled up the gradebook on my computer, printed off the gradesheet she was looking for, and walked with her down to the office, where the one printer in the building lives; all the while listening to her version of the story:
"My teacher just blew me off when I asked what I missed from class when I was gone. It would have taken her two seconds to tell me but she didn't want to talk about it. And then she wouldn't give me my grade sheet either. She didn't look like she was doing anything, she just said 'not now.' I don't understand why my teachers won't give me make-up work if I'm going to the effort of asking for it."
Hm. I couldn't think of anything to say that would induce the empathy and patience necessary to understand this situation, High schoolers aren't particularly well-know for empathy and patience to begin with.
I can't help but identify with the unnamed teacher... After a class period is over, it might as well be miles behind me because I'm needing to run a balancing act of the details for the upcoming classes, all five of them. If you ask me about history during a German class period, or vis versa, the chances are exponentially greater that I will not even remember what we were talking about during the class period in question... Not only that but now my train of thought has been derailed.
This year I have been doing a better job keeping a running tab on who is missing what, and how to put my hands on the resources they need the odd moments that they choose to ask me for them. But keeping absentee kids up to speed is still one of the most frustrating aspects of teaching.
I read a poem that I think of on days like today. The fact that I wish I could say this to my kids probably just highlights my not-so-latent anger about my role as a teacher...
But, well, I wouldn't say this to them, because I'm pretty sure it wouldn't really make they point I would hope for. They would just think I was another cryptic teacher refusing to give them what they need to succeed. I will just have to satisfy myself by posting it here.
Did I Miss Anything?
Tom Wayman
Nothing. When we realized you weren’t here
we sat with our hands folded on our desks
in silence, for the full two hours
we sat with our hands folded on our desks
in silence, for the full two hours
Everything. I gave an exam worth
40 percent of the grade for this term
and assigned some reading due today
on which I’m about to hand out a quiz
worth 50 percent
40 percent of the grade for this term
and assigned some reading due today
on which I’m about to hand out a quiz
worth 50 percent
Nothing. None of the content of this course
has value or meaning
Take as many days off as you like:
any activities we undertake as a class
I assure you will not matter either to you or me
and are without purpose
has value or meaning
Take as many days off as you like:
any activities we undertake as a class
I assure you will not matter either to you or me
and are without purpose
Everything. A few minutes after we began last time
a shaft of light suddenly descended and an angel
or other heavenly being appeared
and revealed to us what each woman or man must do
to attain divine wisdom in this life and
the hereafter
This is the last time the class will meet
before we disperse to bring the good news to all people
on earth.
a shaft of light suddenly descended and an angel
or other heavenly being appeared
and revealed to us what each woman or man must do
to attain divine wisdom in this life and
the hereafter
This is the last time the class will meet
before we disperse to bring the good news to all people
on earth.
Nothing. When you are not present
how could something significant occur?
how could something significant occur?
Everything. Contained in this classroom
is a microcosm of human experience
assembled for you to query and examine and ponder
This is not the only place such an opportunity has been
gathered
is a microcosm of human experience
assembled for you to query and examine and ponder
This is not the only place such an opportunity has been
gathered
but it was one place
And you weren’t here
From Did I Miss Anything? Selected Poems 1973-1993, 1993
Harbour PublishingOn a less cynical note, this really is a rough time of year for kids and my school is currently dealing with the backlash from a recent student's suicide. It's scary how many real disasters are right under the surface of the day-to-day functions in my classroom. I need social worker's training to do this job...
5 comments:
I think I had at least two high school teachers with that poem posted in their classrooms.
I know the exact feelings! Just in case you car, for absent work, I type up a list of what they missed, attach what they need, and put it in a folder. If they ask whether they missed anything, I ask them if they checked the homework folder. The answer is always no. It's worked pretty well for me the past year and change.
Good luck with the last-minute frenzy.
Oops! care, not car!
After eleven years in the Ohio classroom, I know the desparate thoughts and feelings around the "r" word- responsibility. Who or whom should look after 'my' assignments? Usually the teacher must. In my classrom I finally had sheet with subject names and space to write the infromation and assignments using carbon paper for multiple students for that day. It worked most of the time and it took time. the earlier 'homework' folder is another excellent idea.
I found the poem particularly helpful in reflecting on the 'extended ministries' many of my sheep seem to have been on recently. they do not even think they missed anything! Perhaps for adults and their families this is even worse than asking!
I'm an elementary art teacher and I feel your pain, even though we work with totally differert populations. I see them once a week, and see 21 other classes in between. When they ask me, or tell me, about something that happened the last time I saw them, I honestly often don't have a clue. And when they've missed a day, wow. With my limited schedule, it usually just can't be made up. It's a challenge. I haven't quite figured out how to deal with it yet. But I do usually make one or two extras of whatever we're working on, so if there's a second or third step, the ones who were gone have something to go forward with.
Post a Comment