Day 139

There are days that I want to teach and then there are days that I would rather be at home in bed or on the couch. Today is one of those days I want to be at home.

I don't know what it is. I really don't want to teach today. I have no desire to have people ask me the same questions over and over and having to sound like a broken record with the same answer over and over. I have no drive to actually get out of my office and go open the classroom door even though I can hear students outside my door. I honestly want to just go home.

Maybe it is because for the month of March there are no holidays or breaks or half days. None. You wouldn't think it that bad if you work at a "normal" 9-5 job because you work almost every day, but with teaching it is really really hard to go for that long without a break. Yes, I have the weekends, but many times those are filled doing something for my classes instead of just vegging out. Now, when there is a break during the week or an empty day, I end up planning stuff for classes that day and then having the weekend to myself.

It is also hard on the students. They start being antsy because spring is here and there is still snow in the mountains. I had one student come up to me and ask if he could have the work that he would be missing because he was taking a "flop day" and going skiing. Now, as much as I would have loved to been here-ya-go, enjoy-your-flop-day, I can't do that. The fact that he told me honestly is a good thing and I told him thank for being honest, there was a test that day that I couldn't give later in the week, so I had to be mean and tell him that he had to take the test before he left. He just gave me a look and then said "whatever" and left. Needless to say he never came to take the test. Then yesterday he comes and asks if he can take the test now that he's back from his trip. *roll eyes*

Now the one thing I don't appreciate is when students bring me the extended leave form to sign and I see that their parents are taking them on vacation and they expect me to excuse the student from the work. Umm, no? I don't understand middle-of-the-school-year vacations. It never made any sense to me to pull your kid out (near the end of the term in this case) and take a vacation. Can't you wait until Spring Break? Or at least put it somewhere where it isn't going to tank the student's grade right at the end of the term? Well, this student's grade went from a B- to an F because he didn't turn any of the end of term stuff in. And then I get a nasty e-mail from the mother asking why I had failed her student. Ugg, not too happy.

But, sigh, the dreaded bell has rung and I have to go open my door. This is going to be a long day.