FINAL PUSH: Two weeks left and some teachers are packing up?

 

This is something I don't understand. Maybe it's because I prep kids for an AP Lit and an AP Lang test in May. It puts me a bit behind in other grading, especially addressing late work. My husband fell down a flight of stairs in October, and I missed about five weeks of school this year--a lot. So I am doing a final push now (but I always do a final push). I (call me crazy) started an MLA research paper with English 9 on Monday. Most have the research done, have done a graphic organizer, and will throw together an outline from an example I put online Monday. It's very short: 2.5-4 pages. They have to have four sources, an anecdote or a scenario, acknowledgement of the opposition, and a works cited. 

I have been impressed so far! These freshmen have hunkered down this week. This is especially cool because they just turned in a personal essay Friday (they were also trickling in this week). They are gonna pull it off. So this weekend I will read 3 classes worth of English 9 personal narratives (1.5-3 pages). I (is it unusual?) give lots of feedback and allow revision. I refuse to use a rubric on a freakin' personal essay, so I grade wholistically. Next week Friday I will hopefully have most of the research papers so I can grade those over the three-day weekend.

I am that English teacher who uses the 3 work days after students leave.  First,  I grade the semester tests and any late work, then finish all pd stuff that I put off because I was busy teaching and grading. Following this, I work on cleaning my room and do book inventory. With grades due Tuesday during the work days, some of the teachers were complaining about having to be there Wednesday? "What are we supposed to do? Look at each other?" Tell you what. I'll have plenty to do. (Am I bragging, complaining, or both?)

AP Lang kids are done (seniors). By the end, AP Lit will have read OF MICE AND MEN, done a group podcast  over OMAM and the other texts from the semester, and  they are also writing a 4-6 page short story! That is their final--I told them to pick 2 pages they want me to respond to, and they were cool with that.  They are working with small groups of reviewers--kinda cool. The freshman semester test will be on paper. At least I'm not prepping a ton at this point! Everything is assigned and explained (except for inserting citations and freshmen semester test review)--finally kids just have a lot of work time from here on out. As they work I will be checking research organizers and outlines, and Monday teaching them citation, reviewing for the semester test next Wednesday, but I'm cool with that.

So, busy. I've got circumstances, but I have always been one of those "teach until things close down" girls. How are people covering their bookcases, printing things for next year, planning a new prep for next year, doing inventory already? Shit. I finally asked them. "How are you doing all that? I'm buried." They said, "Well, I do it at home on my own time." (I work most nights and many hours on the weekend and view it as part of the job with student work.) They have something figured out that I don't. 

I guess this is kind of a bitter post, but I think it's half that I don't get how they pull it off and half jealousy.  At least half jealousy.  Just because I'm work my arse off doesn't mean that they can't cut things off early enough that they can get all the extra tidying up and planning for next year done before the post-student work days. Also, my pushing my kids hard until the end feels like a necessity to me. I want them to learn a bit more--learn until the end. In their defense, I don't know what they're doing with the students--just that they are closer to being done in so many ways than I am.

Wow. I'm the best. 

Many will think I'm a martyr. But I'll soon be done just like everyone else. It'll be a slog, but like I said, my kids seem into it! It will be not until 5:00 the last day of post-student work days. But then I will be done, too. I will be done then, too.

What's more? These other teachers are absolutely effective educators! They will likely offer to help me that last day as they have in the past, because they're so freaking nice (and efficient). It's not their FAULT they're organized or finished most  important things earlier in the semester. I do have wicked ADHD which makes me kind of an outlier. I am admittedly inefficient. But I should give up the judgy bitterness. It's unbecoming and misplaced. Sigh.

Do it your way!!! Be efficient if you're able! 

(Please just don't tell me about being completely ready for everything first semester next year when I'm still under water the last two weeks with kids. It makes me feel kind of defeated.) 

So how do I have time to write a blog post? It's easy to vent. 

Nutshell. I can do this, and  it is not necessary for others to struggle the same way I do just because I have issues. Not sure my backtracking worked.  I am jealous. Please don't give up on my blog! I'll bounce and not complain next time!!!!