I've Been Griped At So Here Is A Post....

We had a Christmas party for our Sunday School last night. I was gently reminded that I have been neglecting my blog and I needed to update it. Thanks Amy! Oh, and I forgot to take my broccoli salad out of the fridge for the party and it is still there. LOL.

Leading up to this wonderful moment of leaving my broccoli (which is a hard word to remember how to spell) behind has been fun filled days of students forgetting papers, test dates, assignments, etc. Some of my favorite moments:

1. It was the day to hand in their final journal that I have been talking about all semester and one student comes up and says "I must have missed the class you talked about that". Um you must have missed almost 70% of my classes then cause I'm good on reminding you.
2. My final was at 10:00 am. I have the option to fill up 2 hours for said final but that doesn't sound like fun. All I ask is that you make it to the final. At 10:50, all students were gone, I was packing up and a students walks in. I just look at him. And he says "The finals are given during this time right?" I'm like it started at 10 am. He goes "I didn't feel like getting up that early so I thought I could do it now". We just look at each other. sigh.
3. My favorite student comment during the semester was around the 2nd or 3rd test... A fellow turns in his test. I mention that he didn't do the essays. He said he was just wanting a "D" in the class and he would be ok. sigh. He wasn't ok. Sorry about that "F" and you were only 3 points away from your goal. Next time try a little more to play on my sympathy!
4. Another yearly comment I have to deal with is right around the end of the semester. We are in the home stretch. Finals are just a week away and I always get at least 2-3 students that want to go over their grades. That is fine. I laugh cause they have a "C" and they ask "What do I have to make on the final to get an "A"????? sigh. Take a math course and find out.
5. My other favorite past time in dealing with students is giving a "F" when all they had to do was drop my class. From day one I tell them that they are grownups now and if they stop coming to my class then they need to drop said class or they get an F. How hard is it. You get a drop slip, you get my signature, you pay your $5 and you get no "F". I think it is pretty cool. But 5 of my students this semester obviously didn't.
6. I always have one student that I have to run away from. I get to hear their life story, their sleep problems, their issues with their boyfriends/girlfriends. Most of the time I really don't mind and have made "friends" from all this. But there is always just that ONE that can't stop. Will almost stalk me just to tell me some THING. It usually makes no sense. If they talk in class all the students start rolling their eyes and I have to try not to laugh (cause I'm the teacher... It's in the job description that you can't laugh at a student). This semester I even had to end a class cause of one of the stories she told. I was just floored and didn't know what else to say.

I always look forward to the next semester and the new batch of class clowns, whinners, hungover frat boys, narcoleptics, cell phone ringing, they were born the year I graduated HIGH SCHOOL students. Because with each new class I find the ones that get it, that teach me something new, that are over joyed in learning.