Friday was the end of the 5th grading period.
Today is the Monday after. Tomorrow at 9am grades are due.
I told my students three weeks ago that there is no extra credit. I asked them to please study for the test. Please use Ms. Choi and ask questions in class. Please turn in assignments when they are due. Please remember that Ms. Choi always takes late assignments, but for less credit, because it's not fair for students who turn things in on time.
Of course I get an email after I get home Friday from a student. He asked me politely for extra credit work to bring his grades up. He is a sweet kid. But I didn't reply. I was angry. And smart people don't reply to email when they are angry.
I called in sick today.
I didn't want to go to school and repeat myself over and over again to so many students each period.
"Remember I said there is no extra credit? Please work on regular credit. You can turn your late assignments in. I will put that in the grade book, but it won't be in time for this grading period."
It's always the same at the end of each grading period.
I wonder.
What can I do as an educator to get students to work hard everyday? To help students understand that learning doesn't happen overnight, but over days, weeks, months and years? That grades don't mean a thing if you haven't learned it?
Last week at our staff meeting, we learned that about 68 percent of our students were in the red for math on the CAASPP test.
Obviously, my morale is low and I am venting today.
But tomorrow, I shall be excited for my job again. Cuz I let it out.
If I'm really smart, I probably won't post this. But I'm not that smart. Have a great day, my teacher friends. I hope your day is better than mine.
