It has been an interesting month. There is nothing like the end of the school year to find out if your students have souls. Of course they do, but many times I have to remind students that if I ask them to be quiet so I can talk - they think that means continue the conversation with their friends with a quieter voice, because they are special and the rules are for those uninteresting classmates of theirs.
I remember the beast. I sat in Economics in my junior year and didn't shut up for the entire semester (my former econ. teacher shared this little tidbit with me when I started teaching). I was the Queen of the Note. I probably knew I was going to be a writing teacher from the amount of effort in notes to friends in lieu of paying attention in class.
However, I think I understand the beast in and can inuit why my students are hurt by that lack of attention. I'm sure I was also the Queen of the Stupid Question. When a teacher answers a question and someone pretending to pay attention then asks the same question - that is a stupid question.
Sigh...we are not without understanding of the beast that is the high school student. But we understand because we were once there; and that doesn't mean that it's not a huge pain in the posterior to be a teacher in the same situation...
There's some weird sociological theory afloat where we think that now, in 2007, we can break the cycle of noise, the cycle of avoidance in class...
And it hurts our little feelers too.....so be gentle with our overworked souls...and we'll be understanding with your social little souls as well...
Win Win
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