Saturday, May 23, 2009

Parting Shots

Yesterday was my last day teaching high school, perhaps ever. I will miss a few students, especially those that came to the book club because they enjoyed books. I will miss the moments when I felt I created an excellent learning opportunity.

I will not miss seeing those opportunities squandered.

20 May 2009. 3rd period.


"What are you going to do after this?"

Me: "Shoot targets for the Army and think of you."

I leave you with a list of names third period, especially, called me.

Names that left me livid: Brittney, Shirls, Casper.

Names that were disrespectful but I still found flattering: John Cena, jarhead, Goldberg, UFC.



Hasta la bye-bye, students. I'll see you in the Crime Blotter. You may count yourselves very fortunate.

3 comments:

Snigglefrits said...

I would imagine some of your most promising students will be guests at the husband's workplace in the future.

Surely somewhere out there kids exist who really want to learn...I'm just sorry you weren't fortunate enough to work in a place where those children exist.

If you had been my history teacher back in the day, I would have paid attention anyway. Something calls to mind a scene from the original Indiana Jones movie. :D

Anyway, too bad you couldn't have dealt with some of the worse offenders as someone would have dealt with them 40 or 50 years ago. I imagine you would have seen a change of attitude quickly.

May summer help you rejuvenate some of the energy you expended dealing with these dingbats!

J.R.Shirley said...

Thanks. We'll see how some time back doing service training mellows me... :-)

Sezme said...

People ask me why I drive an hour to my position as an English teacher. I always tell them how wonderful my school is, and that I am very blessed.

I've had royal arses in the past. The best advice given to me (because you know just how much of the discipline is out of your hands) was that it isn't necessarily about me. They have issues and those issues create the little bastards they become. By time we get them as high school teachers, they are screwed up. It's a mental game.

Just remember how many you do help and influence in a great way. Without teachers like us, the weak ones come in and the education system goes further down the tubes.

Just my .02. Enjoy your summer. :)


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