Day 79

So I had a meeting with one of my Giggle Girl's Uncle and his wife. Both of them were educated out of the states, so they understand the need for respect of their teachers and they even said that they wouldn't dare treat their teachers the way that American students tend to treat theirs. It was a productive meeting. They told me a little background of Giggle Girl and wanted to know what they could do overall. They also said that the mother is a hands on mother, but has the "my child gets straight A's, so it's not her fault she's failing". At least the Uncle has some sense in him. When he sat down he wanted to know what he could do to help push her along and get her back into the passing range. Fortunately enough Giggle Girl pulled herself out of the failing section by actually turning some work in and on-time. I think there is a good possibility that she may get a good grade this term.

The Uncle asked some interesting questions about what I felt was going on with Giggle Girl to make her go from a good student getting high marks to a failing student that doesn't want to come to class or skips school. I told him that I wasn't an expert but from what I could see there are a lot of different factors that can attest to that. I wish I had a more solid answer, but I told him to sit down and actually talk with Giggle Girl. Perhaps she wants to just talk.

I'm in the after school hours of lab and I really don't mind having students in the lab after school. 3 out of the 4 that are in here are here because they are really far behind or completely failing. 1 is here because she wants to make sure she has enough time to get her project finished before the break.

I've given my students an ultimatum. . . either they get the work in before the break, or it becomes a 0. I had some eyes ready to pop out of their sockets when I said that, but at least they know. It is also written on my board quite plainly. Hopefully they'll get the message that there isn't room for late work anymore.

I don't know, they are teenagers after all and while many of them try to see how far they can push the boundaries, many of them are genuinely interested in doing well--whether or not they let their friends, parents, or even teachers know that.

Day 78

Dealing with parents gets progressively harder and harder as the semester comes to a close. They all believe that their students turn everything in on time and that there isn't a reason for them to be failing such an "easy" class as mine.

There is one parent in particular, HOD (or Hands On Dad). HOD tends to come into my room at least once a week asking how his kids are doing. I have both of them. One is a freshman, the other a senior. I told him that I keep GradeBook up to date and he can check out their grades on line. But he said that he'd rather come and talk to each teacher individually. I wouldn't have a problem with that except for the fact that it is almost every single week. And now that the semester is coming to a close, it is getting even worse. He has come a couple of times in the past week to ask what is going on and how come his students aren't in the same range they were before. I told him that they weren't in the same range because there were assignments due and they didn't turn them in. The students are good students, a bit slower, but good. They work constantly and consistently and tend to turn everything in on time. If they need more time they come and explain why and ask for more. But this parent is beginning to drive me nuts.

I have another parent who has been trying to set up a meeting with me for the past few weeks, but their initial e-mail stated that they wanted me to be flexible with my times to meet their needs. One parent wanted to meet with me at 4pm on one day and then wanted to come at 10am on the other. I don't like staying that long at school if I don't have to and I'm teaching during the other time. When I told them this, one parent said "Well, can't you just set them going then meet with us?" Perhaps, if they weren't high school students. (but then again, talking with my mom, she said there isn't much a difference between high schoolers and college students).

At least this week is shortened and I really don't have to do anything on Friday except show up. They are having this double assembly shortened schedule. The students have to report to their first period and then the assemblies will start. Since I don't have a first period, I don't have to control any students . . . well, at least not my own set of students. I still have to be here and help control the traffic when the assemblies are getting out and switching. Then we have a nice little meeting and then I'm free! I've got a plan as to what to do for the next 2 weeks and they do include some school planning to make sure I can get through the 2 weeks in January before the end of the semester. That really shouldn't be that hard considering it is review days and then state testing. The computer technology class will be presenting their powerpoint presentations, the film classes will be working on 2 day assignments, and the multimedia classes will be starting playing around with flash.

Day 73

Yes, I'm a little off on my day count. I can't figure out where that happened.

Anyway, I think I hit a new "level" or whatever you want to call it, but one of my students called me "cool". Odd sensation, but neat otherwise.

Day 70

All I can really think of right now is how many more days until Winter Break and how to make those days really easy for me but give the students the most out of it. The last day before the break is really just a "slide" day considering they are going to have 2 assemblies and the school gets out early. So I can't plan on anything that day, so I've had to move up everything for the odd classes up one day and that doesn't give them enough time to make sure that their editing and commercials are all done and turned in. Yes, I know that many students won't get it done even with all semester available to them, but I am pushing them and not allowing them to be lazy and just slack off the 2 weeks before break.

But they have their state testing on the week that they come back from winter break and I am going to give them a "study-guide" of sorts and while I know that most won't look at it over the break, I'm hoping that a few will and they will be able to come back with questions or concerns that they have and ask them before the state test starts. Here's to hoping.

But I think my students are beginning to get sick of just me talking to them, so I am looking around for anyone who would like to come and talk with my students about anything related to film or digital media. It would be after the winter break, but hopefully before the semester ends. I'm hoping to catch a few of the students who I want in the program to stay in the program instead of transferring out at semester.