I find myself continually frustrated by the laziness of my students. I can not figure out if they are ignorant because they are lazy or lazy because they are ignorant. I have a serious problem with students leaving my class knowing nothing about the subject. I also have a problem with the lack of intrinsic motivation. A good teacher will motivate students to learn. Maybe that is the problem. Enthusiasm, anecdotal presentation, activity oriented, discussion pushing teaching tactics are obviously not working. Is a good teacher the guy upstairs that shows videos and gives worksheets? I despise over using either method. Honestly, his few students who made it to summer school are more clueless than those who failed my class.
Maybe you should be up teaching instead of posting to your blog…have been for the last hour and a half, before that I was going from student to student. There is only so much they can pay attention to and they are currently completing foundational information. If they don’t know the vocabulary then they have no idea what I’m talking about. So…down time at the moment. Here’s what I see…
Student 1- staring off into space, then back to answering her questions…pause. pause. pause. blow bubble…write a little more. (gum is not a battle I fight anymore as long as I don’t hear it. I would prefer not to see it too, but it was a silent bubble.)
Student 2- staring into mirror picking at her chin. she’s been doing this for well over a minute. now leans over to student beside her. eventually gets back to her work.
Student 3- came in late today, apparently was at the hospital last night b/c she has shot bandage on her arm and probe stick things still stuck to her. Trying to catch up.
Student 4- hasn’t stopped working, always writes extra info on assignments. Here only b/c she didn’t come to school enough. She may still struggle with language comprehension while reading…ESL
Student 5- rocking from side to side, looking like he is reading, probably not absorbing much b/c I think he is dancing to the music in his head. Looks back to question, back to book.
Student 6- big guy, had football at 6 AM…apparently no shower afterward. ew. Doing the work but having trouble concentrating.
Student 2 is back at the mirror.
Student 7- up blowing nose then back to work. Consults with student behind him.
Student 8- working fine, consulting with student 7 about where to find answer.
Student 9- came in late, diligently trying to catch up
Student 10- moving to the music in his head and has refused to do anything today.
Now it is time for lunch. I will hold them accountable for their work after lunch. It will be incomplete. After showing them how much their grade drops from their lack of work they will shrug. I spent from 7:45 until 11:40 walking from student to student, showing them the sections they have to read to find the answer. We listed all the things they know about the Civil War…I should have typed that for you. It was sadly amusing. Then I discussed several catalysts to the war, spending time on “Bleeding Sumner” and “John Brown’s Raid”. They like those stories. Blank stares. You know, my dogs at least turn their head as if they understand what I’m saying. Humor me people.
Sorry. Pretty beaten down today. My intrinsic motivation is waning.
June 28th, 2006 at 9:25 am
Depressing, ain’t it? I worked in a company for a brief period where almost no one understood that they were, in fact, PAID to work and not chat with friends and avoid phone calls. They’d ask questions of the supervisors that my damn dog could answer again and again and AGAIN! I really felt like I had entered some alternate world. Weird. So, I can almost feel your pain. Hang in there.