Trying to be mature and breathing again

.....for a little while. I always feel during the school year there is never enough time. If I could just get a little more organized, if I worked a little smarter and a little harder, yada, yada, yada...work would be much easier.

Maybe...I haven't figured it out yet.

School is fine but we are just so busy. The kids are pretty good in class so I enjoy teaching much more. They very thoughtful and understand more that their decisions effect their grades, not me. It's nice.

However, sometimes they slip back into their old behaviors and whine and complain that I am killing them with work. They ask why do I want to ruin their lives. I just say I'm evil and try to ignore them.

However, I did something I am not proud of this week. But I found it hilarilously funny.

A young man that I have taught for the last three years asked if we could discuss the assignment in a "calm, mature manner." The assignment is to read Act One of the The Crucible and do the study guide by the Thursday after Thanksgiving. The assignment was given on the Monday before Thanksgiving. I suggested they do some reading over the holiday.

Evidently asking them to read over a holiday ranks right up there with shanking their beloved grandmother.

The cries of outrage...the groans of pain and consteration...the HUMANITY!

The very thought that a teacher would give them HOMEWORK to do drove them to incassant whining.

(I'm probably interfering with great and wonderous things students do over the break like saving dolphins or solving global warning or creating world peace.)

ANYWAY....when this young man asked to speak about the assignment in a "calm and mature manner" I just ignored him at first. I can't change the assignment...they have to read. There is simply nothing I can do about the assingment. They will not get out of reading by themselves. I have told them this many times. And I cannot waste 4 class periods just for them to read in class quietly by themselves. Now granted, we will analyze and read and act out parts in class. But they really need to read it for themselves to do that effectively.

Plus, I have been catching this student sleeping at least 2 times a week in my class.

BUT I thought that at least he asked. So I call him over, make him a place at my desk and ask him to sit down. I am amused because I am thinking a "mature" young person would recognize it as work that needed to be done in order to succeed in the class and the he/she could actually learn something from it.

(I know...expecting them to LEARN. And to try learning ON THEIR OWN. WITH THEIR OWN BRAINS.

OH MY GOD, I AM EVIL!)

The student sits down and immediately starts in.

Mature Squirrel: "Miss, you cannot expect us to read on the break because, well, we have stuff to do...."

Me: (kinda giggling and please remember that if I do not laugh about it and try to see the humor in it, I will start to scream.)

(Also, I am thinking of the 3 days of work I have to do on during MY vacation.) (Which isn't going to well actually.)

Me: "Really, well you still have to do it."

Mature Squirrel: "But Miss! We're teenagers...we have crusing and partying to do. Plus our families need to see us!"

Me: (still kinda giggling) "Well, let them see you with a book. Oh, and someone else can drive during the crusing and you can read. Girls like smart young men."

Mature Squirrel: (expaserating and rising up to go work at his desk (or sleep, I don't know.)) (kinda muttering) "I can get farther with my 4 year old nephew."