Different English Styles (by Mrs. Styles)

The other day we were goofing around with Google Earth at the end of class and projecting it onto mySmart Board.  The kids were telling me what locations to put in, and we were looking at their homes as well as places like The Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, etc.  One of the students asked me to put in my address, so I did.  Now, my house is not a large one at all, and my neighborhood, while family-oriented, is not considered elite or high-class.  It’s a modest, middle-class neighborhood, with hard-working families.  However, the view from Google Earth made my house look really big, as well as the other homes in the neighborhood.  The kids then began to assume that I must, “be loaded!”   (exact quote.  No lie.)  Do you know how hard I wanted to laugh at that statement?  I seriously just wanted to pull up my online banking account to the Smart Board and give everyone a really good laugh. 

 I’d like to just say, for the record, to any student who may be reading, Google Earth lied to you!  My house is not huge!  In fact, I really want to throw my name in for a Friday Jeans Donation Day sometime soon.  I could really use the money. 

I’m wondering if the following situation applies to anyone else, or is it just me.  This year, I have taken four family sick days to care for my sick kids, and two personal days to accommodate my oldest son.  He is in kindergarten in a neighboring school district than the one for which I work, and has had days off that I do not.  A few months ago I was without a voice and was barely audible.  I still came to work.  Today, I have some sort of awful throat condition and am in some serious pain when I try to speak.  Not so easy when that’s the main part of my job.  But, I’m still here.  Now, I’m not asking for some sort of pat on the back for coming into work when I should be at home resting and keeping my illness to myself, but I have to wonder why I find it so difficult to take a day off for me, and me only. 

Is it because I feel guilty not being at work and find it to be A PAIN IN THE BEHIND to plan for a sub (especially with 84 minute classes)?  Or is it because I have that teacher complex that only I and I alone could possibly teach the material the way I want it taught?  Or is it because I feel that I’ll probably have to take another four family sick days by the end of the year and then I’d be missing way too much work?  

The thought of calling in sick today crossed my mind while I was whimpering in the shower this morning, but then I thought, “no way!  I can’t call in sick!  Toughen up!” 

I must get this from my mother.  She’s the toughest one out there I know, and since I’m so much like her in every other way, this must be from her, too. 

I guess when my co-workers get sick, they can thank my mom.   

There are four words that get under my skin more than any other in education.  “I don’t get it.”   Not because I don’t want to help the students who truly don’t understand a concept, but because those four little nasty words are spewed from the mouths of students everyday, in every class, the moment I give instructions on what we’ll be doing in class. 

Example: 

Me:  ”Please take out a sheet of paper and copy down the quote from the board.” 

Students: “Wait, like, the whole quote?”

Me: “Yes, the whole quote.  Copy down the whole quote.”

Students: “I don’t have any paper.”

Me: “OK, after you find a piece of paper and copy down the whole quote, interpret the quote.  This means that you’ll be putting the quote into your own words and figuring out the deeper meaning of the quote.”

Students: “I don’t get it.”

Me:  “So, put the quote from the board into your own words.  Make it easier to understand.”

Students: “I don’t get it.  The quote from the board?  Or are we supposed to make up a quote?”

Me (with much less patience): “Yes, the quote from the board, which you were supposed to copy down on your paper.  You need to interpret it.”

Students:  “Oh, OK.” 

Students, after 1 minute of writing and swarming my desks with their papers: “Is this first sentence OK?  How do you spell important?  Am I doing it right so far?  I don’t get it.  What is this quote about?”

These “I don’t get it” words get to me, because I’ve been noticing more and more that students are having such difficulty thinking independently and they so badly want their hands held through every step of every lesson.  They do get it, I know they do. 

I just don’t get it, I guess.