Some times, you are just in a good place. Like today, even though I'm super stressed about the fact that I'm behind in my grading, I have a book to finish for Monday, a midterm in Linguistics over the weekend, and a conference to present at on Friday, I was doing pretty darn swell. At least optimistic. Had some good conversations with students, felt like I was making headway, etc etc. Most of all, I was excited about teaching what was my absolute favorite story from high school, Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper." I still vividly remember Mrs. Kaye darting about the room like the mad narrator, pretending to leave smudges on the beige (not yellow) walls of our classroom. Maybe I just have a skewed memory because I actually liked...no, make that loved English. On the other hand, though, I remember others being at least slightly amused. It's such an awesome story, and it's not even hard. It's not like it's in some crazy old language - pretty plain and simple. I was re-reading it tonight and loving it all over again...seriously, I've been waiting to teach this story ever since I started in the education program. It has everything there for those stupid little unappreciative *words of frustrations* to enjoy if they would actually freaking do it. I even took time out from all the work I have to do (which means I'll be up well past midnight catching up) to make a cool poster thing so maybe you would all get into it a little more, in case you didn't read:
However, due to the fact that in an effort to actually help them out and send reminders I am in fact facebook friends with many of my students (only the ones that added ME, btw...I'm not a creeper), I had the lovely experience of reading a lovely post about how I'm such an unreasonable teacher for (gasp!) assigning them one story to read while they're simultaneously working on a novel. And we do essays in class too? And other daily assignments? OH MY GOD WHEN WILL THE HORROR THAT IS AP LITERATURE NEVER CEASE.
So, here's one out to all the haters that resent a class they signed up for because there is actually challenging work involved: you suck. Thanks for ruining my day.
I'm not talking to the ones who were forcibly pushed into the class - they know I try to help them as much as possible, and goodness knows I cut A LOT of slack. I'm talking about the super smart, the high achievers, the always-made- an A+ on-everything-I've-ever-done kids...the ones who think they're too good to actually work hard and feel the driving need to complain about every living thing. The ones who waste their potential by sitting silently during discussion instead of contributing what they and I both know they have to offer. The ones who are brilliant and useless. Guess what - class could actually be fun for you. It's called intellectual stimulation - you could actually experience it if you gave a crap. If not just you, but all students were a little less worried about your grades and a little more worried about being involved in learning, maybe the whole educational system wouldn't be the pathetic waste that it so often is. Because the bottom line is, you don't have to care - if you're semi-intelligent you'll go to college and hopefully find some occupation that keeps you entertained all day long. Good luck with that.
It's stupid that little things like this set me off so badly - I know teaching has so many rewards. Sometimes though - I just want to knock some heads and say screw it all.
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