Day 131

It is nearing that time again . . . end of term. Time when students do the "dash-for-the-grade" run and the "what-can-I-do-to-make-up-my-attendance" dance. I for one don't allow them to make up attendance in my class and that gets some of the students hot under the collar. I had Prima Dona Ballerina come up and tell me I had to find something for her to do to make up the attendance she's over on and I could only make it Thursday afternoon because she has other things to do.

*insert raised eyebrow look*

All I do now is turn to the page in the student handbook that states "teachers are NOT obligated to provide attendance make-up" and I just walk away. The overall look that she gave me was priceless. She started with the quivering lip, then the glassy eyes, then the shaky voice "But, my dad is going to take away my car and my phone if I don't get my grades and attendance up".

*insert sarcastic look*

"Would you like a glass to hold all that whine?" I actually replied. That got a few snickers out of people in the class, and a stomped foot from her. No one in that class likes her too much. She challenges me on everything from due dates to how many assignments she has to do to if I should giver her a tardy or not for being 5 minutes late to class. But then I meet the parents and everything falls into place. They give in to her and I don't. I doubt that girl has ever heard the word "No" from her parents because from what I observed, she gets what she wants with those looks of hers. Well, I've got a few 'looks' of my own and she needs to be on the look out for it.

But I'm still being held at bay whether or not I'm staying here. If I am, I've got a lot of "remodeling" to do in this office and classroom. There is a lot of stuff around that I just don't use but I can't get rid of them because I'm on a 1 year contract. That and I'm really beginning to consider getting a Master's degree. I'm not the academic type (reason behind me teaching film and multimedia) so a MFA is what I'm looking at. That--in payscale talk--is equivalent to a Doctoral degree. But I may have to go out of state to get it. I don't think the universities around here offer it, but I'm beginning to take a look. I'm not looking too hard considering my uncertain job situation, but I'd like to know my options. Plus, if I did go for my Masters or Doctoral, I would be the third Dr. Z in my family.

But the bell has rung and I can hear my students knocking. Ugg, time to start it again with the freshmen.