How is one expected to teach seniors in June considering the haphazard schedule of the previous weeks?  Let's see: weeks of state standardized testing, days off from unused snow days (hooray!), our art show (hooray!), seniors come in fourth period on the days of state Biology testing, and the prom and graduation are looming or here.  I don't know how any of us are keeping these kids focused.  One girl told me when her teacher tried to get the class to take notes, the class just laughed.  No parent or guardian wants to deal with these kids right now.  And we are still trying to teach.  My non-seniors are working on their projects like crazy.  Periods 1 and 2?  Damn, the work is great and the energy is electric.  Periods 5 and 7?  Ugh.  Just ugh.  And they know they are getting zeros for class participation and they will receive zeros for not completing their projects.  But they just do not care.  Why?  They have done the math and know that with the automatic 50 on the report card, they still pass for the year.  Even though these are the top failing grades I have for this marking period:  7, 8, 9, 11, 12.  Yes, you read that right.  And they are proud of it.  But there are no ramifications whatsoever.  You might say "write them up!' and to that I say "that doesn't make a difference."  What do they get?  A detention or two? It makes no difference at all.

My suggestions?  First, skip the BS of letting seniors come in late on days that have testing they are not involved in.  The fact that they can miss those early periods sends a message that the learning in those classes is inconsequential.  Nothing is really being missed.  The other thing I would fix is let the fourth marking period grade stand.  Do not bump that up to a 50.  Bumping the fourth marking period grade up disproves the reasons given for the practice in the first place.  If the students grades are so low for the first three marking periods, there has not been a turn around in effort, therefore the grade earned should stand as is.

I will keep trying to teach this week.  I have the projects due, there will be one more journal entry for my level two classes, we have QBAs to prepare for.  I am not done despite what the students try to tell me.  You see, I teach in such a way and have expectations that mirror my work ethic as a teacher and student.  I worked until the very last day of school and I expect my kids to.  I never had such disdain for my teachers to brush them off when they were trying to teach me.  I hated school.  I had personal things going on.  I get it.  But I never slacked and never stopped trying.