Hell NO. This entry is not about the US government, FEMA, Bush, or anything (or anyone!) of that particular arm of life.
No. This particular entry is about the future peons of America, my lovely students. (I ought to make this the weekly Meltdown, but this is Thursday and people would just become confused, ne?)
So, most of you went to a public school. You had rules, regulations, and – requirements. Now, let’s think here. What was required for your math class? Think hard.
Yes. That’s right. A pencil. With an eraser. A FREAKING pencil. Especially on test days, yes? Yes. Exactly. Especially on test days.
Today is a test day. How many pencils did I have to lend out so far today? Four. Now, that does not count the students who went along their merry way, taking their test in *pen*. Four may not seem like a big deal – but it’s a TEST and it’s always the *SAME* students who do not have a pencil.
MERGH.
I tell them at the start of the year, a pencil is required. And yet, the number of them with pens is – well – INSANE.
And do *not* get me started on the calculator issue. Oh, yes. These spoiled children can use a calculator on anything and everything. A graphing calculator, no less. Do not get me wrong. A calculator is a very handy thing, in fact, even necessary at times. Like – right now. And yet, I had four students today, out of three classes, show up without one, even though they *know* they CANNOT do some of the problems *without* this particular piece of equipment.
WHAT are these children thinking? (Yes, yes, I know. They aren’t.)
They CERTAINLY are not preparing themselves for real life. My god. How about I show up to work without my required materials? Yeah, that’d go over well. Can we say – fired?
*mutter*
To be sure, part of this irritation is most likely due to the fact that I *need* vacation from these children, from their constant whining about grades, their demands to get extra time, etc. And yet, some of it is utter frustration at their lack of ability to take responsibility for themselves and be prepared.
Part of my job is supposed to be teaching them how to *be* responsible, yes? Except – with the new policies in place, it has become a joke. And that’s a whole OTHER rant.
So here’s what I say to you, dear internets.
Be FREAKING prepared for your stuff! DAMMIT!
I was alwasy embarrassed not to have my required supplies. 😕
imho it depends on what kind of test it is, if someone has to make a diagram, or whatever it is that has something to do with table, drawing, etc then s/he needs a pencil. When I was studying I had a big pencil case complete with all the stuff I needed during the lessons or test. When I was kid we’re really really required to bring pencil because we were not allowed to lend, if we didn’t have pencil we’re also not allowed to do the test. That’s strict rule but … it helped us to remember it: bring a pencil!
did they not get punishment when they didn’t bring pencil?
Not bringing materials required for testing along, when they’ve known what to bring for years (last I checked, tests are given pretty much the same way in most grades) is inexcusable. This is why I would make a poor teacher. “You didn’t even bring a PENCIL?! You get a 0. Go home.”
Children today have no conscience. They don’t have any incentive to try, because there are fast-food jobs, welfare, and mommy & daddy to bail them out of everything. Teacher tries to make them accountable? Sue the school, or accuse teacher of harassment. Boom, ‘problem’ gone. Absolutely detestable.
I remember a 6th grade teacher making students wear a giant pencil hat for that!!!