Is it June yet?
So, whoever had "10 weeks" in the over/under on this one nailed it.
Since Spring Break, I have been completely unmotivated to do anything (almost two weeks now). I haven't graded a single paper, I haven't worked out my lesson plans for the rest of the term, and I'm behind in my laundry/ironing duties, too. Spring fever, I guess, although yesterday was the first real day we've had of spring in the last two weeks.
I'm really sick of my Brit. Lit class (the one I'm taking, not teaching). Dry, dull, boring. Three more weeks of THAT.
The kid that I said they'd be removing from my classroom due to his inability to read still has not been removed. There is a long rant coming -- maybe when I have some time again, like this summer -- about the stupid way the school systems do things. But now is not the time. It just makes me tired.
Punkass redhead now finds reasons to hang out in my classroom. Recently, he broke his arm; as a result, he can't do much in his guitar class 7th period, so he comes to my classroom instead. I don't think he broke his arm specifically for that purpose, though.
I had thought that perhaps, for my fellowship teaching, I'd be able to stay at Crime Wave High ("Two weeks without gang riots!"), teaching 9th grade again. This is appealing because, of course, I will already have lesson plans for the second semester of teaching, which will make simultaneously teaching and taking graduate classes easier. However, where the school seems to have more vacancies is 10th grade. And frankly, if I'm going to have to develop new lesson plans, I may as well look for a school closer to home.
While I like the curriculum for teaching 10th better (The Odyssey! 1984! Lord of the Flies! Taming of the Shrew!), there is a great deal of pressure on 10th grade teachers to help prepare the students for the High School Assessments -- all students must pass a statewide, standardized test at the end of 10th grade English in order to graduate from high school. Pass rates are measured against some arbitrary standard the state sets for a pass-rate goal, which gets progressively higher every year (Average Yearly Progress, or AYP). If a school fails to meet AYP two years in a row, Bad Things happen to it. Our school didn't make AYP in English last year, and I really don't need the additional pressure of trying to help kids pass while I'm overburdened with grad school. After grad school, maybe I'll be willing to be SuperTeacher (like, when I'm getting real money for doing the work), but not yet.
There are 26 middle- and high-school level English openings for 07-08 in my county, and that's just the advertised vacancies (for instance, our school's vacancies -- and I know of three -- aren't listed at all). I'm hoping I'll get into one that is closer to home, has a lower crime/drug/dropout rate, and one that has consistently made AYP. I should also know by the end of June where and what I'll be teaching, so I'll have 2 months to prepare, instead of the two days I had for this stint.
Since Spring Break, I have been completely unmotivated to do anything (almost two weeks now). I haven't graded a single paper, I haven't worked out my lesson plans for the rest of the term, and I'm behind in my laundry/ironing duties, too. Spring fever, I guess, although yesterday was the first real day we've had of spring in the last two weeks.
I'm really sick of my Brit. Lit class (the one I'm taking, not teaching). Dry, dull, boring. Three more weeks of THAT.
The kid that I said they'd be removing from my classroom due to his inability to read still has not been removed. There is a long rant coming -- maybe when I have some time again, like this summer -- about the stupid way the school systems do things. But now is not the time. It just makes me tired.
Punkass redhead now finds reasons to hang out in my classroom. Recently, he broke his arm; as a result, he can't do much in his guitar class 7th period, so he comes to my classroom instead. I don't think he broke his arm specifically for that purpose, though.
I had thought that perhaps, for my fellowship teaching, I'd be able to stay at Crime Wave High ("Two weeks without gang riots!"), teaching 9th grade again. This is appealing because, of course, I will already have lesson plans for the second semester of teaching, which will make simultaneously teaching and taking graduate classes easier. However, where the school seems to have more vacancies is 10th grade. And frankly, if I'm going to have to develop new lesson plans, I may as well look for a school closer to home.
While I like the curriculum for teaching 10th better (The Odyssey! 1984! Lord of the Flies! Taming of the Shrew!), there is a great deal of pressure on 10th grade teachers to help prepare the students for the High School Assessments -- all students must pass a statewide, standardized test at the end of 10th grade English in order to graduate from high school. Pass rates are measured against some arbitrary standard the state sets for a pass-rate goal, which gets progressively higher every year (Average Yearly Progress, or AYP). If a school fails to meet AYP two years in a row, Bad Things happen to it. Our school didn't make AYP in English last year, and I really don't need the additional pressure of trying to help kids pass while I'm overburdened with grad school. After grad school, maybe I'll be willing to be SuperTeacher (like, when I'm getting real money for doing the work), but not yet.
There are 26 middle- and high-school level English openings for 07-08 in my county, and that's just the advertised vacancies (for instance, our school's vacancies -- and I know of three -- aren't listed at all). I'm hoping I'll get into one that is closer to home, has a lower crime/drug/dropout rate, and one that has consistently made AYP. I should also know by the end of June where and what I'll be teaching, so I'll have 2 months to prepare, instead of the two days I had for this stint.
posted by ilse at 4:10 PM
5 Comments:
you absolutely do not want to teach a testing grade if you can help it. we test in 9th grade and it's a lot more pressurized than my senior class where i can just pick and choose what we do and no one knows or cares. i'd give anything to get rid of the testy class.
Yeah, I really want to stay away from 10th. I'd really prefer 8th or 9th (and not just because of the lesson plan thing, although that is not inconsequential). I'd teach 7th in a pinch, but that 13-to-15 age range is my comfort zone.
I may not get much choice. They tend to fill everything they can, then leave the dregs to us beggars. The listing of openings isn't specific, either; usually they just advertise for full-time English without specifying grade level.
Hey, if you have to have a monster grading day, we should get together after my Theater 110 final. Then we can swap out on the boring stuff, and be snarky too boot!
Oh, good, I thought you were just pissed off about the cheerleader porn.
And Purple? I've told you again and again. I'm not selling her.
I don't think it's a 10 week thing, I think it's an end of the year thing--it hits everyone this time of year. It just came more quickly for you since you started late.
I think Middle School/Jr. High teachers are saints. Or goddesses. Take your pick. I'm getting Freshmen for the 2nd time in my career next year, and I casting about for forks to stick in my eyes. Bless you for preferring that crew.
And testing, no matter what the grade, is a PITA. As you've already surmised.
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