Bad Decisions

I have lost several students in the past month due to their bad decisions - choosing to drop out rather than do the necessary work. Learned today that several former students have made equally bad decisions and landed in a bad place. It is discouraging for me - probably overwhelming for them.

Six word Saturday

You have to love the South.



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Buy a diamond, get a gun. The radio ads say "Can't choose between getting her a diamond or buying a new hunting rifle? Now you can have both!"

It is, after all, almost deer season.

Six Word Saturday

Too much to do. It's overwhelming.



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The students are needy. There is too much meaningless paperwork. Too many required meetings that get in the way of actually getting something done. (You cannot make students learn and you cannot make people work together to plan. You can however hinder the people who want to work by throwing these meaningless barricades in their way.) And Georgia once again has adopted programs that other states have already proved don't work.

I watch the Chicago teachers striking because they are having to work more hours and don't feel that the 16% raise is enough and I am ambivalent. My gross is going up but the school system is balancing their budget on my back - they will not be paying anything toward insurance and they cut supplies to the bone. The kids even think it is my job to provide paper towels for the bathrooms. They probably think I should be cleaning it too. And I don't know if by "they" I mean students or school officials.

At what point do you accept that some students fail a class because they want to fail and move them aside so you can teach the ones who want to learn?

I have griped in this blog. Sometimes a lot. But this year I am not enjoying teaching and am not sure how to get my mojo back. I know I offer value to some - the rest are vampires bleeding me dry.

I will probably go back to posting cartoons. Putting even some of what I am thinking here is too depressing.

Happy Talk Like A Pirate Day

9/11

Saturday

Six Word Saturday

I don't like myself when angry.



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And I don't like being put into a situation where I can't succeed.

Things are looking better. But I don't know how successful this year will be.