Students, am I right? The last two weeks they're riding my nerves!

Should I be frustrated that a girl pretends to cough really loudly on occasion during class to get her friends to laugh? 

It was Monday seventh period. We had a few things to do: some kids had 25 minutes to finish a research paper while others read their independent novel; then we went over about 20 poetry terms for a fast-track poetry unit until finals in two weeks. Following this I introduced "Invictus"--a favorite poem.  I said it aloud from memory (they seemed unimpressed)  and told them they would memorize the first verse and the last two lines.  I also used it to teach rhyme scheme and metaphor and tone--ummm applause for doing my job? 

 Then we read LONG WAY DOWN by  Jayson Reynolds together for 20 minutes. I had two great volunteers, and they all were basically into the book. But I HAD gotten pretty tense with them before we started. They were being chatty and enervating. I said, "No one is going to be talking during this. If you're not into it be on your phone but don't bother the rest of us." No one was on their phone. Then I had them read a section alone which took them 12 minutes (I was hoping 20).  Sigh. They also have 1500 word  journals due (I read two entries they mark in yellow and give feedback). Again, atta girl for showing up!

Monday it just seemed like I was having to snap at them all day. 

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NOW it's Friday, and again, some kids were just kind of  disrespectful. For example, a kid whipped a marble across the room in my direction when they were "discussing" LONG WAY DOWN. The boys were on the floor, and I told the group to go back to their seats.  Two hadn't moved a bit a minute later.  (They didn't think I was talking to them.) I told them all to stay after. It  was easy to figure out who whipped the marble (he confessed) but he said he just rolled it. (I saw it bounce off the wall.) I just hate casual lying. Also, rolling marbles was certainly not part of the discussion.

I think it's maybe too late in the year for small group discussions. I even tried them with AP Lit today and most really half as$ed it, too.  I am at this awesome school. I'm not sure why I'm such a whiner about some attitude the last two weeks of school--how big of a deal is a MARBLE? And when the distracted behavior happened three times in one day, I have to ask if I am the problem.  

My seniors are gone and I am missing their maturity, I think.  They really did what I asked, or if I said, "Get back on it," they immediately did. I love the extra free periods, but I was sad, sad to see them go. Those were the good ol' days.

SO, I'm calling an audible and I'm going to have 7th period stay in their desks and individually write the answers to the questions.  I think it will go better for ME for sure. 

I took this break during lunch to write (complain).

I'm feeling a little sorry for myself. I've also got 54 research papers to read by Tuesday. They're freshmen essays so they're not that long. But still, even at 10-11 minutes each.... (I'm not a fast grader.)  I AM the one who assigned them to come in 9 days before the end of the semester.

Suck it up, T.  Only 4 days left with kids after this, and then 3 days of workshop.  

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A FINAL SHIFT FOR THE WIN!!!

We did a LARGE GROUP discussion 7th period, and it went well! If I hadn't been so lazy maybe it would have been better in all the English 9 periods.  It was even fun!  We discussed a lot.  It is sometimes about the teacher's approach. Actually, it is about our approach most of the time, I'm guessing. (That said, it is the last two weeks of school--they're for sure kind of antsy.) 

I hope your last couple weeks go well.  I do think it's maybe me---not setting the tone I generally do? I have a three-day weekend to forget about it!

"I am the master of my fate! I am the captain of my soul." William Ernest Henley from "Invictus" 

*It's my dad's favorite poem!