Does ANY teacher enjoy the end of the quarter?
I vehemently answer...NO.
The end of the quarter means that students in all walks of grade lives come pouring in during every spare moment (and the not-so-spare moments) to grub for grades that they clearly did not earn.
Typically, my response is a hand in the face accompanied by a "be gone" or "skadoosh." Sometimes, I keep sputtering out gibberish every time they try to speak. Eventually, they grow so annoyed that they walk away. Now, some of you might be thinking I'm a wicked witch whose heart blood runs cold.
On the contrary, like most teachers, I spent all quarter offering every ever-living opportunity for success. I give up planning periods to meet with students about essays. I post homework online, on the back board, and I always go over it verbally before class ends. I spend hours making graphic organizers and I scaffold like a boss. Yet, despite my efforts, some rapscallions still act like rapscallions and presume quite ridiculously that I will, through no effort of their own, promote them from rapscallion to royalty.
No dice.
This quarter, here is what I think in my head when they approach me, or I see that I'm-thinking-about-harassing-you-about-my-grade twinkle in their adolescent eyes:
Oh, I'm sorry, student. You want to raise your grade at the very last minute? Let's talk about wants for a moment. I DON'T want to move all of my shit from a house to an apartment, close on my house on Halloween (and take a "sick day" in order to do so), find time to sign the apartment lease, continue my hour commute, get all of my letters of recommendation in by Friday (to an online system that is making all of us teachers want to flick someone in the eyeball), go to the market because one more day of bagged rice is unacceptable, put up with your end-of-the-quarter-I-should've-done-it-when-you-assigned-it jackassery, or deal with these very angry, grudge-wielding lady parts of mine. In summary, we do not always get what we want. Sometimes, we get everything we don't want. In one week. Don't say you never learned anything in English class.
Since I've packed up all of my clothes but the ones I picked out for this week, I'm crossing my fingers that the weather doesn't go all hormonal on us and sprint back to 80 degrees. Otherwise, I might be forced to buy new clothes instead of digging mine out of boxes. Liiiike I need another excuse...
The Outfit:
Cardigan: Old Navy (current--I lurrrve the pink one.)
Top: Old Navy ($10 on the clearance rack. Boom.)
Black Jeans: NY & Co.
Boots: Madden Girl
Scarf: No idea...I own too many. I mean, not enough.
The Details:
Occasion: What'd Cher from Clueless call it? "Riding the crimson waves?" Does anyone remember that part of the movie? Anyway, I was in the same boat (look at this water imagery go), so dark bottoms all week it is. Okay, that's not the "occasion." Teaching is the occasion, but whatever.
Comments: You can sort of tell in the second photo that this cardigan has sparkly elbows. How delicious. I think the detailing on the boots is tubular. My scarf has some sparkle in it, too, but I don't think you can tell in pictures. I was comfortable and felt pulled together. Need I say more?
Linking up with Molly.
So, this totally cracked me up. 7th graders are however not motivated by a gpa, but rather the ability to go to the school dance or football game. No, at 3:35 when the game starts at 4 I will not let you do anything to raise your f to a c so you can go to the game.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah I feel ya. All that whining and complaining the last few days of the marking period makes me so mad, because they are making me feel like it's MY fault they have the grade they have. ARGH. Anyways, the sparkle from your scarf and elbow patches are cute!
ReplyDeleteOn the bright side, your outfit is adorable. And I just dealt with those students last week. I feel ya there.
ReplyDeleteThis is lovely! The combination of the light colored sweater, shirt, and scarf is really unexpectedly beautiful. Love those boots, too!
ReplyDeleteSparkly elbows?! If that's not the perfect detail, I don't know what is. The end of the semesters are the worst for me-- students knocking on my door and emailing me left and right to ask for extra credit, or to argue that they deserve a better grade. So frustrating.
ReplyDeleteThose boots are seriously adorable!! I love the button details along the sides. And I live by the wise words of that English philosopher who said "One can never have too many scarves, only not enough neck to wear them all at once." Smart guy that one.
ReplyDeleteLauren
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