It's already July!!

I cannot believe that July has already arrived. Happy birthday, America. You've given me everything I could have ever wanted in a country. As much as people get pissy and whiny and loud-mouthed about all the "terrible" things in this country, I think we all take forgranted sometimes the fact that we actually have the ability for others to hear our pissy moaning thanks to the wonders of free speech and advanced technology. I love America.


Some summer updates:

• 2009-2010 contracts were finally mailed to us on June 30th, the day our 2008-2009 contracts ended. It was nerve-wracking that the school took that long, but what can you do? In this economy, private schools are struggling too, just like the auto industry. I am looking forward to another year there to work on my practice and develop as an educator. I am also recognizing more and more each day that this is not my "forever" school. (The fact that opening my work email makes me nauseated in and of itself tells me that a new school is on the horizon for me in the next few years.) Don't get me wrong, I had a great experience this year: I have wonderful colleagues and love what I'm teaching. But the overall environment is not where I envision myself in the long-run. More on that another day, perhaps.
  

• I'm attending a few workshops in the coming weeks for social studies teachers, so that should be interesting and hopefully useful for my classes next year, if not just for the growth of my personal knowledge. Teachers should always be students.

• I have many many projects for myself this summer to be better organized personally and curricularly for next year. I have lots of things to think about in regards to how I manage my class, the types of assessments I require of my students, and how I would like a typical week to be structured. There are many things that you can't really anticipate in preparing for your first year, like how much homework is enough (depending on the expectations of your school) or how to adapt your teaching style to the culture of the school, or even how to allow students to use the bathroom during class. The bathroom thing sounds stupid, but I seriously had an issue with that this year... and I think my way of handling it was a little juvinile for 9th grade, and a little too lax for 10th grade. So, needless to say my summer to-do list is very long, and I have yet to start it. 4th of July weekend was my "deadline" for enjoying a work-free summer. So now it's time to start. I'm actually looking forward to it, though :)

Happy summer!

End of the year...

Finals are done. Grades are submitted. Personal student comments are due on Friday.

I can't believe my first year of teaching is OVER. I am relieved and excited, and not at all sad or nostalgic like I was expecting to be. It is time for summer.

I wish I had the energy to really reflect on my first year, but I'll save that for another day.

:)

Generation vs. Affluence vs. My Own Ignorance?

Yesterday was a really great day that turned really bad.

I have many paper conferences scheduled with my sophomores, as their 2nd research paper is due this Friday. Yesterday I met with 2 young men who needed some help with the structure and analysis of their papers. Both of them told me how much I helped them, and how much I have taught them about how to write a history research paper. *beam*

And then I heard about 3 instances that pretty much made me lose all faith in teenagers:

• One girl asked to move a quiz because she got back from a tennis tournament at 10p. I found out later that she actually got back at 6p. Do I seriously need a note to corroborate a story every time some kid gives me an excuse?
• One boy has apparently been hanging around another class while he "goes to the bathroom/locker" during my class. I am SURE he is not the only one. I have gone out on a LIMB for this kid SO MANY TIMES. What the heck.
• 2 freshmen girls apparently complain daily about how stupid they think I am and about how they could "teach themselves" better than I am teaching them. One currently has an 85% and the other, a 75%. Apparently being "only 8 years older" than them is more indicative of my knowledge and ability than my 2 college degrees.

I am unsure about where this comes from. Why do kids think that this type of behavior is acceptable? Where in the world are they learning this disrespect?

Is it a generational thing? Is this just how kids "are" today? Is the generational gap SO HUGE between them and me? I don't remember kids being this cruel and disrespectful to adults, but maybe I was just extremely naive and didn't realize that kids actually were this way when I was in high school. Maybe I was brought up to respect adults and didn't ever even consider putting one toe out of line. Maybe kids today are just brought up with a sense of entitlement that comes from... who knows where??

Does it have to do with affluence? Kids walk around this school all the time bragging and boasting about how they got a new Mercedes for their 16th birthday, or how their house was featured on some MTV teen "cribs" show, or how their grandparents just got some memorial named after them due to a huge donation. This is exactly the reason I was concerned about coming to this school in particular. These kids have no concept of reality and are severely lacking some moral values. Life is not about money... at least not for me. I get so frustrated being around people who DO value money over other things, like kindness, respect, empathy... they are not the type of people I want to surround myself with. And yet here I am. Are these kids' affluent lives causing them to lash out in a wave of disrespect?

Or am I just ignorant to the fact that I may not be demanding respect? How do I do this? I always thought that when you give respect, you get respect. What else can I do for these kids? I respect them by believing what they tell me is true, and they take advantage of me. I respect them by carefully preparing and planning lessons to engage and educate them, and they insult my intelligence. Do I need to be a hard-nosed "mean" teacher for kids to have respect for me? What does it take?!

People keep telling me that "this is just how it is here for your first year... or two." I don't accept that excuse. Kids are being a-holes and someone needs to call them out. Apparently their parents aren't doing it. I AM SICK OF IT.

Not a good day for me. :( My confidence and morale is shot. I am ready for the year to be over.