No Pass, No Play

I undestand the schools concerns that the state is trying to mandate district rules and I will give them that, but give me a break!

Schools today don't challenge kids like they should. There is a gross underestimation of what students are capable of doing because it is a struggle for teachers just to get students to complete their work. I think it is crazy to say that students who are capable of taking upper level classes won't do it because they are concerned about losing their spot on a sports team. If the students isn't going to work hard to be in the class and receive a respectable grade then they shouldn't be there in the first place. We are talking about a failing score here not a C.

Schools need to focus on what is important...education. If a student can't pass their classes then it is up to the parents to get them the help that they need to be successful. I would guarantee no student that is working hard in today's classroom is going to fail. It is only the students who fail to complete work and participate that should have concerns and why should they be allowed to play sports? It is unfortunate that they pulled the race card too (it was in a previous article I am unable to find right now). I believe people of all races have an equal mental capacity, therefore each student has the same opportunities to pass their classes.

I played sports in high school I believe it is a great way for young people to learn lessons of life and feel good about themselves, but America has made sports the priority and that concerns me.

Putting the smack down!

Well 7th graders have been quite a struggle for me the last week. I try to make things interesting and fun and all they do is talk, talk, talk. It has been an extremely frustrating week. I hate doing lesson plans for grammar....I hate grammar. It makes it hard to be fun. I tried but student teaching is difficult. The idea is great you get the chance to see what it is like to have your own classroom, but you don't have your own classroom you are following someone else's rules, plans, and timeliness. It's very difficult! I just want to get through it and move on with my life. I don't think that middle school is going to be the place for me. I never thought so and this experience has supported that idea. I want to have discussions that consist of more than "I broke my arm one time, my sister put a paperclip up her nose and it came out her mouth, or various other stories that they have about their life." Don't get me wrong they are sometimes entertaining and fun, but it's just not me.

So anyway yesterday I put the smack down on the misbehaving. If they do anything I have told them they are getting a detention. This is soooooo not me I am not a disciplinarian and I like chatter in my classroom not to mention I hate to yell. I don't think this part is fun at all!

My cooperating teacher is also a bit of a control freak. Don't get me wrong she is trying really hard not to let it effect me too much, but it is tough. She likes things to be done her way and gets frustrated with me when I do things my way.

It's a struggle for now, but I think it's getting a little bit better. One day at a time...