I was listening to one of the local morning shows this morning – Mickey, Amelia, and Spegal from 98 Rock. They were talking about the shooting in Cleveland yesterday. Mickey was saying that kids today are coddled and never taught it is okay to lose or to fail. I was listening and I had to agree, especially given the way the county is making us do things here. (Reassessments – I’m sure I’ve ranted about those before…)
I wasn’t even going to bother with it, except I have a student in an honors class. She probably should never have been in an honors class, but she was. She decided she was going to drop into the on-level class. Okay, fine. Well, she stopped doing the work for me because she was leaving the class. There is a test today. She is still technically in my class. Is she here taking it? No. She’s been approved (finally) to take the on-level class. So, she is SKIPPING the test I am giving, which she has been prepared by me to take, and will take the on-level test when they take it.
What.
The.
Fuck.
They gave her a PASS to go to her guidance counselor’s office and do her homework.
What are we telling our children?
That it’s okay to blow stuff off. That’s really what we are saying. She did not do the review assignment for this test. Didn’t bother with it. Because she was “getting out of this class.” I’m pretty sure she didn’t bother to study either. I guarantee she whined to her counselor and to her administrator that I was a horrible teacher and she didn’t understand anything and that she should just take the ‘easier’ on-level test.
I am so mad and I don’t even know exactly why. I don’t have to grade her test. I won’t have to deal with her in class any more…
But I’m pissed.
Ugh.
I need alcohol.
And sex.
Stat.
Now THAT is what I call a quality rant. I totally agree with you. Even going to uni isn’t what it used to be. They lower the standards because students are lazy. I know I should probably not complain since I am a student myself (and a lazy one at that) but fair is fair! Dumbing down everything doesn’t fix anything and I’m sure that if they left it as it was the quality of education and knowledge gained from schools, colleges and universities by students would be a lot higher.
Is it possible that she’s emotionally / mentally disturbed in some way and is doing this to lighten her mental load?
I did the same thing and didn’t have to explain myself to anyone, mainly because I wasn’t asked to (and it wasn’t really any of their business).
@Colin – I am totally worried about the quality of education – and the work ethic! – these kids are getting. This is the FUTURE of this country – and they expect it to be like a video game? With extra lives and do-overs?
@marie b. – I don’t think so. Generally, the guidance counselors make a comment about that. IE: The student is overwhelmed and is moving classes to lessen stress. Not always, but generally they try to keep us in the loop. As far as this girl is concerned, I don’t think that’s the problem. Granted, still waters run deep, but I don’t think it is.
@wakela – Once is a practical joke. Every day? That’s harassment, plain and simple. I’d see about talking to your boss’s boss about that. That’s not right. And you are right – what about slack for ME?! (;
Let’s hear it for the public flogging of America’s youth!!!! Oh wait…we stopped that, didn’t we?? Ooops…