This past week(and a half) is the week, four times a year, that makes me question my career as a teacher: Finals Week, End-of-Term, Late Work deadline, call it what you will. Friday was the last day for my kids to turn in late & makeup work, they’re turning in their Constitution, taking a big Constitution test and starting their Citizenship Speech this week. Not to mention it’s a very unfun week of the month (sorry, gentleman) for me. It’s basically the perfect storm.
I’ve been getting all kinds of emails from parents and students alike:
“Hi Mrs. Holdaway. Can I retake that Revolutionary War test we took in November?” Oh yeah. I’d love to make special time in my schedule for you to come in and retake a 3 month old test you haven’t studied for and then grade it for you (you’ll actually get a somehow worse score) on top of all my other grading/planning work. {I promise I am actually super helpful to the kids who come in to study and make up their grades. Less happy about the ones who don’t try at all.}
“Why is my Citizenship grade a “U”? I am an A student.” Well because you are always late and have the worst attitude of any student ever in the history of ever.
“I’m realizing my son is failing History and that is just unacceptable. I’m sick of this district. They completely failed my older son too. This needs to be fixed.” You’re just realizing NOW that your kid is failing history (14% and I’m not kidding, I’ve been sending emails since September) when we’re halfway through the year and you think WE’RE the problem?
“Mrs. Holdaway I’m still struggling in all my classes to get caught up from my vacation and I really think I should be excused from that assignment and given another week to take that unit test.” Oh yeah. Your vacation. The one right after Thanksgiving when your mom DEMANDED that I give you all of your work (tons of extra copies and planning, which I was fine doing to help you) of which you did exactly 0% upon return. It’s a month and a half later so of course I agree with you.
The saving grace of this week? After I spent hours and hours reading the Constitution with 200 thirteen year olds (which most people would assume is out of their reach – and it kind of is), teaching them how to annotate, holding their hand every step of the way, all the while listening to their complaints and whining… Voila. They crushed it.
I like the way Bonnie always says it – Teenagers will really surprise you if you let them.
These kids worked their tails off for me.
They read The Constitution, every bit of it – something most adult Americans haven’t done.
They marked that thing up.
They made flash cards.
They got into deep discussions about the First Amendment and Duck Dynasty, the right to bear arms and school shootings, and why the President has to be a natural-born citizen. They already knew the Fifth and Sixth Amendments – thank you 21 Jump Street.
They’ve walked around using their new vocab words “I’m VETOING that decision you douche!” “Wow nice TREASON Benedict Arnold!”
They’ve shown their Constitution to their parents, who then email me to say they’re so impressed that their kid is actually reading the real thing.
They’re so proud of those packets. And I’m so proud of them. It’s actually pretty awesome. And I’m sure I’ll appreciate it even more when I’m not bombarded with end-of-term emails.
Other Awesome Things
- I had Monday off and I have tomorrow off too (Grading Day! Fun/notfun)
- My 9th grade girls bball team won their first game last Saturday! Even if that’s the only game we win all season I’m just so relieved to not goose egg. And we got jackets. #CoachD
- One of my students from last year came to show me her straight A grade slip and thanked me for being a good teacher
- Next Thursday marks the official Halfway Point of the year!
- A bunch of my kids invited me to their guitar recital and absolutely FREAKED when I actually came. It was a cool experience to support them outside of my history class.
- A student made me this bracelet because “You just wear so much black and red and this will match!” Indeed.
3 thoughts on “It’s the End of the Term as We Know It”
Wow. I was waaay to scared to even attempting having my junior high students in Springville read the Constitution…we still learned about it…with powerpoints. You are an amazing teacher to have accomplished all that!
cutest teacher ever, lady. good luck with end of term! may the force be with you.
I love your teacher posts! I am so excited to get to this point in the next year, but it is cautious excitement for everything you just said. I am always so amazed at the way teenagers can step up to the plate and surprise you.